Sport

Caicedo proving crucial to Maresca-ball

Chelsea’s improvement this season can be attributed to several things. Enzo Maresca has settled on a consistent starting lineup that has allowed the Blues to grow game-to-game. Cole Palmer continues to deliver as one of the most productive players in the Premier League while Nicolas Jackson is getting better and better. Moises Caicedo also deserves a mention.

Signed as the most expensive midfielder in football history, Caicedo is starting to pay back the £115m paid Chelsea paid Brighton for him last year. The 23-year-old has been one of the Blues’ best players this season and is proving himself as the midfielder Chelsea require to make Maresca-ball work.

Caicedo initially struggled to make much of an impression at Stamford Bridge. Amid the chaos that swirled around Chelsea last season, the Ecuadorian got lost. He started 33 Premier League games, but was a shadow of the energetic, all-round operator who caught the eye so brightly for Brighton. Some even argued he should have been dropped from the first team.

This season, though, Maresca has harnessed Caicedo as the two-way midfielder Chelsea need. The Ecuadorian is their valve in the centre of the pitch, giving the Blues plenty on the defensive side of the ball while also providing passing ability to spark attacks from deep. Caicedo is currently demonstrating his full repertoire.

“Most of the time in football, one plus one is not two,” said Maresca, explaining how Caicedo needed some time to adapt to his new surroundings at Stamford Bridge. “Because he was so good at Brighton, that doesn’t mean that when he joins Chelsea he is automatically going to be as good as he was at Brighton.

“He needs a little bit more time to adapt. Chelsea is a big club, one of the best clubs in the world, so the impact is not easy and when players join Chelsea, it’s not so automatic. You probably need a bit of time and now Moi is showing how good he was and how good he is this year. I think I have one of the best squads in the Premier League  and Moi belongs to the squad.”

The deployment of Romeo Lavia alongside Caicedo has taken Chelsea’s midfield to another level this season. While Enzo Fernandez had previously been favoured alongside Caicedo, Lavia is another two-way operator who has given the Blues defensive fibre as well as passing range. Between them, Chelsea arguably have the best balanced midfield pair in the division.

Maresca’s Chelsea remain a work-in-progress. While the Blues are firmly in the fight to finish in the top four this season, their squad lacks experience. Chelsea’s youthfulness leads to inconsistency with Maresca still developing a number of players within his team. They are a long way from the finished article.

And yet it’s easy to see Chelsea’s potential when players like Caicedo are improving so quickly. The Ecuadorian has made himself the driving force behind Maresca’s team with Caicedo now showcasing the talent that made him one of the most sought after players in the world following the 2022 World Cup. Caicedo is back to being the force of nature he was at Brighton.

Chelsea’s transfer strategy might have been scattergun at times, but it has led to them to the point of having one of the best young teams in the Premier League. If Caicedo is this good now, imagine how much better he could become in a settled side with so much talent around him. His decision to join Chelsea over other suitors like Liverpool is now paying off.