BEFORE the season got underway it was all eyes on Cole Palmer (£5.5m) but two other Chelsea midfielders have taken Dream Team by storm since the action began.
The England international was the most popular player in the game at one stage following his brace against PSG in the Club World Cup final but a nagging groin injury has limited his progress.
Palmer has not been 100% fit at any stage this season[/caption]
Meanwhile, Moises Caicedo (£4.7m) and Enzo Fernandez (£4.7m) have provided plentiful points.
At this stage of the campaign, the pair rank second and third respectively among assets in their position, with only Antoine Semenyo (£4.9m) above them in the standings.
MOST POINTS AMONG DREAM TEAM MIDFIELDERS
- 72 pts – Antoine Semenyo
- 69 pts – Moises Caicedo
- 60 pts – Enzo Fernandez
- 59 pts – Jack Grealish
- 59 pts – Diego Gomez
- 59 pts – Mohammed Kudus
- 57 pts – John McGinn
- 56 pts – Bruno Guimaraes
Caicedo’s impressive tally is a reflection of the fact he has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season.
The Ecuador international is threatening to open up an unassailable lead in the tackle count.
He’s made 37 tackles in all competitions to date when only one other player – Joao Palhinha (£3.8m) – has reached 30.
Third-placed Sean Longstaff (£3m) is already 11 tackles behind Caicedo.
Chelsea’s No25 also ranks third among all players for bonus points with 14.
He leads the way for interceptions, boasts a pass completion rate of 92% and, despite his combative style, wins more fouls than he gives away.
The real reason Caicedo has become such an effective Dream Team asset is his emergence as a devastating long-range shooter.
Having previously never scored more than one goal in a league campaign since his move to England, he’s scored three in his first seven outings this time around.
Make no mistake, he still does his best work in the middle third of the pitch but his increased willingness to have a pop from 20 yards out has added another string to his bow.
Whether Caicedo is able to maintain a healthy scoring rate throughout the season remains to be seen but Dream Team bosses can bank on plenty more tackles and bonus points.
As for Fernandez, his habit of arriving late in the box has yielded five goal involvements (three goals, two assists).
The World Cup winner has become one of Enzo Maresca’s most trusted lieutenants and has featured in all ten of the Blues’ fixtures so far this season, including 70 minutes against Lincoln in the Carabao Cup when the other first-choice starters were rested.
It’s an obvious point but players who are guaranteed bulk minutes often make useful Dream Team assets.
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Many gaffers have lost faith in Joao Pedro (£4.6m) recently and he’s once again among the most transferred-out players ahead of Gameweek 8.
The Brazilian forward remains the most selected Chelsea asset but Caicedo is now 20 points ahead of his team-mate, with Fernandez 11 point clear.
A quick glance at the schedule suggests the midfield duo have every chance of extending their fruitful form after the international break.
Maresca’s side will fulfil six fixtures across the next three Gameweeks, starting with a double header against Nottingham Forest (a) and Ajax (h).
Ange Postecoglou is yet to win a game since he took charge at the City Ground while the Dutch giants sit 35th out of 36 in the Champions League table having lost their first two games without scoring a goal.
Who needs Palmer when Caicedo and Fernandez are available for £4.7m each?
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