Chelsea’s midfield is once again a talking point, but this time the discussion has been a more positive one.

Earlier in the season, Chelsea had a real problem in the middle of the park. While Moises Caicedo was injured, they were getting absolutely dominated and were conceding far too many chances.

Since his return to the team, there has been a vast improvement, including over the weekend against Manchester United. Xabi Alonso’s men managed to keep a clean sheet after beating United 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Caicedo played his part, but rather than the Ecuadorian, it was actually his midfield partner Romeo Lavia who stole the show. The consensus among Chelsea fans is that Lavia’s performance against United was his best in a blue shirt! That has now stirred a debate surrounding who is best suited to play alongside Caicedo, with Chelsea keen to sign Bournemouth’s Alex Scott in January.

On TalkingPoints, there is a feeling that Lavia is the ideal partner for Caicedo. However, there is also a belief that Lavia and Scott can coexist because of the former’s injury history.

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jamesshearman23

If Lavia wasn’t injury prone, he’d be one of the best midfielders in the world. Him & Caicedo are a perfect fit. But we need Scott because we can’t trust Lavia to play a full season.

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Bournemouth’s stance on Scott has really softened. The Cherries were reluctant to sell the 23-year-old in the winter transfer window, but it has been widely reported that they are now willing to part ways with him for the right price, so long as the team are not in a relegation battle.

Bournemouth are currently eighth in the Premier League table with 12 points, so it may not be something that they have to worry about come January.

Because of how effective Lavia is when he is fit, though, another Chelsea supporter has questioned whether the club have to go and fork out £100m on a midfielder. Could a cheaper alternative make more sense? Perhaps.

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philchristie1955

Always said, if fit, then Lavia is best partner for Caicedo and he has showed that in the last 2 games. As always there will be a question mark over his long term fitness but no need to spend another 100m+ if we already have a top player

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If Chelsea do go on to sign Scott, he will add energy and intensity to Alonso’s side. He is a very efficient box-to-box midfielder who can get up and down the pitch in no time.

According to FotMob, Scott has a top speed of 33.1 km/h this season. He is running about 3 km and making 10.90 sprints per 90 minutes, which are quite good figures for a player in his position. Lavia’s playing style is not as dynamic. His stats show that and some football fans have picked up on it.

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chillout

I think Lavia has already come out and confirmed the bond between the two. They have already shown that they can work together effectively. Scott is an interesting alternative, however, as he is provides more energy, mobility and progressive passing.

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For example, the Belgian is only running 1.9 km and making 5.34 sprints per 90. That is not his game. Lavia is much better at sitting deep, receiving the ball and keeping it. He has a higher pass success rate than Scott and completes more line-breaking passes.

The market is the market. If Chelsea want to sign Scott in the new year, they are going to have to pay £100m or a fee close to that.

A fit Lavia starts ahead of Scott and probably complements Caicedo better. The Ecuador international is dynamic and plays with an intensity like Scott. Caicedo is at his best as a No.6, shielding the backline, yet he also wants to push forward, win the ball higher up the pitch and take long shots.

Scott is also going to want to go from box-to-box, so having a sitter like Lavia next to Caicedo instead will give Chelsea more balance. But because of his injury issues, Scott is probably needed at Stamford Bridge and should be able to coexist with Lavia, which is what plenty of Chelsea fans hope to see.