“Cole is a human being” - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca explains reason behind Cole Palmer’s poor form
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has backed club superstar Cole Palmer to bounce back after a dip in form. He said he wasn't concerned about the Englishman's recent returns before adding the side needed to stop relying too much on the former Manchester City player.
Speaking to the media ahead of their Premier League clash against Southampton on Tuesday, February 25, Maresca claimed that he was not thinking too much about Palmer's form. He added that it was normal for any player and reminded the fans that the Englishman was also human. He said (via Football London):
"No, I'm not concerned. I'm always concerned about general performances, but I'm not concerned about Cole because Cole is a human being and during the season, he can have some moments where he struggles a little bit more. The problem is with Cole, we rely on Cole for everything and I've said from the start, we need to rely on the team. For sure, we need big players, top players like Cole, but we are not worried about Cole at all.
"Just continue working in the way he is working. The other day, I think yes, he had a great chance but overall, the performance from Cole - as I said, every game we expect from him a goal or an assist, so it is difficult. He is a human being and player. In this moment, his performance also reflects the team's performance that we struggle to score goals and we need to be a little bit more clinical when we get the chances."
Cole Palmer's dip in form has seen Chelsea slip from second in the table to sixth currently. The Englishman has not scored or assisted in his last six matches across competitions after scoring in back-to-back games in January against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
Enzo Maresca sends message to Chelsea star Cole Palmer
Enzo Maresca has urged Cole Palmer to control his frustration amid a dip in form. The Chelsea manager pointed how the Englishman also missed crucial chances against Aston Villa and Manchester City. He said (via Football London):
"No, because also the other teammates can be frustrated with the chances we missed against Aston Villa, and we miss against Man City. I think both chances were Cole, no? Very clear. The other day, we were 1-1, to score 1-2 with 10 minutes to go. Against City, we were 0-1 to go 0-2 after 10 minutes. I didn't see his teammates frustrated. Cole is just upset because we're not winning games, no more than that."
Chelsea will respectively face Southampton and Leicester City – both sides in the relegation zone and at the bottom of the table – next in the Premier League. The fans will be desperate to see their side pick up all six points on offer and get back in the top four.
