Reasons Behind Chelsea’s £200m Duo’s Flop Against Liverpool, Revealed by Frank Leboeuf
Chelsea’s recent 4-1 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield has left many questioning the performance of the club’s midfield duo, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. Frank Leboeuf, former Chelsea defender, believes that their lack of experience is the main reason behind their struggle.
Prior to the match, Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea side seemed to be in good form, with hopes of building on their recent success. However, a dominant Liverpool team, inspired by the news of Jurgen Klopp’s departure, completely overwhelmed them with their trademark heavy metal football.
For Fernandez and Caicedo, the defeat was particularly disappointing as they were both players coveted by Klopp at different points over the past year. Their opponents, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, who were brought in by Klopp to strengthen Liverpool’s midfield, outperformed them significantly.
Leboeuf offered some insight into why these two highly expensive players looked so out of their depth. He points out that Caicedo, in particular, is experiencing playing for a big club for the first time. Coming from Brighton, where there is less pressure, being sold for £100 million puts a tremendous amount of pressure on his shoulders, something he may not be handling well.
The former Chelsea defender emphasizes the importance of having experienced players who can handle high-pressure situations and help the younger players cope. He mentions Thiago Silva as an example of a player who can solve problems and make life a bit easier in the dressing room.
Looking ahead to the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool later this month, Pochettino knows that he will need to come up with a different gameplan to avoid another humiliating defeat. He acknowledges that if they approach the final in the same way as they did in this match, they can expect the same result. The Chelsea manager sees this as an opportunity for his team to learn and improve.
Overall, the lack of experience in Chelsea’s midfield engine room, especially for Fernandez and Caicedo, has been identified as a key factor in their poor performance against Liverpool. It remains to be seen how Pochettino will address these issues and whether Chelsea can bounce back in the upcoming final.
Sources: Getty, ESPNFC