Mauricio Pochettino has compared Moises Caicedo's situation to that of Zinedine Zidane.
Caicedo has struggled to adapt to life at Chelsea following his British record transfer fee move from Brighton in the summer, with Ally McCoist branding him the flop of the season so far.
On Wednesday he will face the side he rejected to join the Blues, after Liverpool agreed a fee with Brighton for the transfer of the Ecuadorian.
Zidane joined Real Madrid as a player in 2001 aged 29, and took a while to adapt to the standards set by the club before eventually finding his feet.
Pochettino, speaking before the game with Liverpool, compared his player's situation to that of the Frenchman, insisting that he will come good with time.
'Remember when Zidane or Kaka went to Real Madrid, they paid a big amount of money,' he said. 'Zidane was 26 or 27. I think it took seven or eight months for him to perform because expectation is massive and adaptation is difficult. The pressure is massive.
'Moises didn't do a pre-season, he had some problems when he was travelling for international duty. It's too many things that delayed the adaptation to the team. Then, all the circumstances delay a little bit to perform.'
The Argentinian went onto compare Caicedo to his former forward, Harry Kane, who has had an electric start to life in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.
He maintained his faith that Caicedo, 22, will improve, and defended the £115million fee paid as paying for 'potential' rather than proven talent.
'But there is no doubt he has the profile to be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League,' he said. 'We are living in a different era today.
'If you spend money like Bayern Munich did on Harry Kane, say £100million, after 10 years being the top scorer in the Premier League, it's impossible he would move to another league and not score.
'Now you want to sign a good player with the potential to be one of the best in their position. Sometimes in competition with another club we are seeing the same names and you need to spend money.'
F-legend
1
What is the comparesion here, [Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
Cukaknort
0
But Caicedo is going backwards alot with the ball and sending wistful pass.
Sehbcimnr
0
You are a dreamer poch. Please meh
Livingstone4u
1
I thought he's stopped taking drugs😂😂
RoshanRejiAbraham
1
Chelsea came to Anfield 4-1 reason😉😂
Jibeikorz
1
autimatic putchino is dol
daheimpsty
0
caicedo who? [Crylaugh][Crylaugh][Crylaugh]
Wolon1995
2
Chelsea need to sue Liverpool and Brighton for fooling them Liverpool and Brighton set Chelsea up with Caciedo
Chocboi78
0
i hate lies. Zidane hit the ground running at real Madrid. he was scoring in almost every match in his first 2months
But he was 27 when he moved there
Chocboi78
4
The one that played today was ZIDANE iqbal and HARRY maguire 😂😂😂
Nastydrills
0
How can you play Palmer against van disk and Konate , poch is a fool , lack experience and badieblsdish should be should immediately after poch is sacked if not we won’t be any better this season
fahcinpuyz
2
poch shud be sacked coz he has no winning potential
Okechu
1
Pochetinno no get sense at all. He's mentally disorder...
Nastydrills
0
This man is only going to destroy Chelsea I don’t know why his still here
Nastydrills
1
Poch is a fool no doubt
fuycdlnsu
0
Dramatic scene never loses actors
Wasciktz
0
You should be sack
Sycamore411
0
Joke of the day [Crylaugh]
Tekacdkuz
0
caicedo is a good player.. too many average players in Chelsea. Any good player joining Chelsea now is doing that at his own risk. Madueke is not a good player, Mudrik is also not a good player.
Moadnory
1
Poch is too stubborn... Why continue playing Gallagher, Enzo and Caicedo... Consistently playing Our best player, Palmer out of position and making him so ineffective. To think that we have a final against this same Liverpool side in about 3 weeks time eeehhhh
Visdlrsuyz
0
Mauricio Pochettino is a brainless coach! What tactics is he playing in this Liverpool game? Gallagher is equally useless as always. Sack Clueless Mauricio Pochettino. Why has he not found antidote to Nunez's constant forays into the Chelsea penalty box? Pochettino is listless and clueless! Sack him now.
Nimbdilptz
1
Mr pochettino are you not a shame of yourself for said this
frastel
0
Pochetino is a Big fool no wonder he's a Trophyless Coach How can you compare your fellow floop 😅 to the real legend Zinedine Zidane Can Moise Caicedo's performance be similar to Zidane sure...😅
He is not comparing them in terms of techniques and talent because we all know it can never be possible. He is just saying that Zidane was also signed for big money to Real Madrid and took about 8 months to adapt to life in Madrid so he hopes Caicedo will come good with time.
saedisyz
1
No wonder he's a Trophyless Coach in the World 😅
Batloprsz
0
na you be big fool, mumu...u no know football
saedisyz
1
Why Porch and Chelsea still remains stagnant 😂
[image]
bcoz there Coach is one of the Biggest FLOOPS Trophyless Coach at his age and at that level 😅
allshama
1
Now i don't know whom to blame poch the players or the owners.. Otherwise we are shit
saedisyz
3
Pochetino is a Big fool no wonder he's a Trophyless Coach How can you compare your fellow floop 😅 to the real legend Zinedine Zidane Can Moise Caicedo's performance be similar to Zidane sure...😅
yandnorsu
2
Dats bcoz u are a useless human,how on Earth would u dream to do dis comparison,u are stupid coach to defend against small clubs and do same with big clubs like Liverpool,it's quite unfortunate dat Chelsea recent management is fucked if not u will never have come to Chelsea,garagher caciedo and Enzo can never work bcoz u want to defend,garagher is not a positive player so bench him and play players dat can hold on d ball wisely,Chelsea can never play well with garagher caciedo and Enzo
locadmrs
4
All this overrated shiiti player everywhere most especially Enzo overrated shit
Seal2314
1
You sick sir
Gx277G
1
Why Porch and Chelsea still remains stagnant 😂
Suhainoty
0
i hate lies. Zidane hit the ground running at real Madrid. he was scoring in almost every match in his first 2months
JohnDuggan92
4
I’m sorry Poch, but if you can compare Zidane to Caicedo in any terms then I can compare you Pochettino to a crackhead
Cairo20
5
pochetino comparison sounds like comparing klopp to ten hag and to pochetino himself.
Himbcmp
0
No ways you out Potcher…forget not Caicedo
Wuwdelnpsz
3
Time will tell if the player will still value at >£100M in 5 years. If it does then it is a great buy, To achieve that value he must continue to improve his on field production.
Miyceilz
0
He is waffleing
Miyceilz
0
Porch is wffeling
Abdul Bwika
0
wake up poch!!
Zilla86
2
Poche dey craze swear
ryank
1
In his first season he still has excuses but next year Chelsea will be competing for trophies plus the pressure of transfer fees. He needs a great mind to cope with that
ezekielakinsanya
0
pochettino no sahi weytinz e de talk at all how u go de compare Caicedo with Zidane n kane how now man use brain abi na All football upload fake news
Duediksuy
0
Una Don start🌚
Keedlnsuyz
2
to Zidane????