Cole Palmer has not just been a star at Chelsea since joining the club 18 months ago, he’s been one of the biggest stories in the Premier League and in football in general, with his goal for England in the Euros final last summer capping off a quite incredible rise.
Hw’s a lethal goalscorer and elite creator for Chelsea, both under Mauricio Pochettino and under Enzo Maresca. Certainly if you were going to bet on a player to score in a game this season – or last season for that matter – Palmer would be top of the list and the shortest odds. But, to make sure you get the best odds, it’s worth
checking expert bookmaker reviews before placing your bet.
Not only is a he a unique threat shooting from anywhere, with the confidence to take on ranged efforts and the technique to make them count, he also takes penalties with ridiculous efficiency – he’s yet to miss one yet for the Blues.
What’s gone wrong this season
It’s easy to say Palmer’s gone off the boil since Christmas, and there’s no doubt he’s not as his best.
But the whole team has started to fall apart, and it’s especially hard for a creative player to thrive when his team just aren’t functioning as an attacking force.
Palmer’s also a funny player in that, like many of the game’s true greats, he thrives in moments. Often he will do almost nothing for 89 minutes – but his one contribution will be the most significant of anyone on the team. Some of his most important and memorable games in a Chelsea shirt have come when he’s otherwise been very quiet – but that’s all forgotten when he picks the pass that wins the game, or finds the top corner.
Still, the former Man City man was still able to shine through some pretty dire periods last season, and that hasn’t been the case recently. He’s playing 90 minutes every week in the Premier League, which can’t help – but equally he’s been able to rest for the majority of the season in midweek games, and wasn’t even included in the Conference League squad for the group stage.
How to get Palmer firing again
The loss of Nicolas Jackson to injury is seriously hurting Chelsea right now, and now just because he’s the only Premier League ready striker in the squad. The pair developed a really strong relationship, and it’s no coincidence that they’ve both started to struggle at the same time.
The big question now is how to get Palmer firing without Jackson in the mix to stretch the field and create space.
