‘English Premier League (EPL) record’ Moises Caicedo had a nightmare debut. The taunting continues.
Chelsea lost 1-3 to West Ham United in the second round of the 2023-24 English Premier League (EPL) at the London Stadium in London, England, at 0:30 a.m. ET on April 21. The loss snapped a two-match winless streak for the Blues, who are still waiting for their first win.
Before the game, Chelsea made a blockbuster deal. “We are delighted to announce the signing of Caicedo, who has agreed terms for a base eight-year contract with an option to extend for a further year,” the club announced on its website on Friday. He will wear the number 25 shirt.
Chelsea sporting directors Lawrence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “Casedo has proven himself on the European stage over the last 18 months. We are delighted to welcome him to Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. Caicedo is a player we have been targeting for a long time. We believe he will make an important impact at Stamford Bridge.”
On joining the ‘Blues’, Caicedo said: “I’m really happy to join Chelsea! I’m very excited to be at this great club. When Chelsea called me, I didn’t have to think twice. Being here is a dream come true. I can’t wait to get started with the team.”
The official news comes just one day after the ‘Here we go’ tweet. Fabrizio Romano, who is well versed in the European football transfer market, tweeted, “Caicedo is heading to Chelsea! The deal has just been finalized and confirmed. It will break the English Premier League (EPL) transfer record.”
“The transfer fee is £115 million and includes a sell-on clause. A medical has also been scheduled. Caicedo is under contract until June 2031 with an option for a one-year extension.” He added: “Here we go,” meaning ‘done deal’. Chelsea then added Rabia to the mix, creating a midfield of epic proportions. Enzo, Caicedo, and Rabia are part of a midfield that has cost Chelsea close to $500 billion in transfer fees alone.
West Ham away after a storming start. Pochettino started with a 3-4-2-1 formation. Nicola Jackson was in charge up top. The second line was made up of Kani Chukwuemeka and Raheem Sterling. The midfield consisted of Ben Chilwell, Conor Gallagher, Enzo, and Marlo Guisto. The back three was Levi Colwill, Thiago Silva, and Axel Disassi. Robert Sanchez was in goal.
The game didn’t go as planned. Chelsea conceded an early goal in the seventh minute through Nicklas Aggerd. They fought back with a 28th-minute equalizer from Chukwuemeka, but hung their heads in shame when Enzo missed a golden penalty kick (PK) opportunity in the 43rd minute. After the break, West Ham regained the lead through Michail Antonio.
Pochettino pulled out the stops. In the 16th minute of the second half, Caicedo came on for Chilwell. The Hammers increased their numerical advantage when Aguero was sent off for accumulated cautions. But the game would not be turned on its head. The introduction of Madueke and Mason Burstow proved futile.
Just before the end, there was a horrific moment. In second-half stoppage time, Caicedo made a tackle on Emerson Palmieri and was immediately awarded a PK. Lucas Paqueta stepped up to take the spot-kick and converted to seal the deal, leaving Chelsea with a 1-3 loss to West Ham.
For a player who hasn’t been a standout in either his link-up play or his defense, the criticism has been harsh. Soccer statistics outlet Couch Score gave him a 6.4 rating, the second-lowest of any Chelsea player. Football London wrote: “He was given a number six role. Took a shot shortly after coming on, but it went wide to the side. Conceded a PK and had a nightmare debut,” giving him a 5.
There were also humiliating stories. Former England women’s soccer international Rian Sanderson told Talk Sport: “Chelsea are unstable, I’m surprised he went to Chelsea. People say, ‘But Chelsea is Kaysedo’s dream club’. He named Arsenal as his dream club six months ago. If I was a player, I would not have signed for Chelsea,” he said, shaking his head.
Liverpool fans were ecstatic after missing out on Caicedo. ‘Liverpool World’ writes: “Fans were delighted with Chelsea’s defeat to West Ham over the weekend. The reason for this is because the new signing, Caido, had a nightmare debut. Coming 토토사이트 on as a second-half substitute, his ball retention was sloppy, his tackling was particularly poor, and he played 29 minutes of helpless defeat. Some mocked him, saying, “He’s going to regret going to Chelsea.” A debut that would have disappointed him greatly.
A debut that would have disappointed him greatly. After the nightmare match, Kaysedo left a message. “It wasn’t the debut I was expecting,” he wrote on social media, “but I’m happy to take my first steps with this great club. We will continue to work hard. We will do our best to reach where we need to be. I want to thank the fans for supporting me.” Chelsea teammates and fans flocked to the post to show their support.
The same goes for Enzo and Rabia, who will form a midfield together in the future. “It’s not how we start, it’s how we finish. Let’s go together!” wrote Enzo, while Rabia echoed Caicedo’s sentiments, saying, “We’re all in this together.” Chelsea host newly-promoted Luton Town at 4 a.m. on Sept. 26 in search of their first win of the season, with Kaidzedo hoping to make amends for his debut.