Retour
Moises Caicedo made his second Premier League start for Chelsea on Saturday in their 2-0 victory over Everton.
That is two starts on the bounce now, with the midfielder also being named in the Blues’ first XI last weekend. Caicedo’s injury trouble looks to be over, and Xabi Alonso will be so grateful for that.
Chelsea are a much better outfit with Caicedo in the team, and that was clear to see at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The 24-year-old covered spaces well as he tends to and seems to have struck up a really good partnership with Jordan Henderson.
However, while Alonso will be satisfied with his performance, which was a solid one, Caicedo is not at 100% just yet.
In Caicedo, Chelsea may very well have the best ball-winning midfielder in the Premier League — perhaps even in the world! Yet, according to Sofascore, Caicedo did not make or win a single tackle against Everton.
He finished the game with just two defensive contributions to his name, which is quite unlike the Ecuadorian. Nevertheless, he was still very effective in the game.
Again, there are fewer gaps on the pitch when Caicedo plays because of how much space he can cover. It is no coincidence that in the two league games Caicedo has started, Chelsea have only conceded one goal and even managed to keep a clean sheet.
Against Everton, Caicedo also nearly scored the goal of the season after volleying Henderson’s corner straight onto the crossbar. Even if Caicedo was not making tackles left, right and centre for once, his presence was still felt.
Caicedo’s performance left Pedro Neto almost speechless, with the goalscorer evidently impressed with the impact his teammate has made since returning from injury. Even so, Chelsea are still expected to sign a new midfielder in 2027.
Alex Scott remains on Chelsea’s radar after their failed pursuit of the England international in the summer. However, Bournemouth now seem far more open to selling him.