- 21 hours ago
Palmer wouldn’t touch the ball at Man City, claims top pundit
Robin Bairner
- 2 Oct 2024 08:09 BST
- 2 min read
Cole Palmer has been told that he was right to leave Manchester City for Chelsea because he wouldn’t get the opportunities at the Etihad that he has enjoyed at Stamford Bridge.
Although Chelsea have toiled in the Todd Boehly and BlueCo era, in particular struggling to get value in the transfer market, Palmer has been a rare success story.
Signed for €45 million from City last summer, he has grown to become one of the outstanding players in the Premier League, a fact underscored when he struck four times in the first half for the Blues in a 4-2 win over Brighton.
STATS
Cole Palmer
M (CR)
Chelsea
Cole Palmer
M (CR)
Chelsea
Despite this, Paul Merson does not believe that he would have the same impact at Man City, while he also claims the 22-year-old will not start for England, at least in his favoured role.
“He probably won't play for England - does he play ahead of Jude Bellingham?” Merson wrote for Sky Sports.
“But he has been outstanding for Chelsea, exceptional. I'm a big fan. He's a special player. It just shows you the standard at Man City, because he didn't get anywhere near that team. Everything goes through Palmer at Chelsea and that would never be the case at Man City.
“You give the ball to Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden or Bernardo Silva. Palmer would touch the ball much less, probably half the amount. He's still a big fish in a big pond at Chelsea, and he's producing. He likes that the play comes through him, that's where he thrives.”
Palmer’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is now €56.4m – well above the price the Blues paid for him a little over a year ago.
The ‘obsession’ that will cost Chelsea
Chelsea have an ‘obsession’ that will cost them points this season, Merson argues.
He claims that although the Blues are an improved force under Enzo Maresca, they are far from the finished article and will have to charge one particular aspect of their game that threatens to undermine their good work.
Chelsea have won their last four matches, including Premier League fixtures against Bournemouth, West Ham and Brighton, while they host Gent in the Conference League on Thursday.
Merson, though, believes that if the Blues keeping taking the kind of chances they did in their 4-2 success over the Seagulls at the weekend, they are asking for trouble.
“I can't knock Chelsea's start but they've got to change this obsession with playing out of the back,” he added. “They pass out, and you're anxious the whole time. It's not like watching Man City or Arsenal, the way they flow through the press. It's like grabbing onto your seat stuff.
“Chelsea can hurt anyone on their day, but on other days they will hurt themselves because it's not completely fluid. You can't keep scoring four goals every week.”
Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League on 13 points.
