We’ll admit it, we were excited to see Enzo Fernandez team up with Moises Caicedo this season.
We think we massively overpaid for both, but both looked like class players, and the two of them together with Conor Gallagher seemed a dreamy midfield. Enzo to pass long and short and dictate tempo, Caicedo to cover the spaces behind and Gallagher to help press on the front foot.
Sadly, as so often in football, it hasn’t worked out like that. Gallagher has done his part, but behind him, both Enzo and Caicedo have disappointed in the main. Both have had moments, and even a couple of outstanding games. But with both of the season played, there’s barely a semblance of balance between them, let alone something approaching chemistry.
Nigel-Reo Coker said as much on the BBC this week:
“You look at the likes of Enzo Fernandez and [Moises] Caicedo in that midfield pairing. You would have thought they would have been a formidable force. For me still, I don’t see a relationship in two players who know how to play with each other or really look like they want to play each other.”
It’s harsh but hard to disagree with. The idea that they don’t even look like they “want” to play together is worrying.
Many fans are in way too deep with their sunk cost fallacy here. They insist that all we need to get these two playing well is to buy ANOTHER (presumably £100m+) player to “unlock” their potential. We wish it worked that way, but we’re not too sure. Would everything be fixed with Romeo Lavia fit? Again, it sounds like wishful thinking.
With every passing game, our doubts about the partnership grows. They should be gelling together, not looking more like strangers than they did back in August. They don’t provide the defence with the protection it needs, and they certainly don’t score enough goals to make up for that.
