Is Caicedo the best midfielder in the Premier League?

The image is a scatter plot showing the number of tackles and interceptions made by players in the Premier League this season. - The x-axis represents the number of interceptions. - The y-axis represents the number of tackles. - Each dot on the graph represents a player. - Caicedo has made the most tackles and interceptions, as highlighted by the yellow dot at 18 interceptions and 28 tackles.
Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

The data clearly shows that Moises Caicedo belongs in the debate over the league's top midfielders.

No midfielder in Europe's top five leagues has made more tackles (28) or interceptions (18) this season than Caicedo.

The 28 tackles represent 23% of Chelsea's overall tackles, the second-highest ratio by a player in a season which data analysts Opta have on record since 2006-07.

Only Burnley's Josh Cullen has recorded more defensive blocks among midfielders.

Since last season, Caicedo has made more tackles (142) than any other player without being sent off or receiving a suspension for yellow card accumulation, showcasing his precise tackling.

He makes more tackles and wins a higher percentage of duels (59%) than Arsenal's Declan Rice and Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch, both often considered among the league's best midfielders.

The image is a statistical comparison of three Premier League footballers: Moises Caicedo, Ryan Gravenberch, and Declan Rice, based on their performance since the start of the last season. The data, sourced from Opta, shows that Rice has better attacking stats, while Caicedo excels in defensive metrics. Goals and Assists: Declan Rice has the most goals (5) and assists (9). Passing: Caicedo has the highest passing accuracy (90.3%), while Rice makes the most passes into the box per 90 minutes (6.7). Defensive Stats: Moises Caicedo leads in tackles (3.2) and duel success (59.4%) per 90 minutes. Interceptions: Ryan Gravenberch has the most interceptions per 90 minutes (1.7).

It is unclear whether Caicedo's attacking output will continue at this level. His three goals this season, from an expected goals (xG) of 0.5, include two from outside the box, tying Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo for the league's highest total.

Since the beginning of last season, Rice has contributed the most offensively among midfielders, with more goals, assists and passes into the box, aided by his set-piece duties for Arsenal.

Caicedo dominates defensively, while Gravenberch balances defensive and attacking roles. Other top midfielders include former Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, currently sidelined by injury at Manchester City, and Newcastle's Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

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