Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League - Source: Getty
Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League - Source: Getty
Arsenal legend Paul Merson has hailed Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo as the best holding midfielder in the world. He believes that the Ecuadorian brings control on the pitch and did well with Jordan Henderson.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson said the Henderson-Caicedo partnership helped Chelsea beat AFC Bournemouth. He claimed the duo helped the others play freely and kept the backline from conceding two goals in a Premier League game for the first time this season. He said:
"When you’ve got Henderson and Caicedo in there, they can just sit, and you just let the other three just get on with it. They shouldn’t let in too many goals; they shouldn’t be that open, because you’ve got those two that can hold in midfield, and then you’ve got three that are as good as anything."
"I thought they worked well together, Caicedo and Henderson. Henderson’s got the experience, and Caicedo, for me, is the best holding midfield player in the world of football. So for me, you get them two holding, and that’s your insurance policy. And just let the others go and play." (via Metro)
Chelsea moved to sixth in the Premier League table, and are currently level on points with fourth-placed Brentford and fifth-placed Everton.
Xabi Alonso heaps praise on Chelsea midfielders
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso also heaped praise on Jordan Henderson and Moises Caicedo after the 5-1 win over AFC Bournemouth. He spoke about the combination, saying that it helped bring control in the middle of the pitch and said:
"Both are different in terms of qualities, in terms of the positioning as well. I think that they help each other well, and they give presence; they give stability. You know that they are going to be the ones that are going to be helping the rest, not just for their qualities because they understand the game. They can play in shorter spaces but as well defensively they give good balance. For me it’s fundamental that we get that area strong and for sure with Moises, Hendo played today, it was his second game."
Chelsea were without Reece James and Valentin Barco in the match, after the Englishman picked up a knee injury earlier in the week. The Argentine was with the national team and arrived late in the week after Lionel Messi's farewell game.
The Blues next face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, October 17.