Is Moises Caicedo the Premier League’s best ball-winning midfielder? | OneFootball

Among the biggest transfer sagas of last summer was Moisés Caicedo’s future.

He banked on Chelsea, who parted with £100 million for his services, placing a millstone around his neck. After struggling, the Ecuadorian midfielder has slowly begun to shed that pressure and become a cornerstone behind the Blues’ resurgence.

Chelsea sit fourth heading into this latest round of Premier League fixtures: seven places and six points better off than at the same stage of last season.

To say Caicedo has been the driving force would be an understatement. He is only one of four outfielders, along with Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, and Levi Colwill, to have started every league game under Enzo Maresca, with only Colwill playing more minutes.

It underlines his importance to Maresca, who succeeded Mauricio Pochettino before the season began. Caicedo spoke of his excitement about Maresca’s appointment, feeling he could progress with the Italian at the helm.

“He plays like the same system that I played in Brighton. He wants the same. He wants me to show my quality, have a good personality, and show my teammates that I am the boss on the pitch,” Caicedo said. “For sure, I will be a good player with him.”

He featured prominently under Pochettino, too, but his price tag weighed heavily. He was unable to replicate the performance levels shown at Brighton. That has changed this season. Chelsea so often overrun in midfield last term; 67 goals conceded in 38 matches illustrated their openness; they have shipped in only 12 in 10 this time.

It owes a lot to the defensive protection offered by Caicedo. His total of 52 tackles and interceptions combined is the highest of any Premier League player this season. On current form, he is arguably the best central midfielder in the league.

Caicedo also ranks top for Premier League midfielders regarding both making and winning tackles and ranks highly for winning duels (second – 68), recovering the ball in the middle third (sixth – 26), and interceptions (third – 17).

The 23-year-old is not just a destroyer; he can also hurt opponents with his distribution and break the lines with a dribble or pass. Caicedo also completes far more successful passes inside the final third than any Chelsea player. Maresca attributes his improvement to time.

“Most of the time in football, one plus one is not two,” he said. “Just because he was so good at Brighton, that doesn’t mean that when he joins Chelsea he is automatically going to be as good.

“He needs a little bit more time to adapt. Chelsea is a big club, one of the best in the world, so the impact is not easy. When players join Chelsea, it is not automatic.”

His improvement is also a result of tactical adjustments. Under Maresca, Caicedo focuses on his ‘number six’ duties instead of being more active in the opposition half. It means he is seeing less of the ball with his touches and passes down by around 20% this season, but that reduction in responsibility — with Chelsea’s full-backs asked to come into midfield — goes some way to explain his incredible defensive contribution.

As touched upon, Caicedo still contributes to Chelsea’s attacking endeavours; his through-ball assists for Nicolas Jackson against West Ham and Liverpool, plus that stunning equaliser at Manchester United, was a reminder. If the sensational Cole Palmer is Chelsea’s most valuable player, then Caicedo is fast becoming their most essential, highlighting the need for patience.