Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been speaking about how he likes to utilise star midfielder Moises Caicedo.
While Caicedo is a midfielder by trade, Maresca has started him at right-back recently following the return of Romeo Lavia.
It is in midfield where the 23-year-old has shined, though. Chelsea announced their Players’ Player of the Season award winner last Sunday and Caicedo claimed the honour after some terrific performances in the middle.
He also took home the Chelsea Player of the Season accolade, which fans have a say in.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca still sees Moises Caicedo as a midfielder
Caicedo potentially signing a new contract and his position were topics of conversation in Maresca’s pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
For Maresca, while Caicedo has played at right-back in Chelsea’s last two Premier League games, the Ecuadorian is still a midfielder. He also explained that in possession, Caicedo had still been going into midfield anyway.
In his press conference, which has been shared by Chelsea’s official website, Maresca said: “I see Moi as a six in the way he is playing since we started.
“In the last games, he played some matches as a full-back off the ball, and then on the ball he is a six, a holding midfielder.”
Jason Cundy spoke highly of Caicedo following Chelsea’s 3-1 win against Liverpool, describing his performance as “utterly outrageous”.
Caicedo has made just over 40 appearances in all competitions this season and has scored one goal, a sublime equaliser against Manchester United back in November.
Frank Leboeuf questions Enzo Maresca’s use of Moises Caicedo
Like Cundy, another ex-Chelsea player, Frank Leboeuf was also impressed with Caicedo’s display against the Premier League champions.
However, the Chelsea legend still thought that Maresca’s decision to start the Ecuador international at right-back was very peculiar.
When Leboeuf spoke about Caicedo after the game, he said: “I have to say that some players, Lavia and Caicedo, in a very strange position, did a very good job.”
Wherever Caicedo plays, though, he performs. At one point, Chelsea’s decision to spend £115m on the former Brighton & Hove Albion man looked crazy. However, this season, he has been worth every penny.
If Chelsea do manage to qualify for the Champions League, then they will have Caicedo largely to thank. Maresca’s side would be nowhere near the top five without him.
