10. Cole Palmer

[nyikolajevics 2,689]

1 hour ago, Special Juan said:

Kick in the nuts for Mudryk

The act is understandable, no10 should be worn. I diskile the communication strategy regarding Mudryk though. Not even a "most recently worn by Muddy", just pretend he never existed, same since October. 

[King Kante 1,643]

2 minutes ago, nyikolajevics said:

The act is understandable, no10 should be worn. I diskile the communication strategy regarding Mudryk though. Not even a "most recently worn by Muddy", just pretend he never existed, same since October. 

Yeah, it is almost as if he is looked in a cupboard somewhere in Cobham with The Sound of Silence playing on repeat. 

Edited June 5 by King Kante

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

10 hours ago, Special Juan said:

Kick in the nuts for Mudryk

Hopefully spells the end of Mudryk‘s career here.

We have made a lot of unbelievably shit signings for big money in the past 25 years but his signing for me is probably the worst in terms of the level of the player and the fee paid initially. Never mind the add ons that could of taken it to £80m or whatever.

Edited June 5 by OneMoSalah

[Fernando 6,585]

14 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

Hopefully spells the end of Mudryk‘s career here.

We have made a lot of unbelievably shit signings for big money in the past 25 years but his signing for me is probably the worst in terms of the level of the player and the fee paid initially. Never mind the add ons that could of taken it to £80m or whatever.

Nah to me the biggest waste is Lukaku. 

And that came under Roman. Worst of all I seen in my time in Chelsea. 

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

4 hours ago, Fernando said:

Nah to me the biggest waste is Lukaku. 

And that came under Roman. Worst of all I seen in my time in Chelsea. 

Lukaku nowhere near as bad as Mudryk.

Didn’t have the desired result and ended up leaving yes after shooting himself in the foot but to say Mudryk isn’t the worst signing we’ve made in last 25 year is borderline stupidity.

Be even worse when we loan him or sell him for peanuts. Because he is 100% done here.

 

[King Kante 1,643]

4 hours ago, Fernando said:

Nah to me the biggest waste is Lukaku. 

And that came under Roman. Worst of all I seen in my time in Chelsea. 

Kepa is still up there for me. £74m for a funsized GK who is mid-to-low level PL standard.

[ahmedou 188]

Palmer >>> Dembele

[ahmedou 188]

DOUBT US NOW 🥶

[Vesper 30,073]

Cole Palmer really is ‘scary good’. This was his superstar moment

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6492309/2025/07/14/cole-palmer-Chelsea-club-world-cup-final-performance/

On Friday evening, a short clip made its way around social media. 

It was a young man, hood up, riding around Times Square on a scooter. Few people noticed who it was, but the man weaving through New York’s iconic landmark would scoop the Golden Ball Award for the best player of this summer’s Club World Cup barely 48 hours later. 

Cole Palmer cannot help being a normal 23-year-old who just wants to play football, but given the manner in which he dominated the final against the European champions Paris Saint-Germain, he might have to accept that he is rapidly becoming one of the game’s superstars.

Anyone lucky enough to watch a post-match interview with him will know he does not seek the limelight with his words — he would rather his feet do the talking. He might shy away from attention off the pitch, but the juxtaposition lies in the fact that the very face under the hood was plastered across billboards within the epicentre of New York.

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How Chelsea won the Club World Cup: Big bonuses, training-ground deals and ‘scary’ Palmer

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“Scary good” was the title that sat above Palmer’s name on the billboard, and it proved to be prophetic of the 23-year-old’s performance in Sunday’s Club World Cup final. Much like he did on two wheels in a crowd of tourists, Palmer was able to wriggle through bodies and find space against PSG’s defence as he almost single-handedly dispatched the French side before half-time.

---

Having played on the left of Chelsea’s attack and as a drifting No 10 this summer, Palmer started on the right flank as Enzo Maresca looked to expose a chink in the armour of Luis Enrique’s side.

The selfless running of striker Joao Pedro and Malo Gusto was integral to Palmer’s punishing performance — either running in behind to create space or pushing to that flank to ensure there were bodies around him.

“We used Cole and Malo to create an overload in that area,” Maresca said after the game. “It was just the game plan and we try to get the players in positions where they can do everything. It worked quite well.”

Gusto’s runs were being consistently found by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, with Palmer on hand to receive any cutbacks, just as he did excellently for Chelsea’s first goal. His second was a near carbon-copy of the first in terms of shot selection — and very similar to his quarter-final finish against Palmeiras — but this time it was Palmer running in behind himself to stretch PSG’s back line on the counter-attack.

Chelsea’s No 10 will get the credit, but note the selfless overlapping run from Joao Pedro to create tension in Vitinha’s mind.

An extra half-a-beat allowed Palmer to sit centre-back Lucas Beraldo down before passing into the bottom corner with ice in his veins. Power is less of a priority when you have such an accurate technique to direct the ball through the eye of a needle.

For Chelsea’s third, Palmer’s assist was just as special as his two finishes, as he picked up the ball in his own half before driving forward to thread Joao Pedro through with a perfectly weighted pass.

It speaks to his intelligence to drop in and find the space, but the dovetailed runs of Palmer and Gusto were particularly impressive, as one comes short and the other goes forward. With PSG’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia not tracking back, left-back Nuno Mendes is forced to follow Gusto’s run, which provides Palmer with the space to run at the back line.

Note Mendes’ fury towards his team-mate below, as he knows that danger is imminent.

Such an impressive individual performance was reminiscent of Chelsea’s recent Europa Conference League final victory against Real Betis, where Palmer took matters into his own hands to assist two goals in the second half and scoop another player of the match award.

That now makes it seven goal contributions in the six finals that he has played, but his performance was so much more than the two goals and one assist on Sunday. As shown in The Athletic’s player dashboard, no player made more progressive carries on the day, and no one was more involved in attacking sequences than Palmer. He was truly worthy of his player of the match award.

Did he lap up the attention in the aftermath?

Briefly, as he was obliged to accept his match and tournament awards, but it was clear from Palmer’s unassuming nature that he was more comfortable having a quick kickabout on a confetti-strewn pitch with some of the squad’s young family members. 

Whether it is Nuno Mendes or a team-mate’s son, it does not matter. It is all fun and games when Palmer has a ball at his feet.

---

It is great to see Palmer hit the headlines for his positive performances after recently admitting he has struggled on and off the pitch in recent months.

Having gone 18 games without scoring a goal for club or country this year, the scrutiny on the 23-year-old was building, largely as a consequence of the unsustainable attacking output he was posting since he arrived at Stamford Bridge.

A glance at the underlying numbers would have told you that the process had never left him in those barren moments. In the Premier League, no one was more involved in Chelsea’s attacking sequences — via shots, chances created, or a pass within a shot-ending sequence — than Palmer across the whole of 2024-25.

Despite the confusion over his attacking form, his 0.38 non-penalty expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes were identical across his two seasons in west London. Sometimes the output does not match the underlying process, but perspective is crucial, as he outlined himself in an interview with Sky Sports in May.

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“At the start of the season, I think I scored 14 in my first (21 games),” Palmer said. 

“And then I just had a patch where I didn’t score. But I feel I could have scored just as many goals (as) last season, this season, but I was just missing some chances and stuff. I knew it was going to come, it’s just part and parcel of it. I’m not too bothered.”

Speaking of perspective, if you did want to cite the headline numbers, only Erling Haaland (57) and Mohamed Salah (75) have logged more combined goals and assists (56) in the Premier League since the start of the 2023-24 season.

Sunday’s performance against PSG was a microcosm of the double attacking threat that he holds.

In the age of social media and viral content, having such a signature celebration certainly helps to boost your status, but “brand Palmer” looks to have reached new heights in the past week.

With an ever-growing profile in the United States, Palmer might have given local fans a taste of what is to come next summer when he, undoubtedly, returns in an England shirt for the 2026 World Cup.

He is yet to be the talisman for his country in the same way he is for his club, but manager Thomas Tuchel would be foolish not to find a place for the 23-year-old in the starting XI alongside Jude Bellingham, as England’s chief artists. 

If Palmer carries this summer’s form into the new Premier League season, he might need more than a hood to hide him from adoring fans when he next returns to the United States.

[ahmedou 188]

It's cold 🥶 at Saint Kitts and Nevis 🇰🇳

[ahmedou 188]

I want this cold cover of Palmer for EA Sports FC 26!

[Fernando 6,585]

Wasn't aware that his heritage is from the Caribbean. Insane 

 

[Vesper 30,073]

21 hours ago, Fernando said:

Wasn't aware that his heritage is from the Caribbean. Insane 

 

Ice cold in the Caribbean: Palmer's first trip to St Kitts

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/videos/c3r90wyj7z3o

Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer visits the Caribbean island of St Kitts - where his paternal grandfather was born - for the first time.

WATCH: Cole Palmer- Made in St Kitts on BBC iPlayer

 

READ MORE: Cole Palmer given hero's reception on St Kitts visit

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cew0q4dd8rgo

 

Cole Palmer was given a hero's welcome on Monday when he arrived in St Kitts for the first time, fresh from playing a starring role in Chelsea beating Paris St-Germain to win the Club World Cup in the United States.

The Caribbean island is the birthplace of his grandfather, Sterry, and Palmer wears the flag of St Kitts and Nevis - alongside the England flag - on his football boots to honour his family's roots.

Deputy prime minister Geoffrey Hanley and tourism minister Marsha T Henderson greeted the 23-year-old and his family at the airport alongside traditional Masquerade performers.

Palmer said: "Landing in St Kitts off the back of winning the Club World Cup felt really special. It's where my grandad's love for football started. The island is beautiful and really chilled. I can't wait to explore the mountains, rainforest and sea - and to try out the food."

Terrance Drew, St Kitts' prime minister, added: "Cole Palmer's visit to St Kitts and Nevis is a powerful reminder of the strength and pride of our diaspora.

"His presence and mentorship will inspire the next generation to believe that global success is possible, no matter where you come from. We are proud to welcome him home and deeply grateful for his commitment to our young people and to the development of sports in our federation."

Henderson said: "The Palmers already have a special connection to the island and that will only grow as they spend time exploring our lush rainforests, picturesque mountains and stunning waters, and savouring our rich culture and cuisine."

 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,056]

After the low of Trump on Sunday, the high of Henderson a few days later. Talk about a rapid rise in the world. Onwards and upwards Cole.

(I don't actually know anything about Henderson but it is surely big odds on that he is a better human being than Dopey?)

Edited July 19 by OhForAGreavsie

[OhForAGreavsie 6,056]

Does the World Cup prove that Cole plays better, and the team is better, when there are three authentic midfielders in the team with him? Does it suggest that our best line up currently would feature three midfielders with Cole, João Pedro and one other up top?

[Fulham Broadway 17,299]

2 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Does the World Cup prove that Cole plays better, and the team is better, when there are three authentic midfielders in the team with him? Does it suggest that our best line up currently would feature three midfielders with Cole, João Pedro and one other up top?

Think he plays better with team mates that read the game as he does, and are willing to sacrifice personal glory for the good of the team -ie Madueke and Jackson have/had a tendency to be selfish, often at the expense of another lost opportunity

[Bluepower777 31]

10 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Think he plays better with team mates that read the game as he does, and are willing to sacrifice personal glory for the good of the team -ie Madueke and Jackson have/had a tendency to be selfish, often at the expense of another lost opportunity

Definitely. Good post

[Blue Armour 4,436]