Frederik
Generational shift in Chelsea's midfield.
Pochettino is starting to make his mark on the future Chelsea team.
Mauricio Pochettino is in the process of conducting a generational shift, and with the acquisitions of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, young talented players have been brought in for the midfield. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, and Mateo Kovacic have been sold to AC Milan, Manchester United, and Manchester City respectively, thus bringing funds to the club to purchase Caicedo and Lavia. Both two new signings have been secured ahead of Liverpool, showcasing significant transfer strength on Chelsea's part, and Pochettino must have had a substantial influence in these dealings to sell the project at Chelsea.
In the match against Liverpool, a 5-3-2 formation was employed with Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher in the central midfield. However, Pochettino's preferred formation in the future must be a 4-3-3, where Caicedo is earmarked to play the defensive midfield role, allowing more freedom to Enzo. He was exceptional against Liverpool and finally demonstrated why the club invested so much in him during the winter transfer window. After a disappointing first half of the season, it now appears that he is a player who could become Chelsea's leader and standout performer this season.
Moises Caicedo for Brighton 2022/23:
Games: 37
Goals: 1
Assists: 1
Chances created: 43
Pass success: 88.8%
Duels: 376
Duels success: 58.2%
Tackles: 100
Interceptions: 56
Romeo Lavia’s stats for Southampton 2022/23:
Games: 29
Goals: 1
Assists: 0
Chances created: 16
Pass success: 86.4%
Duels: 256
Duels success: 55.9%
Tackles: 60
Interceptions: 33
Caicedo is 21, Lavia is 19, and Enzo Fernandez is 22 years old, making it a midfield that can develop over many seasons at Chelsea. Potentially, it could become the best midfield of the future. There is significant developmental potential, while they already possess a level that allows them to compete with other top teams in the league this season. Pochettino is set to leave his mark on this Chelsea team, and based on their first match against Liverpool, it appears that playing time has been managed effectively. There is reason for optimism if you're a Chelsea fan.