Chelsea have looked like a significantly better team through five matches in the Premier League under new coach Enzo Maresca, who has done an especially great job at cooking up a more incisive and efficient attack.
Even Nicolas Jackson has been getting in on the act and proving he has a place in this deep Chelsea attacking rotation, scoring a brace with an assist in the Blues’ dominant 3-0 win over West Ham.
Chelsea appear to be legitimate Champions League contenders again, with Cole Palmer continuing to shine, Jackson joining him, Noni Madueke playing a key role off the right wing, and new additions like Jadon Sancho chipping in, too.
But as much as everyone focuses on the Chelsea attack because of their past struggles, one of the most positive developments has actually been in the middle of the park.
Moises Caicedo’s Copa America performance for Ecuador went underrated for a number of reasons, but the record Chelsea signing was legitimately one of the best players of the tournament with a jaw-dropping 4.3 tackles and 2.5 interceptions per game.
Signed for 115 million pounds from Brighton so that the could beat other Premier League giants, like Manchester United, to his signature, Caicedo played well below the standard he set for Brighton in his first season with Chelsea.
That left many wondering if he and Enzo Fernandez were a pair of 100 million euro-plus busts in the heart of the midfield. Enzo still has a lot to prove, but to this early point in the 2024/25 season, Caicedo looks like he’s at least back to the level he showed at Brighton.
With eight tackles in Chelsea’s blistering win over West Ham, Caicedo is now putting up similar defensive numbers to those he posted at Copa America but in the more difficult Premier League, averaging 4.2 tackles, 1.8 interceptions, and 1.8 fouls drawn per game.
Caicedo even recorded an assist in the win over West Ham and is notching a pass completion percentage that is very close to 90. That’s actually significantly higher than the 85 percent mark he set for Ecuador this summer.
Just 22 years old, Caicedo can be one of the best defensive midfielders on this planet and one of the best overall players at Chelsea. That’s the standard Caicedo is capable of setting, and it is one he is reaching so far in the 2024/25 season. He deserves more praise and more attention for the season he’s having right now.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He covered Real Madrid from 2019-2022 for The Real Champs as a site manager. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other major outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.