{"id":299068,"date":"2023-11-12T07:24:38","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T07:24:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=299068"},"modified":"2023-11-12T07:24:38","modified_gmt":"2023-11-12T07:24:38","slug":"palmer-is-a-reminder-of-how-far-off-the-pace-chelsea-are-pep-wont-regret-sale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/palmer-is-a-reminder-of-how-far-off-the-pace-chelsea-are-pep-wont-regret-sale\/","title":{"rendered":"Palmer is a reminder of how far off the pace Chelsea are – Pep won’t regret sale"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Cole Palmer was never going to be a major part of a \u00a31billion Chelsea plan to overhaul Manchester City. Instead, Pep Guardiola has simply done a number on the London club\u2019s soccer-naive owners. Several numbers in fact, none of which quite add up.<\/p>\n

So while the 21-year-old bought from Manchester City for \u00a343million on transfer deadline day has impressed Chelsea fans with his performances in an otherwise stuttering start to the season, he won\u2019t be able to prevent another three points leaking away from Stamford Bridge this weekend.<\/p>\n

The raw data is encouraging. Two assists as well as his three goals give him more goal \u201cinvolvements\u201d than any other Chelsea player other than Monday night\u2019s \u201ctap-in hat-trick\u201d hero Nicolas Jackson. With 31 shots at goal, he\u2019s certainly trying.<\/p>\n

He pressurises players more often than any of his team-mates and turns over possession more in the final third. But instead of bringing encouragement to Chelsea fans, Palmer\u2019s presence will be just another reminder of how far Todd Boehly\u2019s project is off the pace of where the club\u2019s owners clearly felt they had a right to be.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong> Tottenham ‘in talks’ to cancel Ndombele loan deal as Levy left with no choice<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s where the Americans\u2019 \u201cmath\u201d has fallen down.<\/p>\n

2026: The very last figure on Cole Palmer\u2019s Etihad contract. Yes, he was getting restless after showing the first green shoots for the season with goals in both the Community Shield and the European Super Cup. But with three years left on his contract there was absolutely no pressure on Guardiola to sell if he did not want to.<\/p>\n

12: The only distance in yards that Palmer seems able to score from for Chelsea. Fair play to the youngster for grabbing the ball when so many of his decorated team-mates seem reluctant to take the penalty duties.<\/p>\n