Mauricio Pochettino, last April, faced a significant challenge as he prepared to lead Chelsea into the Emirates Stadium without one of his most influential players, Cole Palmer, who was sidelined due to injury. This absence left a gaping hole in Chelsea’s lineup, prompting Pochettino to urge the rest of the team to see this as an opportunity. He encouraged them to demonstrate the club’s strength, emphasizing that Chelsea’s identity transcends any single player—even one as impactful as Palmer.
“If I am a teammate of Cole Palmer,” Pochettino told the squad, “I would be motivated to step up tomorrow and prove that this is Chelsea Football Club, not Cole Palmer Football Club.” Despite his rallying call, Chelsea struggled immensely without their talisman and suffered a crushing 5-0 defeat. This heavy loss marked the sole defeat in Pochettino’s final 15 Premier League matches with Chelsea and happened to be the only game where Palmer did not play. It was a stark indicator of the team’s reliance on their playmaker.
When Enzo Maresca took over as Chelsea’s manager that summer, he, too, noticed the growing dependence on Palmer. The Blues’ recent 2-1 loss to Liverpool underscored this issue. During that game, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones neutralized Palmer with meticulous man-marking, limiting Chelsea’s offensive threats to just two shots on target. The defeat highlighted a recurring pattern: when Palmer is kept quiet, Chelsea tends to falter. This dependency on a single player has become a serious concern for Maresca, especially with a challenging schedule ahead.
In Palmer’s 45 appearances in the Premier League so far, he has consistently contributed to Chelsea’s scoring efforts. But when the opposition manages to contain him, Chelsea’s performance noticeably suffers. In matches where Palmer fails to provide a goal or an assist, Chelsea averages less than a point per game, contrasting sharply with an impressive 1.9 points per game when he is directly involved in scoring. This season alone, Palmer has been pivotal, scoring or creating 11 of Chelsea’s 17 league goals. His impact is not merely reflected in these numbers; he accounts for an astonishing 53% of Chelsea’s non-penalty expected goals (xG), a statistic that no other player in the Premier League can match.
Palmer leads Chelsea in various critical metrics, including goals, assists, shots, and touches in the attacking third. His creativity is unparalleled within the team, as he has generated as many chances this season as Enzo Fernandez, Jadon Sancho, and Noni Madueke combined, totaling 24 key passes. This overwhelming influence underscores Chelsea’s heavy reliance on Palmer’s unique abilities, raising questions about alternative strategies.
Ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming fixture against Newcastle United, Maresca openly addressed this emerging trend of opponents using man-marking strategies to restrict Palmer’s impact. He viewed this as “a weapon” that Chelsea could turn to their advantage, emphasizing the importance of maintaining balance within the team. Maresca explained, “We used to structure our play around Cole because he possesses a more physical presence, essential in the Premier League’s demanding defensive landscape. Now, however, we are exploring alternative options to diversify our attacking approach.”
One such alternative lies in Jadon Sancho, who has shown flashes of brilliance but has yet to make a consistent impact. For Sancho to thrive, Chelsea might need to adjust their build-up play to incorporate an overlapping full-back who can support Sancho’s style of play. Maresca has occasionally deployed Marc Cucurella as an auxiliary midfielder, but the return of Reece James, known for his offensive prowess, could allow a shift that benefits Sancho. James’s natural ability to push forward would create more dynamism on the wings, adding a new dimension to Chelsea’s attack.
The real dilemma for Maresca, however, is that Palmer’s brilliance does not solely stem from Chelsea directing the ball his way. In fact, six Chelsea players currently average more touches in the opposition’s penalty area than Palmer. His effectiveness comes down to his skill, vision, and finishing ability, qualities that other Chelsea players struggle to replicate. Pochettino hinted at this last season, jokingly noting that Palmer’s teammates weren’t envious of his role but were more curious about the “magic” formula behind his standout performances.
As Chelsea navigates this dependency, Palmer himself may need to adapt to being a marked man. Rather than seeing it as a limitation, Palmer can potentially use this increased attention to create opportunities for his teammates, drawing defenders away and opening up sp
ace for others.