The FIFA Club World Cup championship shows the stature of Cole Palmer and the influential influence in Chelsea. But it was also a double -edged sword for coach Enzo Maresca's team.
Palmer's super left truss is very interested in big matches. Before shining at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final, Palmer also made an assist at the UEFA Conference League final or beyond scoring at the Euro 2024 final. Star quality is not controversial at the 23 -year -old player.
Returning from success in the US, Palmer is of course the biggest support for Chelsea in the ambition to conquer the Premier League 2025/26. The British midfielder is the only player in the squad that is able to make a difference from a seemingly harmless situation, a bridge between midfield and attack, who revived the image of Eden Hazard. At the age of 23, Palmer is the future and also the present of Chelsea.
However, depending on Palmer means that Chelsea put too much faith in a player who has not had a high stability. The 2024/25 season is the most obvious example. After the early sublimation period, Palmer had a series of 12 consecutive games without scoring in the Premier League in the first four months of 2025. The British player also had only 3 assists during that decline. Palmer often faced difficulties in defensive opponents and locked all spaces before the 16m50 round.
The problem is not only in the outstanding performance over time, but also in Palmer's own play. The former Man City player tends to play in inspiration, promote the best in a large space and in an open match. PSG -class performance is Palmer's favorite game. But the Premier League is completely different, most of them are tight, fierce battles, requiring stability both in psychology, physical strength and tactical thinking throughout the season.
If a comparative model is needed, the current Palmer is more like Angel Di Maria than Kevin de Bruyne. He can create a booming moment, leading the team in big matches, but has not reached regular stability as the players make long -term success. De Bruyne can be silent in the whole match and then still launch a decision pass in the 90th minute, while Palmer still depends quite a lot on the inspiration and the state of his teammates around.
Therefore, the fact that Chelsea is too relying on Palmer can become a double -edged sword. When he sublime, the team flew high. But when he had a physical problem or was arrested, Chelsea did not seem to have a proper alternative. Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Noni Madueke have not shown the ability to share the role of leading the game.
In the harsh race in the Premier League, a team who wanted to win the champion could not only live by “stars of big matches”. They need a “star of the whole season” based on a durable operation system and many attack plans. Palmer will grow but Chelsea need to ensure that they have a variety of solutions rather than relying on the moments of Palmer stars. Because the moment it is impossible for every round to appear.
