Cole Palmer is the main discovery of the Premier League season. He was recognized as the best young footballer in the league. Think about it: in the last championship he was on the field for only 358 minutes (0 goals, 1 assist), and now 2628 minutes (22 goals, 11 assists). The best player of the season according to the goal+pass system plays for the sixth team in the league. Usually one of the medalists becomes the leader in this indicator. City, Arsenal and Liverpool have stronger squads and a better structured game, but none of them were capable of scoring 33 goals. But Palmer, with partners of different levels, was able to do it.
Cole Palmer
Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images
How was Palmer’s transfer a year ago received?
Debatable. At that time, the footballer had just turned 21 years old. The attacking midfielder only made three starts in the Premier League. His name was already known, but it cannot be said that Palmer left an indelible mark. Even Oscar Bobb (another City academy talent) attracted more attention with a clever goal against Newcastle.
According to Pep Guardiola, he begged the Manchester player not to leave City. Before my eyes was the example of Phil Foden, who little by little joined the team and has now become a key player in the team and officially the best player of the season. Palmer went to a team where he was offered more playing time, but at the same time he found himself in a stormy club. Then Chelsea finished the season in 12th place and the game wasn’t even close. For Cole, the transfer seemed risky: Instead of planned growth, he chose an option with a broader range of potential scenarios.
Pep Guardiola and Cole Palmer at Manchester City
Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Why is Palmer great?
It’s not just about goals and assists. It’s about the corporate culture Palmer brought with him from City. When the Englishman presses, he indicates to his teammates with gestures which other opponents they should cover. And we are not talking about an experienced captain, but about a 21-year-old footballer in his debut season at the new club. His playing standards are different from, for example, Nicholas Jackson, who received nine yellow cards for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Gestures during matches seem like an insignificant detail, but, firstly, those details form the overall picture, and secondly, we can already see the result this season. For example, the “Aston Villa” – “Chelsea” match. In the 62nd minute the visitors lost 0:2. Palmer was quick to press and signaled for Conor Gallagher to cover for Douglas Luiz. And so it happened. Immediately after qualifying, Chelsea scored and at the end of the match they equalized.
Palmer’s pressure in the Aston Villa – Chelsea match
Photo: Transmission frame
Palmer’s pressure in the Aston Villa – Chelsea match
Photo: Transmission frame
Was Palmer lucky with the penalty?
This is partly true. When you look at field goals, Cole isn’t even the team’s leading scorer. He has one fewer goal (13) than Jackson (14). On the other hand, you have to understand: the boy still needed to earn the coach’s trust in order to be able to shoot from 11 meters. Mauricio Pochettino reasoned that the Englishman’s stroke and composure suited the role.
You also have to keep in mind that few people score nine penalties in a row. The record is still held by Yaya Touré, who also has a 100% success rate on 11-meter shots in the Premier League (11 shots – 11 goals). It is noteworthy that before the penalty, Palmer was under pressure not only from his opponents, but also from his teammates. In October, Raheem Sterling tried to snatch the ball from him, but Enzo Fernardes stopped him. In April, Jackson tried to do the same, but was stopped by Gallagher.
Sterling tries to take the ball from Palmer before the penalty
Photo: Transmission frame
Jackson tries to steal the ball from Palmer before the penalty.
Photo: Transmission frame
Where does Palmer get so many assists?
However, even if we rule out all penalties (although it’s not clear why suddenly), Palmer is still Chelsea’s best player in the goal+pass system. Only Ollie Watkins has provided more assists in the Premier League this season – 13. However, the assists from his teammates helped the Villa striker a lot. In terms of xG, Watkins has just 4.2 expected assists, while Palmer has 8.7, roughly double that.
It turned out that in a short time Palmer gained the image of a man on the team who plays with his head held high and sees open zones. If an Englishman has the ball, you have to run towards the penalty area. One of the illustrative examples is Mikhail Mudrik’s goal against Nottingham Forest. In that match, Cole bided his time and made a perfectly timed pass when his teammate had already gained momentum, but was not yet offside.
Assist in the match against Nottingham Forest
Photo: Transmission frame
Of course, the head coach played a big role in Palmer’s success. And it’s not just that he trusted the player, who in terms of playing time was in the top 4: 2618 minutes (only Jackson had more: 2809, Caicedo-2874 and Gallagher-3137). The style with which Chelsea played is important. It was quite chaotic in places. The Londoners lost a lot and scored a lot last season (goal difference: 77:63). Playing open football made it easier for Cole to show his qualities. And both on the flank and in the center. The answer to the question of what is the optimal position for an Englishman is not yet obvious: it is a task for next season. It is true that not anymore for Pochettino.
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