“The best central midfielder in the country” dominates league’s defensive stats and is improving in key area

Adrian Clarke does a good weekly stats column for the Premier League, and when it’s about a Chelsea player we always pay close attention.

This week it’s a Blue who is picked out for a really strong start to the season. Moises Caicedo had a rocky first campaign at Stamford Bridge, but has come into his own since the turn of the year, first under Mauricio Pochettino as his side came together nicely to close out the season, and now under Enzo Maresca, who has the Ecuador star as the fulcrum of his team.

Clarke is an Arsenal fan, but he doesn’t shy away from the comparisons to Declan Rice. Rice had been Chelsea’s central midfield target for a long time, but the Blues ended up missing out on him, and he went to Arsenal in the same summer (and for a similar vast fee) that Caicedo came to Stamford Bridge.

Caicedo’s passing improving to match his defensive shielding

“On current form, Caicedo is the best central midfielder in the country,” Clarke declared.

He then runs through the stats which prove it: Caicedo is top in the league in tackles made and tackles won. He’s second in duels won, 3rd in interceptions, 5th in successful passes and 6h in possession won in the middle third.

The defensive numbers speak for themselves – he’s top of the league or close to it in all of them. But as Clarke points out, it’s in passing forwards that we’re seeing the biggest improvement. The piece points to the perfect through balls against West Ham and Liverpool in recent weeks which assisted Nicolas Jackson both times.

It’s suggested that those sort of quick, early balls could trouble Arsenal’s fearsome defence. We will find out tomorrow…