Maresca on Palmer’s Dip in Form: "He’s Only Human"
Italian coach Enzo Maresca has urged his Chelsea players to step up their performance to compensate for the dip in form of their top scorer, Cole Palmer, emphasizing that the team "relies on him for everything."
Palmer’s Goal Drought and Its Impact on the Team
The international forward has scored 14 goals and provided 6 assists in the Premier League this season. However, his last goal came in mid-January, while his most recent assist dates back to December 1st.
Chelsea was strongly competing for the top spot alongside Liverpool, trailing the league leaders by just two points by mid-December. However, since then, the team has slipped to seventh place after suffering three defeats in their last four matches. Despite this decline, the London club remains only one point behind Manchester City, the reigning champions for the past four seasons.
Maresca: No Worries About Palmer
Ahead of their match against Southampton in Matchweek 27, Maresca stated:
"I’m not worried about Cole because he’s human, and during the season, he might go through some difficult moments. The issue is that we rely on him for everything, and from the start, I have said that we need to depend on the whole team."
He continued:
"Of course, we need top-quality players like Cole, but we are not worried about him at all. It’s unrealistic to expect him to score or assist in every game. Right now, his form may reflect the team's overall performance to some extent."
The Need for Better Finishing
Maresca stressed that the team has been struggling to score goals and highlighted the importance of being more clinical in front of goal when opportunities arise.
Despite these struggles, the Italian coach remains optimistic about Chelsea’s chances of securing a Champions League spot next season. He stated:
"Even in the match against Aston Villa (a 1-2 defeat), I felt that our identity was clear. The way we play, both with and without the ball, remains consistent and closely aligns with what we have done throughout the season."
He concluded:
"The identity is there. After the Aston Villa match, I had the feeling that a single win could be enough to kickstart a strong run and rebuild momentum. I believe the players need that boost at this moment."