Chelsea's 4-0 win over Southampton has created the perfect foundation for some of Enzo Maresca's poor stars to regain their confidence. But that is not true for Cole Palmer.
The 20-year-old has not scored any goals in his last 7 matches. Even Palmer's creativity is exhausted. The England international spent his 14th match without any assists.
The problem is not Palmer's lack of effort on the pitch. He had seven shots against Southampton - more than any other player on the pitch. In general, the 20-year-old player still shows enthusiasm and a desire to score. However, for the first time in his career, Palmer found himself in a difficult situation. And he still doesn't know how to get out of that situation.
Palmer's basic figures before the win over Southampton show that the problem is not just the 20-year-old. No player in the Premier League this season has created as many chances as Palmer in the previous 13 matches.
However, Palmer lacked the confidence needed to score against Southampton. Before the Blues had their first two goals, Palmer had missed two clear chances. Palmer's first attempt was blocked by goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, while the next shot sent the ball out. In the second half, Palmer fired a cross-angle shot and a free kick was blocked by Ramsdale.
Palmer's expressions after missed situations prove to be deadlocked and extremely tired. The awkward smile shows that Palmer is accepting this disappointment.
"Cole Palmer was disappointed not to score, I know it's been a long time since he's scored. You can't expect Palmer to score in every game. His reaction is understandable. I said don't worry, the goals will soon return to him. Palmer is happy, he's okay," Maresca said after the win over Southampton.
More difficult challenges await Chelsea ahead. And they will need Palmer to find a way out of this difficult situation if he wants to become a strong candidate for a place in the Champions League next season.
"We are in the worst period in terms of results but we are still in 4th place, with 1 point more than the 3rd place team. That is very meaningful and also shows how well we have done in the first half of the season. Now the important thing is to try to end the season in the best way," Maresca added.
