According to a report from Football.London, Lewis Cook showered Enzo Fernandez with high praise after Bournemouth’s encounter with Chelsea. Despite the 22-year-old midfielder’s commendable efforts, the Cherries managed to secure a goalless draw against Mauricio Pochettino’s side at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
But that did not stop the Bournemouth midfielder to comment on how he felt coming up against Fernandez, the former Leeds United ace added: “I felt I did good. I had quite a big job to mark him. He’s a top, top player and we all know that. It’s good.”
Fernandez’s Form For Chelsea This Season
The former Benfica man has been good form for Chelsea this season but has yet to make a mark in front of the goal. The 22-year-old has started in all the five games for the West London club in the Premier League showing impressive displays in middle of the park.
Fernandez in currently averaging 2.4 shots, 2.2 key passes and 1.0 tackles per game in the English first division. He has also been accurate with his ball distribution in the midfield after completing 91.4% of his attempted passes in the English top flight (stats via whoscored).
Will Pochettino Rely On him Even More Given The Poor Start For Chelsea This Season?
Chelsea’s struggles persisted with a goalless draw against Bournemouth on Sunday, marking the second consecutive match in which Mauricio Pochettino’s squad failed to find the net, following their 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest earlier this month.
Despite significant investments, with approximately $1 billion spent on transfer fees since the ownership transition led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022, Chelsea currently occupy the 14th position in the Premier League, having accumulated five points from five games. This has raised significant concerns from fans and pundits alike regarding the Chelsea’s title race.
Fernandez, at just 22 years old, has already begun to make a significant impact at Stamford Bridge. His performances have been nothing short of impressive, and he has shown maturity beyond his years on the pitch. While the Blues have struggled to find the back of the net, Fernandez has consistently been a bright spot in the midfield.
Chelsea’s struggles can partly be attributed to injuries that have plagued the squad. With key players on the sidelines, the depth of the squad is being tested. In this context, Enzo Fernandez’s reliability and ability to perform under pressure have been a blessing for Pochettino. Hence, we can expect the Chelsea boss to rely on him even more as the season follows.
