The 18-game ball drought is broken, can Palmer stand up?

defeated Liverpool, who had no desires at home, and Chelsea still maintained a pole position in the Premier League's "fight for five" battle. After a three-month ball drought, Palmer used a penalty kick to clear the dark clouds, temporarily calming public doubts about him.

The ball drought in 18 games, and the attitude is more "scary" than the efficiency

On January 14, 2025, Chelsea drew with Bournemouth at home, Palmer scored a goal, and since then he has fallen into a three-month ball drought. Since landing at Stamford Bridge, Palmer has been "making one goal per game" for more than a year, and his recent rapid death is really unexpected.

Palmer's downturn is composed of many reasons: First, after entering the Europa League knockout round, Chelsea's main players could not "one game a week" like in the first half of the season. The sudden increase in competitive intensity made many players unacceptable, and Palmer was one of them; Second, Jacquesson and Lavia were injured continuously, and the Blues' originally stable central axis loosened, and the pressure was concentrated on Palmer; Third, the opponent's pressure on Palmer is getting greater and greater, and this player who lacks speed and explosiveness is easily subject to targeted restrictions.

What is disappointing is that Palmer did not show his attitude of becoming more and more excited in adversity. He became more and more hesitant and timid when he had the ball. His contribution in the off-ball stage has dropped a lot compared to before, and there are more and more scenes of "hiding from kicking" and depressing.

Without Palmer, Chelsea could survive

Just when Palmer's state fell to freezing point, Chelsea could still remain in the "fight for five" sequence, and Enzo Fernandez's play a key role. After the "bus incident" in the summer, he suffered huge public pressure and suffered continuous injuries at the beginning of the season. Enzo Fernandez not only faced the difficulties and returned to the main lineup, but also became Chelsea's tactical core and key gentleman. After sending assists in the first leg of the Europa League semi-finals, Enzo Fernandez has participated in 19 goals this season (6 goals and 13 assists), setting a career high.

British Emperor Star is no longer a "non-sale product". Timely recovery is important

Different from Palmer, who is slightly weak in temperament, Enzo Fernandez is an old-school "British style". His tough style and aggressive playing style make him look more suitable for training as a long-term core. According to some English media reports, Manchester United intends to buy Palmer, and famous commentator Carragher also believes that Palmer has the possibility of leaving the team. The British Emperor Star, who was surrounded by flowers and applause not long ago, looks like it is no longer a "not-selling product" of the Blues.

has ranked among the top ten scorers in the team history, and Palmer needs to start again.

Recent twists and turns are being tortured, and Palmer is also trying to get out of the haze. Judging from the performance of this game, Palmer's ability to control emotions has been improved. After the position adjustment, the connection and organization effect on the right side is very obvious. This is a good signal that the British Emperor is looking for his own new character.