Now, this was more like the Mohamadou Kante we wanted to see; West Ham United’s 5-0 shellacking of Stevenage showing a different, more adventurous side to the French midfielder.
The feeling was that, as the Hammers were held to a 1-1 draw by Southend in their first official pre-season game of the summer on Saturday, Kante played within himself a bit.
His passes were sideways and safe. The thumping long distance shots and buccaneering ball-carrying that saw Kante labelled the ‘jewel’ of West Ham’s academy crown by Carlton Cole conspicuous by their absence.
A 5-star showing in Stevenage! Who stood out most to you?
Goals for JWP, Taty, Orford, Ajala and newbie Murphy ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽
This, though, was more like it.
West Ham United’s number 55 clearly got the memo. A speculative attempt early on might have been blocked by a home defender, but it showed intent. A sign of things to come.
And on a night when Nuno Espirito Santo’s kids ripped Stevenage to shreds, Mohamadou Kante played with a swagger, an authority and a presence which once again brought to mind those Patrick Vieira comparisons.
James Collins says Mohamadou Kante reminds him of West Ham United legend Mark Noble
James Collins, the former Hammers centre-back watching on from the commentary booth, could not help be reminded of another former Premier League midfielder, however.
“I almost look at Kante as if he’s played 100 games,” Collins said during West Ham’s live coverage. “He’s so comfortable in possession and position-wise.
“I’d love for him to be playing central midfield in front of me. He’s always looking for a pass, demanding it, and playing passes into the front three.
“It’s something you might not see [watching on TV]. Even when Stevenage have the ball, he’s looking over his shoulder to try and cut the balls out into the centre-forward. When you’ve got someone like that in front of you…
“Mark Noble did it for years in front of me, cutting passes out and making my job a lot easier.”
There are some in East London who feel that Kante may be the eventual heir to Declan Rice.
Like Vieira – Kante has been likened to the Arsenal legend on more than one occasion and by more than one coach – Rice is someone who stood out head and shoulders above the rest due to his willingness to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and make things happen.
Mark Noble led in a different way. With consistency, reliability, and by doing the simple things effectively and diligently.
And Collins, who played 151 games alongside Noble during two spells at Upton Park, saw shades of that in Kante at Broadhall Way.
What does Mohamadou Kante have to do to ESTABLISH himself at West Ham?
James Collins makes some good points…
Kante could start in the Championship opener away to Burnley
The £500,000 signing from Paris FC is not only a midfielder with the ability to storm through the thirds and turn defence into attack with one bludgeoning run, but also someone with the awareness and intelligence both on and off the ball to become a fine number six.
Considering that Nuno looks short of options ahead of the Championship kick-off away to Burnley on August 16th – a Mateus Fernandes-shaped void yet to be filled, Tomas Soucek injured and Soungoutou Magassa not yet back in training – Kante looks increasingly likely to start at Turf Moor.
If this version of Kante turns up in Lancashire, Fernandes and Soucek might not be missed all that much after all.
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