If Chelsea manage to qualify for Europe this season then it will mainly be down to the outstanding performances of Cole Palmer. Without him they would still be in complete disarray, but instead their results seem to have turned a corner ahead of a big London derby at Arsenal this evening.
Palmer showed courage to leave Manchester City last summer. There might have been a financial incentive too but there was no guarantee that it would work out as well as it has. Few outside of City knew how good he was but over the last few months the rest of football has begun to understand.
What’s impressive is how consistent he has been. Going to a new club is always a challenge and it often comes with a dip in form at some point, but Palmer hasn’t had that and it says something about his mindset. It’s also pretty amazing to consider the impact that a 20-year-old with little experience has had on the wider group at Chelsea.
First and foremost, though, Palmer is an outstanding footballer and his ability, composure and reading of the game are extraordinary. He is unique; a lot of the time it feels like he is playing a different game to the majority of players.
Palmer’s great gift is that he is unhurried. It almost seems like he can slow his heart rate down in key moments. In the fast and furious Premier League you shouldn’t be able to do that but he takes the ball when players are breathing down his neck and makes the right decision in a split second. He has a sixth sense, a natural GPS for finding the right spaces on a pitch.
He also likes a trick. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone toe-poke the ball so much – or so accurately – and he loves beating opponents with a nutmeg, which he seems to pull off seven or eight times out of 10.
Playing at his own speed is what Lionel Messi does, and while I’m not comparing them, Palmer also drifts into pockets in the same way. That he is able to do that after fewer than 50 Premier League appearances and be up there with more experienced professionals is nothing short of amazing.
Palmer seems to be shy away from the field but he shows his confidence with his football. That’s where he seems to feel able to open up and that is how he has won respect.
I was that shy boy once but then I found myself playing for England at 21. The football pitch can be an arena for self-expression. While he will be maturing and growing as a person gradually, though, his football progress has rocketed.
His breakthrough season at Chelsea, which has seen him score 20 goals and contribute 10 assists, means Palmer is certain to be part of England’s squad for Euro 2024 this summer. The question will be how Gareth Southgate can use him, and how we get the best out of our array of attacking talent.
Could he play centre-forward if Harry Kane was unavailable? Maybe. It’s a bit too close to the tournament to remodel how England play, but Palmer as a false nine would allow Jude Bellingham to get forward from midfield.
The England team has historically undervalued some creative players, going all the way back to Alan Hudson and John Barnes, but the likes of Palmer and Phil Foden need to be allowed to roam. Southgate must be bold because they are exceptional footballers.
Trevor Steven is a former England footballer who played at two World Cups and two European Championships. @TrevorSteven63.