
The main element connecting Chelsea’s ascent in the title race with Manchester City’s struggles is Cole Palmer.
Manchester City’s squad is aging and in dire need of a first-rate young player to revitalize their performance.
The player that City should have retained is Cole Palmer.
Conversely, Chelsea has transitioned from a chaotic organization to one that desperately sought a leader to unify the team.
And that leader is Cole Palmer.
Pep Guardiola’s choice to allow Palmer’s departure to Chelsea seemed dubious even in the previous season when City clinched their fourth successive title while the young Mancunian excelled in a faltering Chelsea side.
Now, as Palmer establishes himself as an integral player in a rejuvenated Chelsea squad while City has stumbled, managing to win only one of their last nine matches, this decision is starting to look regretful.
While it is important to acknowledge that the absence of Rodri due to injury has affected City, their worrying descent cannot be solely attributed to the loss of the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder.
This week, officials at Etihad celebrated the tenth anniversary of their City Football Academy, which claims to have “produced 40 players for the men’s senior team and generated fees of up to £300 million.”
They also pointed out that “seven Premier League clubs and 12 Championship teams currently feature a player developed at the CFA.”
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This is commendable, but it becomes concerning when we recognize that Palmer, along with Phil Foden, is one of the few world-class players developed at the CFA and is now flourishing at a club placed higher in the league than City.
For an initial fee of £40 million, which now appears to be an incredible bargain.
Such errors do happen in football, but they are generally attributed to Chelsea rather than Guardiola’s teams.
Looking at Chelsea’s main competitors reveals Kevin De Bruyne, sold by Chelsea at 22 and who has since been pivotal for City for numerous seasons.
We also have Mo Salah, acquired by Liverpool after Chelsea let him go at 23, who has been a star player for them for a long time.
Additionally, Declan Rice, who was overlooked by Chelsea at 14, is now essential for Arsenal following a £105 million transfer.
During Jose Mourinho’s tenure at Chelsea, he did not undervalue De Bruyne or Salah but rather believed they were not ready for his first team and didn’t view them as future stars.
In the same vein, City misjudged Palmer, who I thought merited the Footballer of the Year award over City’s Foden, who won it simply because performing in a strong team is often viewed as more impressive than excelling in a mediocre one.
Guardiola held Palmer in high regard, keeping him close while other City players were loaned out, ensuring he received first-team opportunities and cultivating patience similar to Foden’s trajectory.
However, by the last summer, Palmer was 21 and ready to emerge as a major talent in the Premier League.
Guardiola had assured him more playing time, and expectations heightened after Palmer dazzled with a stunning goal at Wembley in the Community Shield against Arsenal, alongside another in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla.
Yet shortly after, City opted to spend £55.5 million on Jeremy Doku, who, while not a direct replacement for Palmer, was another promising player of a similar age that they valued more highly financially.
This transfer shocked Palmer and his agents, marking the defining point that led to his departure.
Despite Guardiola’s desire to retain him, he recognized that forcing a player to stay against their wishes is unwise, especially as Palmer understood his first-team opportunities at City were likely to remain limited last season.
Furthermore, Doku’s signing required City to navigate the challenging Premier League Profit and Sustainability Regulations.
Doku is a decent player—an exciting winger who could develop further—but currently lacks consistent finishing and sometimes finds himself on the bench.
He cannot be matched with Palmer, who netted two penalties and provided a brilliant assist that propelled Chelsea to a crucial comeback win against Spurs, bringing them closer to league leaders Liverpool.
Following that 4-3 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca—who previously trained Palmer in City’s academy—lavished praise on his star player.
Notably, Maresca revealed that Palmer, who has scored all 12 penalties he has taken in the Premier League, does not actually practice them.
This notion of not rehearsing penalties is quite astonishing in modern football.
England’s previous struggles in penalty shootouts were attributed to inadequate preparation. However, under Gareth Southgate, they began to rigorously focus on practice, leading to successful conversions in shootouts.
Yet according to Maresca, Palmer is “not normal.” His skill and calmness surpass that of an average player.
Most athletes train to refine their capabilities; even those exceptionally talented engage in practice to enhance their skills.
The truly extraordinary ones, those endowed with exceptional talent and creative brilliance, belong to a different realm.
Interestingly, Guardiola—a recognized expert—failed to grasp the brilliance that Palmer represented during his time at City.
That distinction is what separates Manchester City from Chelsea.
Ashworth’s painful exit
MANY successful business figures have ventured into football only to falter, yet Sir Jim Ratcliffe is taking this to extraordinary levels.
As England’s most successful businessman, Ratcliffe has entered Manchester United—England’s premier football club—and in less than a year, he has undoubtedly mishandled the situation.
The summer decision to extend Erik ten Hag‘s contract and give him considerable influence over transfers, only to fire him after just nine games this season, is a massive embarrassment.
Now, the departure of Dan Ashworth—the highly regarded sporting director lured from wealthy Newcastle United under six months into his tenure—is especially painful.
Ashworth has a stellar record of successfully appointing managers, including Gareth Southgate with England, Graham Potter at Brighton, and Eddie Howe at Newcastle.
Nevertheless, Ratcliffe reportedly neglected Ashworth’s advice when making a decision regarding Ruben Amorim.
Whether Amorim will succeed remains to be seen.
Ratcliffe’s errors regarding Ten Hag and Ashworth have potentially cost United around £25 million.
The billionaire head of Ineos is now trying to recuperate some of that loss by charging fans £66 to witness United play and laying off a significant number of hardworking club staff.
Ah, capitalism in full view!
The ‘Smallest’ clubs outperforming the bigger ones
THIS summer, Bournemouth sold their star player, Dominic Solanke. Brentford parted with their prolific scorer, Ivan Toney. Meanwhile, Fulham cashed in on their best player, Joao Palhinha.
Despite these exits, all three clubs—arguably the youngest in the Premier League—have thrived and currently sit in the upper half of the table, looking down at wealthier adversaries.
Hearty credit should go to managers Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank, and Marco Silva.
Chelsea’s new strategy with Chesterfield
FOOTBALL clubs don’t inherently need costly PR consultants.
Winning matches usually translates to favorable coverage; conversely, losing draws negative attention.
Nevertheless, Chelsea appears ready to engage renowned public relations expert Nerissa Chesterfield, who previously managed communications during Rishi Sunak’s administration. And we all know how that turned out.
Perhaps she can assist in navigating Chelsea’s ongoing ‘bomb squad’ dismissals. To Rwanda, perhaps?
Maximizing set-piece plays
LET’S not criticize Arsenal for depending on set-piece goals.
If it was acceptable for Stoke City, there should be no complaints from critics in Stoke Newington.