Chelsea are without a doubt one of the strongest sides in the Premier League this season, and Moises Caicedo has looked a cut above the rest.
After a strong October, Caicedo was a shoo-in for Chelsea’s Player of the Month and to the surprise of nobody, he got the honour.
It’s his second-straight award, and it’s completely deserved after some stunning displays and decisive moments.
Enzo Maresca says Caicedo is only getting better — a scary proposition considering the level he is at currently. He has a strong argument for the most complete player, not just at Chelsea, but across the Premier League.
Enzo Maresca giving instructions to Moises Caicedo during Chelsea training session
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Moises Caicedo does everything on the pitch for Chelsea
When you talk about a complete player, it’s someone who is comfortable in all phases of the game. That’s certainly true for Caicedo.
He has added more goals to his game this season while maintaining his reputation as one of the best midfield enforcers in Europe. He leads Chelsea in tackles, blocks and interceptions while also controlling possession and distributing the ball.
When you look across the Premier League for players with similarly well-rounded games, names like Declan Rice, Ryan Gravenberch and Rodri inevitably pop up. Someone like Dominik Szoboszlai could also be put forward.
They all play in midfield, which is the obvious place to deploy a jack-of-all-trades type of player.
But the levels Caicedo is hitting this season has him ahead of those names. He has been Chelsea’s best player and one of the best in the league overall. No matter who is next to him in the middle, when Caicedo plays, Chelsea tend to dominate.
‘Complete’ is subjective, but finding an argument for any of those names over the Ecuadorian this season is a difficult proposition.
The Reece James counter-argument
Chelsea defender Reece James applauding
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Caicedo named James as Chelsea’s best player, and there is certainly an argument for that.
The Englishman is another ridiculously complete footballer who can rival any name brought forward.
But Caicedo edges James for one reason.
If you swapped their roles, Caicedo can perform at the same level as we have seen a couple of times this season already. James can easily replace Romeo Lavia in midfield and do a brilliant job.
If Caicedo was a full-time full-back, he’s easily one of the best in the league. If James was a full-time midfielder, there’s a few names you would have to put ahead of him.
At the end of the day, the two Chelsea stars are in the very top category of Premier League players. But this season has elevated Caicedo to best-in-the-league conversations, and if it continues, we could be debating him as one of the best in the sport, full stop.