With his selection against Liverpool on Tuesday night, Enzo Fernandez continued his run of starting every Chelsea game since he was signed just as the mid-season transfer window was shutting.
It is a sure sign that the Argentinean, who joined us from Benfica, is settling well into the team and indeed apart from coming off very late on in the wins against Leeds and Borussia Dortmund, he has played every minute of his 11 games so far.
Enzo has been sharing his views on how his early playing days in England have gone.
‘It’s a very tough league,’ the 22-year-old acknowledges. ‘I am coming from the Portuguese League where sometimes you play more with the ball.
‘Here the game is faster and more physical so I am adapting step by step. I know it is going to take time but I have the support from my team-mates and the coaching staff so I can adapt quicker and better here.’
As our statistical analysis of the Liverpool game shows, while playing in a reshaped midfield on Tuesday as the deeper man behind N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, Enzo had more touches of the ball, made more passes in general, and completed more long-range balls to a team-mate than any other player on the pitch.
He details his own method of play.
‘I describe myself as with the characteristics to always have the ball, always play nice football, building up with passes.
‘I like this type of football, keeping the possession, building up the game with passes and then attacking the spaces.’