believes it would be harsh to say that the Reds dodged a bullet by missing out on the signing of Moises Caicedo to Chelsea during the summer.
The Ecuador international looked hugely impressive during his time at former club Brighton, but it’s been a slow start for him and the rest of the team at Chelsea so far this season, with Mauricio Pochettino struggling to get the best out of this expensively-assembled Blues squad.
Still, writing in his exclusive column for the Daily Briefing, Jones made it clear that he didn’t necessarily view it as a bullet dodged by Liverpool as Chelsea beat them to Caicedo, and also to Romeo Lavi
Instead, Jones hit out at the current regime at Chelsea, as it seems their scattergun approach to the transfer market is not producing results or making players feel comfortable, which is affecting top talents like Caicedo and preventing them from fulfilling their true potential.
“I don’t think it’s fair, as some fans are saying, to state that Liverpool dodged a bullet with Moises Caicedo, or indeed Romeo Lavia, but his slow start to life at Chelsea does show that recruitment is about more than just spending big money on big names,” Jones said.
You also need to have an environment where a new signing can feel comfortable, a team in which they can do the things they’re good at, and a manager who knows exactly how to use the tools at his disposal.
“Chelsea’s recruitment has been a lot more ‘thrilling’ than Liverpool’s over the last 12 months, but what they don’t have is a structure into which new players can be slotted in and immediately shine.
“Mauricio Pochettino is a fine manager, but he is encountering similar problems to Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. The team changes from week to week, big players with big transfer fees and big wages are struggling for form and fitness, and the general mood around the club is one of negativity and frustration. And as a result this collection of really good players, who have cost megabucks, looks far less than the sum of its parts.
“The Blues’ recent record in the Premier League is little short of disgraceful, given the talent they have had at their disposal. They will improve, for sure, and I expect Caicedo to be a big player for them, but I do wonder whether their struggles since the Todd Boehly takeover might make players in the future think twice about whether Stamford Bridge is the right place to move to.”
