Cole Palmer produced the season of his life at Chelsea.
The 22-year-old was in Manchester City’s hands and playing a bit-part role as Pep Guardiola’s side secured a historic Treble.
But Cole Palmer was brave in deciding to leave that comfort zone and join Chelsea after they finished bottom half of the table.
That call has played a huge part in the quick-footed playmaker earning England caps and now preparing for Euro 2024.
Gareth Southgate had no choice but to select him because he scored a staggering 22 Premier League goals and supplied 11 assists.
Never mind Palmer just being selected by England, some feel that he has to start his side’s opening game against Serbia on Sunday.
That was an argument put forward by Chris Sutton, as he put the Premier League’s Player of the Year Phil Foden on the left, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka on the right and Harry Kane down the middle.
The former striker thinks Palmer should play as a number ten, despite Southgate having Real Madrid’s Champions League winner Jude Bellingham to pick from as well.
But Savage was having none of it and he was left shocked because he thinks Palmer has done most of his damage on the right for Chelsea, as he told 606 on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.
Cole Palmer to start for England v Serbia at Euro 2024?
“I would play Cole Palmer as a ten and Foden off the left-hand side,” said Sutton. Savage responded: “You are playing Cole Palmer where he hasn’t played all season?” But Sutton told his fellow pundit that ‘You are actually wrong there’.
The former midfielder then claimed, “The majority of his goals have been on the right.” Sutton then added: “This season, Cole Palmer, going to Chelsea, I didn’t know how that was going to pan out. I think he has been a revelation – I would shove Palmer into the team. I think he is a brilliant ten.”
Savage then stated: “So, in the position he hasn’t played in most of the season? Wow. Seriously. Drift (into the number ten role), don’t start there.”
Cole Palmer’s stats
Sutton is correct to suggest that Palmer could play as a ten because he has played quite a number of games in that role.
Palmer played 19 matches as a right winger, 18 as an attacking midfielder and the rest as a false nine.
READ MORE: Chelsea make decisive play in race for Brazilian wonderkid Pedro Lima
13 goals were scored from the flanks, added with five assists, whilst he netted 12 from 18 as a ten, including seven assists.
So, if Southgate wants to pick Palmer as a ten, in order to get more creative talent in the team, then he should trust and back Chelsea’s new superstar to do the job.
The post 'Wow, seriously': Robbie Savage is baffled by what he’s hearing about Chelsea’s Cole Palmer appeared first on HITC.
from HITC https://ift.tt/z3CRu4s
No comments: