Leicester City couldn’t be much further away from their former triumphs as relegation stares Ruud van Nistelrooy in the face.
On Sunday night, Leicester lost 3-0 against Manchester United. It was a pretty gutless and anonymous performance from the Foxes, who recorded their 13th loss in 14 league matches.
It’s the complete opposite to how they felt nine years ago when Leicester lifted the Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri.
The 2015/16 squad was built on a pillar of solidity and togetherness, as the players ran through brick walls for each other.
In central midfield, it was the dynamic duo of N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater that set the tempo, with the ball-winning attributes of Kante being complimented by the playmaking abilities of Drinkwater.
Danny Drinkwater initially questioned the signing of N’Golo Kante
Leicester’s fairytale Premier League title win came after surviving by the skin of their teeth in the season prior, pulling off the great escape under Nigel Pearson.
In the 2015 summer transfer window, Kante was one of nine players brought into the King Power Stadium, as Ranieri shaped his ideal squad.
But whilst the Frenchman became one of their greatest-ever bargains, Drinkwater initially questioned the signing of Kante.
The Englishman felt Leicester needed some size and stature in the middle of the park, so when someone who was 5ft6 arrived, it took everyone by surprise.
“I just remember all the lads, we were like we’ve just got to the Premier League, we just survived relegation, we need like somebody who’s going to have a bit of stature,” Drinkwater said on the Rio Presents podcast.
“He walks in, Ligue 2, French, and then you’re like, what are we doing? And you know, he trains a few times, and I think he got injured, pretty sure he got injured in his first week. And we were like, oh, there goes our centre mid.”
“And then Andy King started really well, Kante got fit, and then the rest is history.”
Drinkwater lost for words at how good Kante was
Kante turned out to be inarguably one of the best ball-winning midfielders in the Premier League history, eventually going on to win the Premier League and Champions League with Chelsea.
Having initially questioned his arrival, Drinkwater quickly realised what a player he was, endorsing his attributes while speaking to Rio Ferdinand.
“He’s almost everywhere, but without being where you need him, kind of thing, if that makes sense,” he said. “So in like, say in a flat two, 4-4-2, you’re always working on like kind of ups and downs with your partner, one’s attacking, one’s defending. He would do everything.
“So if I’m looking to receive the ball off the centre back, he’s probably there on the other side. And then if I’m looking to like get forward, he’s already caught me up from receiving the ball himself. So it’s just, it’s hard to put into words how good he was for that, especially for that team that year.”
Drinkwater was, indeed, lost for words at how good his midfield partner was, as they formed an iconic duo during the title-winning campaign.