Chelsea claimed a third win from four games in the Premier League on Saturday as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 and the result led to Joe Cole naming who he would pick over any other Blues star.
Joao Pedro’s opener on 34 minutes handed Chelsea an emphatic win over Tottenham on Saturday, and it should have been more after recording an expected goals tally of 3.68 in North London.
The result has lifted Enzo Maresca’s Blues into the top seven of the Premier League, and just two points from second-placed Manchester City, giving them real hopes of qualifying for the Champions League once again.
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And that has led Cole to pick Moises Caicedo as the first name on his team sheet – labelling his £115million move from Brighton as a ‘snip’.
Moises Caicedo during Chelsea FC v AFC Ajax - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Joe Cole waxes lyrical over Moises Caicedo importance as icon names him as first name on teamsheet
Moises Caicedo’s performance for Chelsea against Tottenham rightly earned him plaudits, with Jamie Carragher praising Caicedo for his work on a telling night in the capital.
And Joe Cole continued the plaudits, stating that his performances for Brighton already had him down as the ‘best midfielder in the world’ – before his goalscoring record at Chelsea this season confirmed his suspicions.
Speaking on talkSPORT Daily, Joe Cole said: “Moises Caicedo? I remember watching him at Brighton and I thought to myself, ‘Between the two boxes, I think he’s the best midfielder in the world’.
“In the modern game, when so much of it’s about patterns of play and winning yardage, breaking the lines, he’s the best at that.”
“Breaking up play, he’s got great technique and I thought, ‘But can he score goals?’
“And now he’s adding goals into his game. Also, at the other end of the pitch, he’s becoming more of a leader.”
“I think he’s the most important player at Chelsea in terms of, if we had a cup final tomorrow, I’d want his name on the teamsheet before anyone else.
“I think he’s brilliant, and that £100million now is looking like a snip.”
Chelsea have made a lot of signings in the BlueCo era, and alongside Cole Palmer, Caicedo looks as though he’s been the best of the lot, as he’s practically undroppable at present.
Moises Caicedo celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Liverpool
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Caicedo’s recent form means he’s more important than Cole Palmer’s individual brilliance
There’s a reason that Moises Caicedo is the first name on Joe Cole’s teamsheet. He struggled in his first season at Stamford Bridge, but started to showcase his excellence last season – and this time around, he’s excelling and doing it consistently.
Caicedo had only scored three goals in all competitions for Chelsea up until the start of play this season, but a long-range goal against Brentford and an incredible screamer vs Liverpool have shown he can contribute in the final third, with Romeo Lavia calling Caicedo a ’10/10′ footballer.
He’s already on four for the campaign after further goals against West Ham and Ajax across the course of the season, beating his tally from the first two campaigns.
But the Ecuadorian does more than just that. His tireless work-rate resulted in an assist for Joao Pedro against Tottenham, and with 56 Ecuador caps already under his belt, his experiences are growing.
Caicedo ranks joint-third in the Premier League for players tackles, with the joint-second-most in the attacking third of the pitch, and the most interceptions of anyone in the division – leading to Frank Lampard calling Caicedo the new N’Golo Kante.
Not only that, but he’s made the 15th-most passes and completed the third-most short passes, showing he’s capable of progressing the team as well as winning the ball.
Alongside Declan Rice, Caicedo has been touted as the best midfielder in the Premier League and the stats show just why he is ranked right up there.