Whoever Chelsea end up appointing as their next manager, one of their first tasks would be to get Cole Palmer back to his best. The Englishman has looked like a shadow of himself. Of course, frequent fitness issues have played a part. One can only wonder if his groin problem continues to bother him or if it has healed fully.
There seems to be a confidence issue as well. So much of Palmer’s game is based on instincts. But he seems to be missing that at the moment. Perhaps taking a second or two extra, missing that last 10-15 per cent. And that lack of conviction might end up making the difference at this level.
Xabi Alonso has emerged as the frontrunner for the Chelsea job over the last couple of days. And he is someone who appears to rate Palmer very highly, if reports that had emerged last year were on the mark.
What does Xabi Alonso think of Cole Palmer amid links with the Chelsea job
According to a report from E-Noticies last year, Alonso is one of Palmer’s biggest admirers. He loves his style of play and at that point, viewed him as a talent that would fit perfectly into his Real Madrid project.
Of course, Alonso does have a history of getting the best out of mercurial talents. He turned Florian Wirtz from a wonderkid to one of the players in the Bundesliga.
He does not even need to do that with Palmer. The Spaniard would just need to find a way to restore the Englishman’s confidence and get him back to playing at the level he was just 18 months ago.
Does Palmer need rest more than anything else?
I often wonder how many Palmer’s problems could be solved if he ended up getting a good bit of rest. He has been playing constant football for several years now and has not gotten a summer off, whether it was due to England duty at EURO 2024 or Chelsea duty at the Club World Cup last year.
Maybe what he needs most at this point in time is a good bit of rest. Let’s not forget, he is not the only top player who has looked off-colour in recent times. The story has been similar to Phil Foden of Manchester City and Bukayo Saka of Arsenal. All youngsters who have played constant football when fit and available.
First, let’s see who the next manager of Chelsea Football Club is. Then, we can figure out how to get the best out of Palmer again.
