Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has shared his perspective on Moisés Caicedo’s impending return from injury, noting that while the Ecuadorian midfielder will naturally improve the side, he alone cannot solve all of Xabi Alonso’s defensive problems. Caicedo’s start to the campaign has been severely disrupted by recurring calf issues, restricting him to just a brief 14-minute cameo off the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion.
In his absence, Chelsea’s defensive vulnerabilities have been exposed, shipping 12 goals in their opening Premier League fixtures. While anticipating a major lift once the midfielder regains full fitness, Hasselbaink in a chat with Sportsmole, stressed that sorting out the backline is a shared burden: “I think that when Caicedo is back, a top Caicedo, things will naturally be better because he’s a top player.
When you have top players on the pitch, it will help the team massively, of course. “I think it’s about the whole team. It’s the whole defensive unit. Caicedo will help it for sure, but also Reece James will help it. And it’s not about only those two players. It’s a collective responsibility.”