Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo recently shared his dissatisfaction with the team's style of play under former coach Mauricio Pochettino. Caicedo transferred from Brighton & Hove Albion to Chelsea at the start of the 2023-24 Premier League season for a British-record £115m, including potential add-ons.
Despite the high transfer fee, Caicedo’s first season at Chelsea didn't quite meet expectations, though his performances were better than some critics suggested. He found his best form late in the season, notably scoring an incredible goal from the halfway line in a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth, which secured European football for Chelsea.
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season under new head coach Enzo Maresca, who is expected to implement a different playing philosophy, more will be expected from Caicedo. While many Chelsea players were disappointed with Pochettino's departure, Caicedo seems to feel differently.
Reflecting on his time at Brighton compared to Chelsea, Caicedo expressed a preference for the tactical style of play under Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi over Pochettino's approach at Chelsea.
In an interview with Radio La Red, he said, "At Brighton, it was all tactical, just with the ball; tactical, tactical, tactical. And at Chelsea, it was run, run, run and it was very difficult for me. With Chelsea, I always ran a bit more and with Brighton we almost always had the ball, with Chelsea it was a different football and we had to run more."
Amid criticism of his role at Chelsea, Caicedo mentioned that since February, his agent hired a specialist to review his matches and provide feedback on how to improve his positioning and mental focus. This helped alleviate the pressure he felt due to his high transfer fee and allowed him to gain more confidence.
Caicedo ended the season with 44 starts and four substitute appearances in all competitions. Notably, Chelsea did not win any Premier League games in which he did not start. Under Maresca’s possession-based style, Caicedo is expected to retain his place in the midfield, potentially alongside Enzo Fernandez and former Leicester player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
