One underwhelming season of football cost Cole Palmer his place at the World Cup. That is merely the reality of it. While many players were selected based on experience and reputation, there was no place for the Chelsea player in Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Now, it remains to be seen whether it was the right decision or not.
If England enjoy a good World Cup, Tuchel’s choices will feel justified. If they struggle and put up a bad result, serious questions will be asked of the manager. One thing is that he certainly has not been afraid to make some bold choices and drop some big names. Then again, he did win a Champions League with a front three of Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner. So, he does know how to get the best out of players.
As for Palmer, he will surely be disappointed to miss out on the World Cup. But based on form, perhaps it is understandable that he was dropped.
A lot of fans have been left wondering if the groin issue continues to bother him. But if Calum McFarlane’s comments are anything to go by, it is not a problem any longer. According to The Standard, the Chelsea interim manager said:
“I’m not a medical expert so I don’t know the detail around it, but Cole is fit and I think he showed that on Tuesday night and in the cup final against City.
“I thought he performed really well in both games, so Cole is fit. Cole is ready to play.”
How does Xabi Alonso solve the Cole Palmer problem?
So, it looks like fitness is no longer an issue when it comes to Palmer. Then why are we not seeing the best of him?
Palmer looks like a shadow of himself at the moment. He seems to be missing that last 10-15% from his game. The instincts to make something happen out of nothing, which made him such a special player, seem to have completely evaporated.
Is it a confidence issue? Is he tired after years of playing constant football without a summer break? Whatever the problem is with Palmer at the moment, Xabi Alonso will need to find an answer.
Chelsea cannot give up on Palmer
There is also a section of the Chelsea fanbase that would like to see the club part ways with Palmer if the right offer comes in. But that is something that should not be entertained by the club under any circumstances.
Palmer is one of the few players Chelsea have right now who is world-class on his day. Letting him go would be a mistake.
What if the club had let Eden Hazard go after the 2015/16 season, when he struggled so badly? He returned to form the very next season and was phenomenal for three more years for Chelsea.
It would not be a surprise if Palmer is back to his best soon as well. This World Cup snub might be a good thing in the long term for him. He can get the rest he clearly has needed, clear his head and have a full pre-season with Alonso.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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