05 February 2024 , 12:56
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Moises Caicedo could be easily forgiven for his touchline tantrum.
The £115m midfielder had been hauled off by Mauricio Pochettino 63 minutes into Sunday’s loss to Wolves because it looked like he was destined for a red card. And as Caicedo took his seat on the bench, he could not stop himself from punching the chair three times before slamming his coat down. His frustrations were understandable. The problem for the record signing is that the reasons to be angry are multiple.
Caicedo’s latest ragged performance was a symbol of Chelsea ’s dysfunction. He provided a lovely assist for Cole Palmer’s opening goal before producing a catalogue of errors not befitting a player of his quality.
He was bullied off the ball for Wolves’ equaliser and went on to misplace passes, mistime tackles against opponents with more tenacity and desire. Two successive fouls on the edge of the penalty area, leading to a yellow card, was enough for Pochettino to call time, prompting the Ecuadorian’s outburst. It was the biggest display of aggression shown by a man in blue all day.
Pochettino spoke afterwards about his players being on edge and why it is important for rancorous fans to support rather than chastise a young squad because that will only make things worse. “We feel the pressure and the stress to win, to play well, to perform,” the increasingly beleaguered coach said as his team slumped into the bottom half.
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Moises Caicedo fouls Wolves' Pablo Sarabia during Chelsea's 4-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge.And it was hard to escape the feeling that Caicedo, 21, is buckling under the weight of expectation more than most. Perhaps it is the baggage that comes with such an obscene price tag, for which the player himself cannot be blamed. But every sloppy performance such as Sunday's will add fuel for the critics.
Caicedo could justifiably point to the team’s wider struggles. Pochettino’s side lacks a clear identity. They remain a group of individuals unable to function as a unit. And Caicedo has gone from being a central cog in a fluent machine at Brighton, where players fit into a defined structure, to an approach with no obvious style or philosophy.
His numbers are not drastically different to last season, though he is on the ball more in the defensive third and less in the middle and attacking thirds. He is making fewer interceptions but more clearances and there have been only 30 occasions so far this season in which he has provided a pass for a Chelsea forward to take a shot.
The assist for Palmer was his first of the season but it should be stressed he was signed as a holding midfielder with an emphasis on protecting the defence. Right now he is not regularly affecting games on or off the ball and at risk of becoming the poster boy for the chaos engulfing Chelsea.
Pochettino last week pointed to Zinedine Zidane needing several months to acclimatise at Real Madrid as a reason why Caicedo will come good. But the head coach and his £1bn squad are operating in an environment that is becoming less patient than even the Spanish giants. Caicedo must offer more. Equally, he needs a steady platform from which to do so.