Fernando Guevara

🚨🎙️| PAUL MERSON ON MOISÉS CAICEDO: 🗣️“People can talk about Chelsea spending money on attackers all they want, but sometimes the most important player in a team is the one who makes everybody else look better. And that is exactly what Moisés Caicedo does for Chelsea. “Look at what happened when he returned to that midfield. Chelsea suddenly looked more organised, more balanced and much harder to play through. He was winning tackles, closing spaces, protecting the defence and giving the attacking players the freedom to concentrate on hurting the opposition. “Everybody wants to talk about the five goals, Jordan Henderson’s brace, João Pedro’s finishing and Cole Palmer’s creativity. Those performances deserve the praise. But I want people to pay attention to what was happening behind them. “Caicedo was doing the dirty work that allows those players to shine. He wasn’t chasing the ball recklessly. He was reading the game, covering the spaces and making sure Chelsea had control in the middle of the pitch. “And let’s talk about the defensive side of things. Chelsea have struggled badly to keep opponents out this season. They have looked vulnerable, teams have found opportunities against them, and there have been serious questions about their organisation. “Then Caicedo comes back, Chelsea win 5-1, and Bournemouth manage just one goal. It is not a clean sheet, and nobody should pretend the defensive problems have suddenly disappeared, but there was a noticeable difference in the balance of the team. “For me, this is why you cannot judge a defensive midfielder by goals and assists alone. Sometimes his greatest contribution is making sure his teammates can do their jobs without constantly worrying about what is happening behind them. “Chelsea fans have every right to be excited about this performance. If Caicedo stays fit and maintains this level, he could be the player who gives this team the stability it has been missing. “And I will say something that might upset a few people: Chelsea can sign all the exciting attackers they want, but if Caicedo is unavailable, the entire team can look different. That tells you just how important he is. “The frightening thing for the rest of the Premier League is that we have not even seen this Chelsea team operating at full strength consistently yet. “If Alonso can build his midfield around Caicedo, get the defensive organisation right and keep Palmer, João Pedro and the other attackers fit, Chelsea could become a serious problem for everybody. “People laughed at Chelsea, questioned their recruitment and wondered whether this project was going anywhere. One result does not answer every question, but this performance has reminded everyone of the potential in that squad. “And to the people who still don’t rate Moisés Caicedo, I have one question: when you watch Chelsea play, are you actually watching what he does in midfield, or are you only watching the players who score the goals?” “Because sometimes, the player who makes the biggest difference isn’t the one celebrating at the end. It’s the one who makes the entire team function.”