Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has praised the growing midfield partnership between Moisés Caicedo and Jordan Henderson after the Blues thrashed Bournemouth 5-1 on Saturday.
Chelsea returned from the international break in emphatic fashion, with Henderson and Morgan Rogers scoring twice each, while João Pedro also got on the scoresheet to seal a convincing victory.
Speaking after the game, Alonso highlighted the complementary qualities of Caicedo and Henderson, describing their partnership as crucial to providing Chelsea with stability, balance and control in midfield. 
The Spanish tactician had previously expressed concerns about Chelsea’s midfield, but the duo’s performance against Bournemouth offered encouraging signs as he continues to strengthen the team’s central area.
“Both, in terms of qualities, are different, and in terms of positioning as well. I think that they help each other well and they give presence, they give stability,” Alonso said.
“You know that they are going to be the ones that are going to be helping the rest, not just for their qualities because they understand the game.
“They can play in shorter spaces, but as well defensively, they give good balance. For me, it’s fundamental that we get that area strong.”
Alonso also stressed that building a reliable midfield requires contributions from several players, pointing to Romeo Lavia, Reece James and Valentin Barco as additional options.
“Surely, with Moisés, Hendo played today, it was his second game. Romeo [Lavia] as well, he played good minutes, Reece [James] has played there a little bit on some minutes and [Valentin] Barco, so we need to keep building around that,” he added.
With Chelsea’s midfield balance remaining a key focus, Alonso will hope Caicedo and Henderson can build on their promising understanding as the Blues look to maintain their momentum in the Premier League.
