Cole Palmer was brought on by Thomas Tuchel in England’s draw against Uruguay. And while the Chelsea man has looked off colour for the majority of this season, he was lively for the Three Lions and should have had an assist. Most importantly, the German manager decided to deploy him in the number 10 role.
That is a role that he has not played often for Chelsea under Liam Rosenior. Right now, Palmer comes in mostly off the right. And while he does have the freedom to move about when the Blues have the ball, he is not an outright number 10.
That might be a decision that Palmer is not happy with. Of course, that is the last thing Chelsea fans want to hear as rumours continue to swirl about his possible exit.
According to The Sun, Palmer is increasingly disillusioned with life at Chelsea. He is primed to leave this summer. The Englishman is understood to be frustrated by a change in the tactics, which he feels have denied him space on the pitch. He misses playing with Nicolas Jackson.
Cole Palmer said to be frustrated with Chelsea decision
Rosenior’s future at Chelsea is already in doubt. And if Palmer is not happy with his tactics, that will make it even more difficult for the manager.
As for Palmer, he is still Chelsea’s most important player. He might not have been playing at the top of his game for a while, but when he is at his best, the Blues do not have anybody capable of reaching that level.
We saw a perfect example of that in the Club World Cup final, when he almost single-handedly ended the game in the first half. We also saw how badly things can turn out for Chelsea against teams like PSG in the Champions League this season. That was when Palmer was off his game.
Is Palmer at his best playing with someone like Jackson?
Palmer has certainly played his best football for Chelsea while linking up with Jackson as striker. The Senegalese international left for Bayern Munich in the summer, but his loan is not expected to become permanent. It remains to be seen if he has a long-term future at Stamford Bridge or not.
Jackson has a lot of flaws in his game. He is not a great finisher and his decision-making often lets him down. That being said, there is no doubt that he has his qualities as well.
Jackson is world-class when it comes to combining with his teammates. He can play with his back to goal, carry the ball forward and is the type of striker who makes those around him better. So, it is easy to see why Palmer might miss playing with someone like him.
