DICE’S LOADED AGAINST CAIC
IF things had worked out differently, Moises Caicedo would have been lining up against Chelsea instead of for them last night as Liverpool’s record £110million signing.
But Caicedo turned down the move to Anfield from Brighton because he wanted to sign for Chelsea, joining them for a British record £115million.
Jurgen Klopp claims Liverpool were lucky to miss out on him and Romeo Lavia because summer signings Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch have done so well.
Mauricio Pochettino predicted before last night that Caicedo would begin to show why Liverpool and Chelsea wanted him so much.
That prediction fell flat as Caicedo wilted under the pressure of Liverpool’s press. He was not able to anchor Chelsea’s midfield, as he has increasingly done in recent games, because Liverpool snapped at him like tireless terriers.
Klopp won last night’s argument and Mac Allister and Co dominated the midfield battle.
Caicedo’s night was summed up when he became the first player to be booked for complaining too much within earshot of referee Paul Tierney when he conceded a free-kick.
At 22, big-money signing Caicedo (top) has time on his side and maybe he can blossom and become one of the world’s best midfielders, as Pochettino thinks he can.
That is a few years down the line and in the meantime he must wonder if he was wise to snub Liverpool in favour of Chelsea.
Anfield clearly thinks not and they booed him mercilessly when he was subbed just after a rampant Liverpool made it 3-0.
To rub salt into his wounds,
Chelsea briefly flattered once he had gone off and for a couple of minutes looked like turning this-one-sided game into a genuine contest. But then Luis Diaz added a fourth for Liverpool and it was game over.