The combination of Moisés Caicedo and Jordan Henderson has got Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea team heading in the right direction again.
There were no shortage of doubters ready to ridicule Chelsea for the unexpected signing of Jordan Henderson in the summer. Now 36, the midfielder’s peak is a fading memory, unlike the image of Henderson being stretchered off with a broken wrist after a fall while celebrating England’s win at the Estadio Azteca during the World Cup.
Now, Henderson’s signing looks to have been a wise one for a Chelsea team growing increasingly dependent on the former Liverpool captain. The veteran has started and played every minute of the Blues’ last two matches, forging a partnership with Moisés Caicedo that has played a key role in stabilising Xabi Alonso’s team.
The 3-0 defeat to Brentford before the international break was an early nadir in Alonso’s fledgling career as Chelsea manager. The Spaniard had no way to stem Brentford’s press. Chelsea were defensively wide open and lacked the structure to play forward on their own terms. It was a brutal exposure of their every shortcoming as a team.
Since then, Caicedo has returned to fitness following a calf injury. The Ecuadorian is the best two-way midfielder on the books at Stamford Bridge and has reminded everyone of this standing by catching the eye in wins over Bournemouth and Everton. As a barrier in front of the backline and a valve into the final third, Caicedo is elite.
In both matches, though, Henderson was even better. Against Bournemouth, the 36-year-old covered more distance than any other player on the pitch, also taking the joint-most shots – and scoring with two of them. Against Everton, Henderson was just as proactive in the distance he covered and also completed the most passes.
Only Alonso knows if the original plan was to use Henderson as a first team figure. The logic at the time of the signing was that the England international’s experience would make him a valuable dressing room personality. It was this reasoning that earned Henderson a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.
Enzo Fernández’s departure to Manchester City and Reece James’ latest injury layoff, however, have depleted Chelsea’s options in the centre of the pitch, pushing Henderson up the pecking order. His recent performances alongside Caicedo suggest he will be much more than just a cheerleader for his new team.
“In terms of personalities, they match well, Moi and Hendo,” said Alonso when asked about the developing partnership between the two midfielders. “As well, Hendo has this energy to go… he’s very active. He covers a lot of pitch and finds the balance with Moi, who’s more in the position and has this stability to have good distances with everything.”
Chelsea remain a work in progress under Alonso. The former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid coach has clear ideas on how the game should be played and his players are still absorbing them. As well as Chelsea played in the wins over Bournemouth and Everton, they still dropped out of the two games at points.
In Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, though, the Blues boast two of the most accomplished creative players in the Premier League with João Pedro flourishing as one of the most potent centre forwards. Chelsea might lack attacking depth, but there are no concerns over their ability to create and score a goal.
Defensively, it’s another story. Chelsea have conceded 13 goals in just seven league games this season with Alonso’s team lacking the control to be a genuine force at the top of the table. With Caicedo and Henderson as the midfield double pivot, though, Chelsea are closer to having a solid foundation to build on.
Of course, Henderson can’t be a part of Chelsea’s long-term vision. If he is a solution to their structural issues as a team, he is a short-term one at 36. There’s a reason speculation continues to swirl around Alex Scott and Chelsea’s reported interest in the 23-year-old midfielder who appears a perfect fit for Alonso’s system.
For the time being, Henderson is the all-round midfielder they didn’t know they needed when they signed him from Brentford. “There’s been a lot of new change in the summer,” said Henderson, “but I really feel that the togetherness is coming, not only in training during the week on the field, off the field as well. That’s going to be important for us going forward and I’m loving every second of it.”
Saturday’s fixture against Tottenham Hotspur will be an opportunity for Chelsea, with Henderson presumably in the lineup, to prove their recent improvement is for real. The visitors from North London have reason to be optimistic after an upturn of their own, but Caicedo and Henderson’s partnership could be the platform for another Blues victory.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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