That was your 62nd game of the season, Thomas, was that a tired performance today?
“Fair enough, but we were the better team and deserved the win. We did what it took. We needed a point and we got a point. We didn’t allow anything, no chances. We were punished by a shot from outside the box and created enough to win. We didn’t allow Leicester any transition or chances so I’m okay with the performance. It’s a bit of a broken record: we didn’t take what we deserved. I think that was okay what we did.”
The home form and number of draws must be so frustrating when you consider what could have been?
“Yes, but not today. It’s the story of the season, we need an assist from a fullback and a goal from a fullback. You can see the numbers of our attacking players and the numbers [from the offensive players] that lie before us.
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“Yet today is the day we secured third place. We’ve been in the top three all season, and considering where we came from last season – securing ninth and fourth with Tottenham’s help in the last ten minutes of the season – this time we took ourselves.
“We fought Arsenal and Tottenham, who played six weeks in one league, and we are pretty much the opposite. So yes, we had some obstacles to overcome and the conditions around the club were not easy, so all credit to the club. ” It was a huge inconsistency for us.
“Maybe it doesn’t feel that way 100% because the gap between the teams is so big, but okay, we have things to improve and things to improve. We are the first to admit, and from here we go.”
How important is N’Golo Kante to the team next season and possibly beyond?
“I think he’s our key, key, key player, but key, key, key players have to be on the pitch. He only plays 40% of the games, then maybe it’s a miracle we finish in third place. He’s our Mo Salah, he’s our Van Dijk, he’s our De Bruyne, he’s just that player, he’s our Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
“He’s that man who makes the difference, and if you only have 40% of him then it’s a huge problem. Given that percentage it might be a miracle that he is getting results. It puts everything into perspective as I saw Liverpool without Van Dijk last season, and they had it tough. You can see the difference. N’Golo is our most important player and we need him on the pitch.”
Do you think you can solve N’Golo Kante’s physical problems, or is it something you have to live with?
“It’s to live with. It’s hard to live with. It’s important for him to be there and to have the rhythm. I think he played well, but he can play so much better. But when did he start his last game?weeks ago.So he starts to get steady rhythm but once he has that a little injury comes and he’s out again.
“Last year, in the last five games of the Champions League, he got the… [man-of-the-match] trophy. I mean, they almost gave him the trophy for the game. It was so. This man who becomes man of the match in every Champions League game is only here for 40 percent of the games. This is huge for us.
“We are doing everything we can to solve it. Of course, so does he. I don’t blame him, it’s just a concern and a fact that we miss him very much because he brings something that is unique in world football, and he has that ability to lift everyone up and make that difference. This is the challenge for him and for us.”
Is Kante up there with the best Chelsea players ever?
“He certainly is. But I can only repeat myself. He can make the difference, but he can only make the difference if you are on the pitch and at your highest level. This is our goal for him, and he will do it anyway everything. He is one of the very best. He is one of the very best midfielders in the world.”
Do you think he’s standing next to Didier Drogba?
“Sure, but because he’s not so obvious, he’s not in the spotlight. He’s even more important for a team because a man like N’Golo with the mentality of a helper, a water carrier, this makes all the difference and big teams and successful teams need this. That’s why we love him so much, and everyone wants to play with him and why we miss him so much when he’s not around.”
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