Sometimes, it is possible to watch football and predict what will happen next, such as, for example, the expectation that the great Norwegian striker Erling Haaland will excel in a one-on-one struggle, or expect Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk to rise above everyone. another to pass the ball over. Other times you watch and you don’t know what will happen, but you hope that the things you think will come true, and such moments are always very few, but in general they are they are more interesting and fun. Cole Palmer seems to enjoy moments like this.
The best example of this is the amazing goal with which Palmer completed his personal hat-trick against Everton, last Monday night. When Palmer managed to intercept Jordan Pickford’s pass, he could have done a number of things to make the Everton keeper pay the price, but he chose the boldest and most beautiful option. Although Nicholas Jackson was in space in front of him and could have gone through, Palmer decided to fire the ball straight into the goal with his right foot from 35 yards. At first, the ball seemed to fly too high, but then it dropped under the crossbar at the right time, lighting up the fans in the stands.
We can also say the same about Palmer’s stunning first goal, when he received the ball brilliantly and passed one of Everton’s players before exchanging blows with one of his players and then putting it into the goal with a direct goal. shoot in the left corner.
Many thought it was crazy for Chelsea to pay 42 million pounds on the last day of the transfer window to sign Palmer, who had played just 1,481 minutes in the first team with… Bohli and Iqbali.
Manchester City decided to sell the player because Pep Guardiola was unable to give him the minutes he wanted to play, and Guardiola did not want the player to be out on loan. Manchester City got the price they wanted to sell the player, but although the value of the deal looks good, the player is worth much more than that!
Palmer plays with a lot of imagination, creativity and adventure. He plays brilliantly with the outside of the foot, and has a number of other unique skills that allow him to get past opponents at the right times (see the brilliant ball he lobbed over Tomas Kaminski coming on when he scored his first brace for Chelsea against Luton Town).
These incredible abilities have helped Palmer become the top scorer in the Premier League so far (level with Haaland) with 20 goals, which is a great achievement for this young player.
Palmer received huge support from technical director Pochettino (AFP)
The 21-year-old reveals how he scored his first goal for Chelsea thanks to Raheem Sterling, who allowed him to take the penalty against Burnley last October. Perhaps Sterling regretted that decision, because Palmer had scored, and before the next time Chelsea were awarded a penalty, which was against Arsenal, he wanted to take the kick part as well. Palmer asked Sterling to take the penalty again, Sterling obliged, and Palmer has gone on to take every penalty his team has won in any game in which the youngster has appeared has been involved ever since.
Chelsea have taken 9 penalties since then, with Palmer scoring them all, and Frank Lampard is the only player to have taken more penalties for Chelsea in a single season (10).
The irony here is that Noni Madueke and Nicholas Jackson tried to take penalty kicks, only to be denied and told that Palmer was the team’s main penalty taker. But the sheer anxiety shown by the Chelsea players in front of the opposition goal as they attempted to score a goal was a major reason for Palmer’s increased chances on penalty kicks in the first place.
It is also certain that Palmer received great support from Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino, who found himself delving deeper into his coaching dictionary to find appropriate words to praise his young player, without adversely affecting the rest of the team players.
Palmer beat his teammates and opposing players alike on Monday night, including talented 21-year-old Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who Real Madrid are said to be interested in signing . While there has previously been debate as to whether Branthwaite and Palmer will be included in the England squad this summer, the main question may now relate to how England manager Gareth Southgate looking for the best ways to introduce Palmer to the Three Lions. Line up. .
Palmer’s free-kick hit Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and went into the net. most important of his football career at that stage. After just 9 months, Palmer became one of the most prominent players in the English Premier League.
This rapid transformation could not have happened if the player had stayed at Manchester City (at least not during this season, but it would have taken time as it happened with Phil Foden). But the more interesting question is whether it could happen anywhere other than Chelsea.
By moving to Stamford Bridge, Palmer was able to get what he wanted, which was to play mostly in the English Premier League. However, at the same time, he was able to play in a top class club without the pressures that always come with high expectations from new players.
Chelsea were a team in transition before the start of the season, and things haven’t gotten any worse since. A large number of new players who came in for big money failed to perform at the levels expected of them, and Palmer managed to make a difference, although there was little interest when it came to into the Blues.
That enthusiasm helped him secure a place in the starting XI, then gave him the authority to take penalties at the expense of other high-profile players, and now inspire the feeling that this young player is a source of everything good in the team, and that he represents the future of this club.
Chelsea can still win a championship this season and qualify for next season’s European competitions, but whatever happens, expectations will surely rise again next season, and Palmer will have to deliver more. The feeling that Palmer can do things that we can only imagine may not last, but, for now, we can only enjoy what this great player has to offer inside the rectangle green.
* The Guardian Service
2024-04-20 11:42:08
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