LONDON — Chelsea’s reliance on Cole Palmer has begun to impact his performance adversely, as noted by manager Enzo Maresca on Monday. The young England talent is currently experiencing a slump, going without a goal in the last six matches, with his last assist having occurred thirteen games ago.
This dip in form is symptomatic of a broader decline for Chelsea, which has fallen from second place to seventh in the Premier League. The team has seen only two victories in their last ten outings and has also been knocked out of the FA Cup. Palmer enjoyed a breakout season after joining from Manchester City in September 2023, netting an impressive 22 league goals the previous season—second only to Erling Haaland of City—and 14 this season. However, he has shown signs of frustration with his teammates, especially evident during the recent 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa.
Maresca expressed confidence in Palmer, saying, “I’m not concerned about Cole as an individual because he is a human being who may have moments of struggle throughout the season.” He emphasized the importance of Chelsea not becoming overly dependent on Palmer, pointing out that “we need to rely on the team” collectively rather than placing all expectations on a single player. “We definitely need standout players like Cole, but we are not excessively worried about him.”
Following three consecutive losses, Chelsea now has a significant opportunity to turn things around as they prepare to host last-place Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. A victory could propel Chelsea back into the Champions League qualification spots, which may expand to five for next season’s tournament.
Maresca remarked that Palmer’s recent struggles are reflective of the team as a whole, stating, “His performance indicates that we are all having difficulty scoring goals. We really need to enhance our clinical finishing when opportunities arise.” Ultimately, he noted that “Cole is simply frustrated because we are not securing wins, nothing more.”
