Ben Foster has singled out a player in Chelsea’s ranks who’s got a special ability on the football pitch.
Without a doubt, Blues head coach Enzo Maresca is fortunate to be working with a very talented Chelsea squad this season. The only glaring weakness is its lack of experience because the club’s transfer policy has centred around recruiting young stars for the future.
If the Blues can secure Champions League qualification and win the Conference League in the final month of the 2024/25 campaign, it should be considered a step in the right direction for the young group.
Tony Cascarino rates Chelsea’s midfield as on par with any other team in the Premier League. Let’s see if they can fill in a few gaps in the squad to take the club to the next level.
Ben Foster waxes lyrical about Cole Palmer after Liverpool
Ben Foster, the former Premier League goalkeeper, was left in awe of Chelsea’s Cole Palmer after his performance in last Sunday’s 3-1 league win at home against Liverpool.
He said on his YouTube channel: “Cole Palmer, honestly, when he’s flowing, when he’s running with it, it’s like he’s got it on a piece of string.”
In particular, Foster highlighted an individual moment from Palmer where he did something no other player could attempt. The 22-year-old Blues star hit the post with an instinctive effort after some fantastic dribbling to get to the byline.
He said: “The one on the left-hand side, he got inside, and he’s hit the inside of the post. Alisson’s reading to go over there. Nobody, nobody is trying to score from there. Nobody has got that ability to quickly dribble around somebody, get your head up, see Alisson is trying to guess that way, and then still go try and score in there. He was phenomenal.”
In Chelsea’s win over Liverpool, Palmer looked back to his dazzling best. It’s certainly good news for the team if the left-footed attacking midfielder is on top form for the rest of May.
Blues fans are used to seeing the England international produce remarkable individual bits of skill every game, but it was so vital he got on the scoresheet last weekend with a penalty kick to boost his confidence.
Claude Makelele compared Cole Palmer to Arjen Robben after his last appearance because of his ability to flick a switch and change a game in his side’s favour.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 42 | 15 | 10 |
Cole Palmer in individual race with Bruno Fernandes
While Palmer’s focus will be on Chelsea’s top-five race in the Premier League to secure Champions League qualification, there’s a fascinating battle between him and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes in the background.
Ahead of the final three games of the Premier League season, FOTMOB data shows Palmer and Fernandes lead the way for the most chances created (84). Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is just behind, too (83).
Many people have flagged Palmer’s dip in form during the second half of the campaign, but the amount of chances he creates is compelling evidence that he’s still been a major offensive threat for the Blues.
Gary Neville claimed it’s “a joy” to watch Cole Palmer play football. We suspect his teammates feel exactly the same when they link up with him.
