Enzo Maresca has made a candid admission by saying that Chelsea have become overly reliant on Cole Palmer.
The Blues have endured a frustrating run of form, managing just two wins in their last ten Premier League fixtures. They are now in seventh place in the league standings.
After an impressive start to the season, Palmer himself has seen his individual form dip significantly. In fact, he’s gone without contributing a goal or assist in his last six appearances, which is the longest drought of his Chelsea career so far. There are now murmurs he could exit Stamford Bridge.
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Palmer’s recent lack of production has been exacerbated by the absence of striker Nicolas Jackson. As a result, Palmer has found it harder to make his usual impact, with the pair working seamlessly before and finding the net together.
However, when asked about Palmer’s dip in form ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Southampton, Maresca was quick to downplay any major concerns – though he did admit a lot of the Blues’ offensive play was funnelled through the England international.
Enzo Maresca makes shocking Cole Palmer admission
Enzo Maresca when asked whether he’s concerned about Cole Palmer’s form:
“The problem with Cole is, we rely on Cole for everything.”?
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“No, I’m not concerned. I’m always concerned about general performances, but I’m 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 problem is we rely on Cole for everything. I’ve said since we started, we need to rely on the team. For sure, we need big players like Cole, but we are not worried about Cole at all.”
Despite his recent dry spell, Palmer’s overall contributions this season remain impressive. In just 26 Premier League appearances, he has managed to net 14 goals and provide 6 assists, while also creating the most “big chances” (19) of any player in the league.
