Flop of the season? Moises Caicedo criticism is UNFAIR

Updated: 19 Apr 2024 16:23 BST
4 min read

Moises Caicedo, Chelsea, 2023/24 — © IMAGO

On one hand, he cost €116 million and is yet to live up to the hype. On the other hand, though, Mauricio Pochettino’s current system at Chelsea is asking a lot of him, he doesn’t suit playing in a midfield pivot next to Enzo Fernandez and yet he’s still been fairly impressive.

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On the whole, however, it’s fair to say that he’s been vastly over-criticised this campaign.

Sure, he hasn’t justified Chelsea’s huge outlay just yet and several high-profile errors have cost the Blues this season, but Caicedo has been a net positive rather than a net negative since arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Ecuador international has been rash on several occasions this year and in-possession mistakes against Manchester United and Nottingham Forest were notable, but he has shown enough to prove that he will be a key player for Chelsea in their new era.

Caicedo’s performance during the 6-0 rout of Everton on Monday was exemplary and saw him win more than 10 ground duels for the first time in a Premier League match since May 2023.

Furthermore, he was excellent against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, making 11 tackles and interceptions, and the term ‘flop’ is misdirected at him. His Chelsea debut was woeful, as he conceded a penalty off the bench against West Ham United, but he has been a quietly consistent performer for the Blues since then.

Pochettino’s midfield make-up hasn’t suited Caicedo either. The aforementioned Fernandez is brilliant in possession, but his defensive work and ability to cover large spaces is a notable weakness, which has in turn made Caicedo look rather average at times this season.

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Moises Caicedo: A transfer flop?

At Brighton, the Ecuadorian excelled in Roberto De Zerbi’s system as Alexis Mac Allister and Pascal Gross were often in close attendance, which allowed Caicedo to combine with short passes and help progress the ball up the pitch. The vast gaps on the pitch in Pochettino’s transitional style is a direct juxtaposition of this, and Caicedo has been exposed to constant counter-attacks this season.

Circumstances haven’t been ideal for the 22-year-old and yet he has clearly been one of Chelsea’s more impressive performers this season.

Caicedo has been compared to Declan Rice for large chunks of this season, given their price tags were similar last summer, and while the England international has undoubtedly been in better form in 2023-24, the gap isn’t as big as many may think.

© IMAGO - Moises Caicedo joined Chelsea in 2023

As per Fbref, Caicedo is 33rd in the Premier League for ball recoveries with 153, one place higher than Rice, who has amassed 152 so far this season.

The Chelsea man is 22nd in the division for tackles won (37), which is two fewer than Rice’s tally of 39, while he has amassed only seven fewer interceptions than the Arsenal star (30 to 37).

Statistics don’t even come close to proving how good Rice has been for Arsenal, but the disparity in public perception regarding the ex-West Ham captain and Caicedo is too vast given how well each player has actually performed individually this season.

The perception that Caicedo has been a poor signing is a widespread one, however the ex-Brighton man has actually been a reliable presence in Chelsea’s midfield and he will only improve with age.

He’s been far from perfect, but Caicedo simply hasn’t been a flop and he will be crucial during the final weeks of the 2023-24 season as Chelsea hunt down a possible sixth place finish.

Read more about: Premier League, Chelsea, Moises Caicedo