Enzo Maresca has moved in early to avoid any of the drama that former boss Mauricio Pochettino allowed to happen last season, which certainly didn’t help proceedings at the time.
Pochettino let his players argue on the pitch on more than one occasion over who was going to take the penalty that had just been awarded. This was not a great look at all and sparked fan reactions saying that a penalty taker should already be decided before games and even before the season.
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For me, a manager should have a list of penalty takers in order, and you should go down that order depending who is on the pitch at the time. So it was refreshing to heard that Maresca is basically going to be doing this.
Palmer is the taker
Maresca reveals that Cole Palmer is going to be Chelsea’s penalty taker this season, and he also explains how he intervened last night to make sure there wasn’t an issue when Chelsea got a penalty in their 3-0 win over Club America.
Maresca said post-match: “I have decided [who the penalty takers will be] and this is the reason why Christo took the first penalty. Noni was close to taking one but I told Tosin to tell Noni that Christo is to take the penalty. Noni left the ball there and Christo took. I understand the desire to score but I am the guy that decides who takes the penalty, not the players.
“In probably one week I am going to say Noni or I am going to say another player. But I decide who is going to take the penalty.
“When Cole is back because of last year and I know Cole is very good. For sure, he is the taker. But Cole is not here so we decide for another one and Christo is the one.”
Quotes via Football London.
