"Did he control loads of games for Chelsea? I don’t remember" - Paul Scholes makes claim about Blues star when talking about Roy Keane's impact

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has said that Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo doesn't control games in the centre of the field like Roy Keane used to for the Red Devils.

Caicedo arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2023 on a reported club record transfer of £115 million but hasn't quite set the stage alight. The Ecuador international played all 38 league games in the recently concluded season, contributing a goal and four assists as Enzo Maresca's side finished fourth.

Describing the impact of Kane, Scholes said on The Overlap (as per TBR):

“He’d do everything. He’d overlap his winger both sides. He’d sprint forward. He sprinted back. Ge’d led the team, almost in a Bryan Robson type of way, really.

"This is why I hate all this, me. He’s a number eight. He’s a number six. Gets on my nerves, especially as a central midfield player, he should be able to do everything.

Contrasting Keane's impact with Caicedo's for the Blues, Scholes added:

"I think a lot of people talk about Caicedo, aren’t they? He’s played 38 games, brilliant, what an achievement.

“Yeah, but was he much quality? Did he create a lot? Did he control loads of games for Chelsea? I don’t remember that. I think there’s an era now of midfield players, especially where you can go through seasons and games without really contributing a lot, do you know what I mean?”

Overall, Caicedo has made 93 appearances across competitions for the Blues, bagging three goals and nine assists.

Chelsea: Season recap

Chelsea have had a memorable season under new boss Enzo Maresca, who had arrived at the Stamford Bridge helm after guiding Leicester City to Premier League promotion by winning the Championship.

Maresca's side were inconsistent in the league but finished strongly to end fourth and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Although they didn't win either domestic cup, they sizzled in Europe, creating history by winning the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Recovering from an early deficit against Real Betis in the Wroclaw final, the Blues scored four times without reply to become the first side to win all three major European club titles. They have won the UEFA Europa League twice (2013, 2019) and the UEFA Champions League twice (2012, 2021).

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Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav