Welcome to the Moises Caicedo hype train. What took so long? The Chelsea midfielder has been like this for a while

While it might not necessarily be the hottest take, the framing around Caicedo was interesting.

It meant that he had “arrived”, that is, reached a new level.

Is it standard?

Caicedo was amazing in the match against Liverpool. He won the ball back five times, completed two tackles and scored a powerful howitzer for the opening goal.

Ironically, Caicedo started the game very slowly, missing several tackles and making some wayward passes.

But below is a map of Caicedo’s defensive action against Liverpool, courtesy of Opta. Not bad, right?

Moises Caicedo’s defensive actions against Liverpool

Image credit: Opta

This is a photo from Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Fulham earlier in the season, which was broadcast live on TNT Sports.

Moises Caicedo’s defensive actions against Fulham

Image credit: Opta

And as you can see, he was even more involved. His defensive excellence is the norm, not the exception.

Again, here are the heatmaps for the two games above. 1st place is Liverpool, 2nd place is Fulham. I could point them out from every match, but suffice to say this is nothing new for Caicedo.

And Caicedo plays on a different level, no matter who he’s playing against.

From “Please Help” to Kang Tae’s Clone

By his own admission, Caicedo had a tough start to his Chelsea career after making a huge splash from Brighton, rejecting Liverpool.

Caicedo’s debut came off the bench, but he lost the ball eight times and made a terrible mistake that could have led to a goal, before giving away a penalty and conceding the third goal as West Ham lost 3-1.

“It was difficult for me because when I was at Brighton there was less pressure. At Chelsea it’s different. I knew the club, the history and the players who were there, so I felt a lot of pressure.”

“I’m not the same Moises. Please help me” – Caicedo reveals help from Pochettino

Video credit: SNTV

“A lot of people around me helped me, Mauricio[Pochettino, former Chelsea manager]and his staff. They were there with me when I felt I wasn’t the same Moises.

“(I asked them), ‘Please help me because I want to show my quality, my football.’” They were with me. There are people outside the club who have really helped me take the pressure off my mind. ”

The table below shows Caicedo’s growth throughout his debut season.

Moises Caicedo Statistics 2023/24 PL start to New Year’s Day (PL rank) NYD to 2023/24 PL season end (PL rank) Successful passes 2812 Tackles = 31 = 7 Interceptions = 74 = 14 Possession wins = 65 = 5 Duel wins = 40 = 13

That’s a big jump. If you look at it compared to last year, that’s great. To do that in a season, to paraphrase James, is on another level.

During the first few months of the season, Caicedo was a league-average midfielder. From the beginning of the year until the end of the season, he became not just a great midfielder, but a great midfielder.

However, when comparing last season’s numbers to the current campaign, further progress was seen.

Moises Caicedo Statistics 2024/25 Premier League Rank 2025/26 Premier League Rank Successful Passes 74 Tackles 51 Interceptions = 81 Possessions Gained 18 Duels Won 3 = 11

Caicedo was great last season. An argument could be made that he was the best in the league.

Former Blues Joe Cole and Steve Sidwell praised Caicedo on TNT Sports during the game.

“He was really great,” Cole said. “He came in at a huge price and I think that weighed heavily on him. Some players feel extra responsibility when they go to a club and try to be something they’re not.

“Between the two boxes, he’s the best midfielder in the league. He breaks up play, wins balls he shouldn’t get, breaks through his lines and plays. He’s the closest thing to N’Golo Kante I’ve ever seen and he’s only going to get better.”

Sidwell agreed, saying, “He’s absolutely their best player by a mile, he’s their go-to player. He’s steady, he’s consistent, he’s their player of the season. Last season he struggled, but he came out and admitted it was tough. He’s now the best midfielder in the league by a mile.”

‘The closest thing to N’Golo Kante I’ve ever seen’ – Cole and Sidwell praise Caicedo as ‘best midfielder’

Video credit: TNT Sports

Why praise now?

So why has Caicedo been so underrated by a wide audience?

Chelsea were a very inconsistent team during Enzo Maresca’s time as manager, capable of alternating magical highs and frustrating lows.

Throughout all the madness, Caicedo has always been a consistent guiding light. It’s not a calming light, it’s a busy, chaotic, but very effective light. Nothing has changed in that respect.

That’s clear when you compare this season to last season. Yes, there was some improvement, but we’re only seven games into the new season, so some of the numbers may be skewed, but it’s not as drastic as would be immediately apparent on the eye test.

“The majesty of the Maresca side” – Caicedo adds the fourth goal, sealing Chelsea’s victory

Video credit: TNT Sports

So perhaps the answer is simple. He’s scoring goals now.

In his first two seasons in London, Caicedo scored two goals in 73 Premier League games. He has scored three goals in seven Premier League games this season, including a rocket goal against the Reds.

Perhaps in this day and age, that’s all Caicedo needed to finally get the wide recognition he so richly deserves.

His captain, James, may have summed it up best.

“This goal speaks volumes about his quality and how great he is.”