Chelsea’s struggles in the Premier League have taken center stage, with head coach Enzo Maresca addressing the growing concerns over Cole Palmer alarming dip in form and the team’s over-reliance on the young midfielder.
Following a frustrating 2-1 loss to Aston Villa, in which Palmer missed a crucial opportunity to give Chelsea the lead, questions have been raised about his performances, body language, and the team’s dependency on him.
With no goals in his last six matches—a stark contrast to his blistering start to the season—many have wondered if Palmer is buckling under pressure.
Maresca’s Verdict on Palmer’s Struggles
Maresca, however, is standing firmly behind his star player and believes the issue lies not with Palmer alone, but with the entire squad.
“I am always concerned about general performance, but I am not concerned about Cole because Cole is a human being and during the season he can have some moments where he struggles a little bit more.”
The real issue? Chelsea’s over-reliance on Cole Palmer.
“The problem with Cole is probably that we rely on Cole for everything and I said since we start we need to rely on the team.”
”For sure, we need big players, top players like Cole, but we are not worried about Cole at all.”
Palmer’s Body Language Sparks Debate—Is He Unhappy?
Palmer’s visible frustration on the pitch—particularly in Chelsea’s recent losses—has fueled speculation about his mental state.
Some fans and pundits have criticized his body language, suggesting it reflects deeper issues within the squad.
Maresca, however, dismisses such concerns, insisting Palmer’s frustrations stem from his hunger to win.
“At the end, also there are teammates that can be frustrated with the chances we miss against Villa and against City. I think both chances were Cole, no? Very clear.”
“The other day we were 1-1, to score [to go] 1-2 [up], ten minutes to go.”
“Against City, it was 0-1 could be 0-2 after 10 minutes, and I didn’t see his teammates frustrated.”
”So Cole is just upset just because we are not winning games, no more than that.”
The Solution? ‘Just Keep Working’ Says Maresca
So how can Cole Palmer get back to the form that saw him amass 14 goals and six assists in 26 league games earlier this season? Maresca’s answer is simple: keep working hard.
“Just continue working in the way he is working. The other day I think, yes, he had a great chance, but overall the performance from Cole… as I said, every game we expect from him a goal or assist, so it is difficult.”
“He is a human being. In this moment probably his performance also reflects a little bit the team performance—that we struggle to score goals—and we need to be a little more clinical in chances.”
Chelsea’s Next Test—A Must-Win Game
Chelsea, now seventh in the Premier League, will be hoping to turn things around against Southampton in their next match.
With Filip Jørgensen set to remain in goal despite his costly error against Villa and Trevoh Chalobah sidelined for 10 days, all eyes will be on Cole Palmer.
Can he silence the critics and rediscover his golden form? Or will Chelsea’s struggles continue?
