Enzo Maresca claimed he is not to be blamed for Cole Palmer's dip in form as the Chelsea boss admitted that the Blues talisman is "worried".
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Palmer has drawn a blank in the last 16 gamesMaresca thinks the problem is "mental"English star desperate to end goal drought vs EvertonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Palmer has had a sensational debut season with Chelsea, but is now going through a rough patch. He has drawn a blank in his last 16 appearances for the Blues, and the pressure is mounting on the forward to deliver the goods. Things are even more complicated since he has not faced such an extended dip in form at West London since his £40 million ($53.2m) transfer from Manchester City.
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However, Maresca was quick to dismiss suggestions that Chelsea’s tactical setup was to blame for Palmer’s struggles. Speaking ahead of their clash with Everton, the Italian manager stressed that the issues were more psychological than tactics or quality.
WHAT MARESCA SAID
Before facing Everton, Maresca told reporters: “For sure, it’s mental. I don’t think it’s tactical, I don’t think it’s technical, because Cole is still the same player who scored this season with us. The style of football we play is the same one. The manager is the same one. The club is the same one. So nothing changes around Cole and Cole doesn’t change. It’s just mentally at this moment. For sure, you can see that he is a little worried because he wants to help the team.”
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PALMER?
While it was almost inevitable that Palmer would find it hard to maintain the extraordinary levels he displayed during his first 18 months in top-flight football with Chelsea, the extent of the drop-off has still become a major talking point. Despite the challenges, Palmer will have a golden opportunity to rediscover his scoring touch this Saturday against Everton – the very same side he famously scored four goals against in a 6-0 rout a year ago.