Thursday night saw Enzo Fernández shine with a trio of first-half assists as Chelsea trounced Armenia's FC Noah 8-0 in the Conference League. The midfielder's contributions included delivering corners for Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi to score, and setting up the first of João Félix's goals. Fernández's performance seemed out of place in Europe's third-tier competition, which isn't surprising given his World Cup-winning pedigree and his status as England's most expensive player for a brief period.
However, it's unclear whether Enzo Maresca considered managing Fernández's workload when he opted not to field him in the second half against Noah. More likely, Fernández, the £106.8m star, will be on the bench when Chelsea face Arsenal on Sunday. He hasn't started the last three league games, and it's no coincidence that Maresca's side has found more balance with Roméo Lavia partnering Moisés Caicedo in central midfield.
The primary issue for Fernández since his arrival from Benfica in January 2023 has been his physicality. His passing skills are evident, but can he withstand the rigors of the Premier League? Mauricio Pochettino, Maresca's predecessor, had his doubts. Chelsea struggled to integrate Caicedo and Fernández last season. Restricting Caicedo to a bodyguard role for Fernández was wasteful. Despite the hype, Fernández's creative output hasn't been sufficient to justify building the midfield around him. His seven goals since joining Chelsea are underwhelming, he hasn't recorded an assist in the league this season, and his broader metrics are unimpressive: he's not creating significant chances, his tackle success rate is 39%, and his passing efficiency has declined.
Caicedo, on the other hand, excels in nearly every aspect and is one of England's top midfielders. No midfielder has made or contested more tackles this season. He ranks third in interceptions, second in duels won, and sixth in possession regained in the middle third of the pitch. Despite being adept at breaking up play, Caicedo also deserves credit for his ball skills. Only four midfielders have completed more successful passes this season, and Manchester United witnessed his quality when he scored a stunning equalizer from the edge of the area at Old Trafford last Sunday.
This goal exemplified why Chelsea splashed out a record £115m for Caicedo in August 2023, despite overpaying by at least £10m. The fee, offset by a long and incentivized contract, no longer draws criticism. Caicedo is dominating opposition midfields and opening up defenses with incisive through balls and assists, such as those for Nicolas Jackson against Liverpool and West Ham.
Now, the challenge is to outclass Arsenal, who failed with a £70m bid for Caicedo in January 2023. It helps that Lavia, who missed almost all of last season due to injury, is establishing himself as a key player for Maresca. The former Southampton midfielder, who joined Chelsea alongside Caicedo, provides stability. Lavia's smooth ball control, positional discipline, resistance to pressure, and beautiful distribution free up Caicedo. "It's about balance," Maresca says. "Romeo and Moi give us physicality and strength in the middle."
This will be crucial against Arsenal, one of the most formidable teams. Mikel Arteta missed out on Caicedo but has Declan Rice and Mikel Merino. Rice, once a target for Chelsea, has been outstanding since joining Arsenal for £105m last year. He troubled Chelsea last season, scoring a brilliant goal at Stamford Bridge and outperforming Caicedo and Fernández in a 5-0 win for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in April. This time, though, the battle should be closer. Rice missed Arsenal's defeat by Inter on Wednesday with a toe injury, making it unlikely he'll play through the pain barrier.
Chelsea has made significant progress in a short time. They started the season with Caicedo, Fernández, and Lavia in midfield, with Cole Palmer on the right wing, but Maresca has adapted his approach. Fernández has never done enough to justify playing as the most advanced midfielder. Maresca quickly restored Palmer to the No 10 role, and Lavia, despite missing a few games due to injury, has quickly displaced Fernández from a deeper position.
This poses a dilemma for Chelsea given their substantial investment in Fernández. They may eventually have to cut their losses. They're already considering how Andrey Santos will fit in when the 20-year-old Brazilian returns from his impressive loan at Strasbourg. Fernández could be squeezed out if he doesn't step up. It's worth noting that Maresca might have found more use for Conor Gallagher, who was sold to Atlético Madrid last summer. However, Maresca values control, which he has with Caicedo and Lavia. Both had slow starts at Chelsea, but their future looks brighter if they can outwit Arsenal.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
