Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has linked Cole Palmer’s current goal drought to mental difficulties instead of strategic or technical concerns.
Though the 22-year-old forward had a fantastic first season at Stamford Bridge, he has found goals harder to come by this season; yet Maresca is certain Palmer will soon find form again.
Palmer’s goal-scoring skills drop
Following an awesome 2023/24 season in which Palmer scored 27 goals and provided 15 assists in 48 appearances, it was projected that the young England international would be a major breakthrough.
This season, however, has been more demanding as the English footballer has scored only 14 goals in all competitions. Still, the Blues gaffer thinks the youngster’s attitude alone is the problem.
“For sure it’s a mental thing, it’s not tactical or technical,” the manager declared to reporters prior to their encounter with Everton later.
“Cole is still the player who scored 14 goals in 20 games. The style is the same, the manager is the same, the club is the same. Nothing has changed around Cole. It’s just mentally in this moment.”
Maresca backs Palmer to rise again
The Italian football manager stressed that the Englishman’s potential is still intact and that he keeps producing scoring chances, therefore the goals will start flowing once more only a matter of time.
“You can see he’s a little bit worried because he wants to help the team. You can see he’s struggling a bit on that. But he showed how happy he was after Fulham. It’s just a matter (of whether) we can win games. For sure he’s going to score goals.”
“If you go back game by game, he had at least every game one or two chances, so it’s not about how the team is playing.”
Chelsea chasing Champions League spot
With 57 points from 33 games, the London outfit are sixth in the Premier League standings, only two points behind fifth-place Newcastle United.
The chase for qualification is starting to pick up since Maresca’s squad realize every point matters in the last weeks of the season—especially given that at least five Premier League teams are sure of a place in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League.
The 45-year-old and his team will be hoping for a critical three points against the Toffees at Stamford Bridge this weekend as they strive to get back into Europe’s top league.
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