Enzo Maresca has challenged his misfiring Chelsea squad to step up during Cole Palmer’s lean spell, admitting, “We rely on Cole for everything.”
The England attacking midfielder has scored 14 goals and provided six assists in the Premier League this season, but his last goal came in mid-January, and he last registered an assist on 1 December.
Chelsea, who were just two points behind runaway leaders Liverpool in mid-December, have slipped to seventh in the table after three defeats in their past four games. However, they remain only one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
Maresca, preparing his team to host rock-bottom Southampton on Tuesday, said he was not worried about Palmer’s dip in form.
“I’m not concerned about Cole because Cole is a human being, and during the season, he can have moments where he struggles a little bit more,” he told reporters on Monday.
“The problem with Cole is probably that we rely on him for everything, and I have said since the start that we need to rely on the team. Of course, we need big players—top players like Cole—but we are not worried about him at all.”
He added: *”Every game, we expect a goal or an assist from him. It’s difficult—he’s a human being, he’s a player. At this moment, his performances probably reflect the team’s performance.
“We are struggling to score goals and need to be more clinical when we get chances.”*
The Italian, in his first season at Stamford Bridge, remains optimistic about Chelsea’s form as they chase a Champions League place.
“Even against Villa (a 2-1 defeat on Saturday), I think the identity was there,” he said. *”The way we played on and off the ball was very similar to what we have been doing all season.
“So the identity is there. I said after the Aston Villa game that I feel if we can get one win, we could go on a good run and build momentum again. That is what I believe the players need at this moment.”*
AFP
