Cole Palmer's latest worrying Chelsea no-show throws Enzo Maresca theory in doubt

Chelsea finally got supporters off their seats at Stamford Bridge - yet Cole Palmer was still nowhere to be seen. There cannot be many attackers in world football that can go 17 matches in all competitions without finding the net and still be considered a nailed-on starter.

On Friday, Enzo Maresca was asked to address Palmer's recent struggles and his explanation was simple. He stated: "For sure it's a mental thing, it's not tactical or technical."

There can be no doubt Palmer is short of confidence, that is merely stating the obvious. He looks a shadow of his former, clinical self and it was somewhat damning that Marc Cucurella (three) and Levi Colwill (two) both had more touches than Palmer (one) in the opposition box.

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From a technical perspective, it remains incredibly difficult to scrutinise the 22-year-old's ability, it's very rare that he'll miscontrol the ball, scuff a shot or misplace a routine pass. But what Palmer is evidently lacking at this moment in time is self belief given he is usually so accustomed to grabbing matches by the scruff of the neck.

Remarkably, he no longer looks integral to Chelsea's buildup play and ability to create chances under Maresca - this team has evolved and has now found ways of operating without the England international's stardust as Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke and match-winner Nicolas Jackson led the fight towards Champions League qualification.

Last season under Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine ordered his Blues to prove they were not "the Cole Palmer team" ahead of facing Arsenal as the attacker was battling illness. Ironically, Chelsea ended up losing the match 5-0.

Palmer's numbers should not be ridiculed, having still produced 14 goals and nine assists this season. For fellow English playmakers like James Maddison and Jack Grealish, those statistics would represent career-best figures.

But another key issue for Palmer - which seriously challenges Maresca's recent statement - is that he is just not getting opportunities to hurt the opposition. He did not have a single shot against Everton - though he's had 41 since he last scored a goal.

The ball was also bypassing Chelsea's creative whizz and in recent weeks, the Blues have had joy from playing direct passes straight from back to front. In that respect, Palmer's ineffectiveness is undoubtedly also a tactical issue because the system no longer plays to his strengths.

Palmer has been an out-and-out No.10 under Maresca and just two of his Premier League starts this season have come on the right flank. There is seemingly no appetite to tweak things or try something different and the fact Christopher Nkunku, a £52million signing from RB Leipzig, cannot get a sniff when Palmer is so desperately out of form isn't helpful to the situation.

During the 2023-24 campaign, 13 of Palmer's top-flight starts were on the wing and there was an air of unpredictability about his play and what he might produce. Maresca's football is so regimented that Chelsea's Player of the Year has lost his sense of freedom.

Players of his ilk are there to be built around and you can only hope - for England's sake - that Thomas Tuchel can find a way of accommodating Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham because it would be criminal to let a talent of his magnitude go to waste.

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