Something shocking happened on Sunday afternoon: Cole Palmer missed a penalty for Chelsea.
The attacking midfielder had previously converted all 17 of his spot-kicks as a professional, but Mads Hermansen's stunning save as the Blues beat Leicester City 1-0 typified his woes at the moment.
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Palmer's indomitable aura has been knocked somewhat, the 22-year-old enduring the first sticky spell since taking the Premier League by storm when signing for Chelsea from Manchester City in August 2023 for a £42.5m fee, having now gone nine matches in all competitions without a single goal involvement.
Enzo Maresca has long been wary of his side's overreliance on the Three Lions star, urging his players to step up and alleviate Palmer's attacking load.
His words haven't fallen on deaf ears, with Pedro Neto really coming into his own over the past few weeks.
Pedro Neto's recent performances
Though Neto started life at Stamford Bridge rather slowly, he's made real headway over the past several weeks, notching four of his seven Premier League goal involvements this term across his past five outings.
Pedro-Neto-Chelsea-Premier-League-Fulham
Chelsea signed Wolves' star player for a £54m fee last summer. He arrived with a weight of expectation but was only permitted two starting berths across seven opening league fixtures.
Though Palmer is foundering with Nicolas Jackson injured, the Portuguese star has made a real impression in a new centralised attacking role, with Journalist Tom Overend even noting: "Pedro Neto being moved to the central forward position might just have launched his career at Chelsea."
Other Neto
However, the 24-year-old's fresh role in the middle has reduced Chelsea's wide options, especially with Christopher Nkunku and Jadon Sancho both flattering to deceive.
It's a real shame Chelsea offloaded the perfect solution back in 2023. He's proving himself worthy of a place in Maresca's plans to be sure.
Chelsea must regret selling £3m winger
Though an injury crisis makes it easy to rue former sales, Chelsea have been guilty of some questionable transfer business under Todd Boehly. Albeit, the strategy is beginning to streamline.
Where are they now
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However, the decision to sell Callum Hudson-Odoi in 2023 to Nottingham Forest does raise concerns. While he's endured his share of hardship over the past several years, the winger, 24, is one of the most talented Englishmen in the business and was allowed to depart for just £3m.
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The magnitude of this deal was underscored by the past knowledge that Bayern Munich's loan bid with an option for a permanent purchase worth £70m was rejected in 2020, before the injuries that ruined his Chelsea career.
In fairness, his Blues future did look dead in the water, but Hudson-Odoi's success in Forest's high-flying outfit highlights the fact that he could have been kept a while longer, perhaps loaned out in England to reorient himself.
Hudson-Odoi - Last 6 Seasons (league only)
Season
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
20/21
19/20
Stats via Transfermarkt
A deadly winger with the quality to play across both flanks, Hudson-Odoi ranks among the top 15% of positional peers in the English top flight this term for both pass completion and progressive carries per 90, as per FBref, emphasising his gift on the ball and indeed in driving it forward.
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent's goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
Such skills have even seen him drawn as Neto's most statistically similar player, something that adds to the argument concerning Hudson-Odoi's chances of succeeding in Mareca's unit.
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Forest have been incredible this season, third in the standings and with a tangible shot at qualifying for the Champions League, and Hudson-Odoi has been a "monster" of a cog in the machine, as described by one analyst.
His recent match-winning goal against Manchester City may yet prove decisive in the race - a race that Chelsea are very much a part of.
He's blooming late, but Hudson-Odoi is proving under Nuno Espirito Santo's wing that he's more than capable of thriving in the Premier League. Coach Harry Brooks even noted after the win against Man City that he's "as good as anyone in Europe" right now.
You know what, he might even be proving himself good enough to start invariably in the capital, galvanising the crowd as Chelsea's latest homegrown hero.
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