Mauricio Pochettino praises Chelsea youngster Cole Palmer following Brentford loss
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has praised summer arrival Cole Palmer for impressing immediately and playing like he’s been at the club “for 10 years” despite their recent struggles as a whole.
The Blues swooped to sign Palmer from Manchester City late in the summer window and the forward has quickly become a standout performer for the Stamford Bridge outfit. Speaking after the disappointing loss against Brentford, Mauricio Pochettino lauded the 21-year-old for demonstrating great character and personality regardless of the team’s results.
It is not easy for players to come into a new club and start impressing off the go. But Palmer, despite his age, has done just that. He was a key cog in our 2-2 draw against Arsenal, arguably our best performance of the season barring the late collapse. According to football.london, here is what the Blues manager had to say.
“He arrived in the last moment of the transfer window, he’s playing like he’s here for 10 years and showing his character and personality,”
Despite a poor run of just three wins in 10 league games, Pochettino has been encouraged by Palmer’s seamless adaptation. The manager highlighted how the young Englishman plays with the maturity of a veteran despite only joining Chelsea in August.
He was arguably Chelsea’s top performer on this day, catching the eye with his accurate passing and composure. He managed to secure an 86 per cent pass accuracy. That built on his previous good displays since arriving from the Etihad Stadium despite struggling initially. Palmer has brought energy and confidence to a Chelsea attack that has misfired badly at times.
Ever since the start of the season, Pochettino’s side has lacked cutting edge in the final third. Recently they had started rectifying their mistakes in their attack and had managed to net nine times in the last four matches.
However, this 2-nil defeat against Brentford will definitely undermine the recent progress they have made. But amid Chelsea’s struggles, Palmer’s well-rounded game has been a shining light offering hope for the future.
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The manager will hope the young forward’s role continues growing to become a central figure in Chelsea’s rebuild. Pochettino’s glowing praise indicates Palmer made the right call leaving Manchester City as he continues to realise his potential quicker than expected at Stamford Bridge.