Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo had a game to forget against his former side Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday.
Chelsea as a whole were poor against Brighton, losing 3-0 to Fabian Hurzeler’s side at the Amex Stadium.
However, Caicedo was easily one of Chelsea’s worst performers on the night as Brighton bypassed the Blues’ midfield with relative ease.
Moises Caicedo didn’t make a single successful tackle or interception during Chelsea’s 3-0 loss to Brighton
Caicedo started this season very strongly and is one of the best ball-winning midfielders in the Premier League, perhaps even the best.
However, his form has been on the decline for a while now, while he certainly did not look like an elite ball-winner on Tuesday.
According to Sofascore, the 24-year-old only attempted one tackle, which was unsuccessful. He also failed to make a single interception.
It’s finally time to drop Moises Caicedo 😤
Moises Caicedo's stats vs Brighton
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
In the first half of the campaign, Caicedo going through an entire match without making a tackle or interception would have been unthinkable. Now, not so much.
Caicedo’s influence on games is dwindling. He recently signed a new contract, but none of his performances lately have warranted one.
With that being said, Caicedo is still an exceptional footballer whom you would want to keep at your club. A rough few months do not change that.
The Ecuadorian needs to improve, though, and quickly. Chelsea are still in the FA Cup and can still qualify for next season’s Europa League.
Champions League qualification may be gone, but they can still secure a spot in European football’s second tier competition. However, if the Blues do not finish the season strongly, they could find themselves back in the Conference League again. After losing to Brighton, Chelsea have now dropped down to seventh in the Premier League table.
Hopefully, this loss to Brighton can be a bit of a wake-up call for Caicedo and it is pointed out to him how much his standards have dropped.
While Cole Palmer has been scrutinised a lot this season, it does feel like Caicedo has escaped criticism and is living off his performances from the first half of the campaign.
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