{"id":4583,"date":"2025-03-19T18:49:36","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T18:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/?p=4583"},"modified":"2025-03-20T00:06:36","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T00:06:36","slug":"has-enzo-marescas-management-affected-cole-palmers-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/19\/has-enzo-marescas-management-affected-cole-palmers-form\/","title":{"rendered":"Has Enzo Maresca&#8217;s management affected Cole Palmer&#8217;s form?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>By Ashton Cox<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">After another blistering start to the 2024\/25 Premier League season, Cole Palmer\u2019s recent drop in form has coincided with the Blues slipping down the order.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Chelsea star is now without a goal contribution in 10 games across all competitions.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What factors have contributed towards this?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Aptos\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Aptos&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Maresca\u2019s style of play<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Aptos\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Aptos&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fatigue<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Aptos\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559683&quot;:0,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Aptos&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nicolas Jackson\u2019s injury<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span class=\"TextRun Underlined SCXW239173804 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-GB\" xml:lang=\"EN-GB\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW239173804 BCX8\">Maresca\u2019s Management<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW239173804 BCX8\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Under Chelsea\u2019s \u2018normal\u2019 attacking speed this season that has led to 296 shots, the Londoners have 0.12 xG per shot. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This is a decrease from Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s attacking threat last year, which led to 0.15 xG per shot \u2013 showing that the Blues were more likely to put the ball in the back of the net.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Throughout open play, Pochettino\u2019s side racked up a total xG of 62.87 for the 2023\/24 season, which conquers the 46.18 xG that Chelsea currently has \u2013 and are unlikely to catch last season\u2019s total despite having nine games remaining.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Whilst the Italian certainly has a more assured defence with 30.73 xG against them so far which is likely to better the Argentinian\u2019s xG against of 49.27 come the end of the season, it\u2019s clear to see that Maresca\u2019s style of play offers less attacking impetus than Pochettino\u2019s did.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The English midfielder\u2019s form has followed this trend; In 33 league matches last season, Palmer bagged 22 goals and 11 assists which has now decreased significantly to 14 goals and six assists in 28 matches this campaign.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Some fans may claim that Palmer\u2019s early goals and assists tally this time out \u2013 that saw him have 18 goals and assists by Boxing Day &#8211; that had continued where he left off last season is proof that Maresca\u2019s style has had little effect on the player.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, with the second half of the season underway and Maresca\u2019s tactics further taking a grip within the squad, the midfielder\u2019s last goal contribution dates to the 14<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">th<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> January against Bournemouth.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The stats prove that since the match against the Cherries, Chelsea average an xG of 1.78 per match in comparison to an average of 2.04 across the 21 games this season prior to then \u2013 showing Maresca\u2019s tactics are negatively impacting the whole attack which has dragged Palmer down.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fatigue<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The total of matches per season has become a huge concern within the whole football community and is believed to be the main contributor for the record number of injuries.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For example, the Blues suffered a total of 54 injuries last campaign and the league had an increase of 11% compared to the season before, a huge inflation in a very short time span.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Palmer played in 48 games across all competitions last season and is currently at 33 for this campaign, which may not seem like a big issue as the number of matches for him hasn\u2019t increased this year.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, with the European Championships last summer that stopped him from getting more than three weeks\u2019 recovery time plus the addition of European midweek fixtures this season, the congestion looks to have taken its toll.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Furthermore, last season the Premier League pencilled in a week off to its schedule to aid mid-season recovery, with teams such as Arsenal jetting off to Dubai for warm-weather training.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, likely due to the late start to the league this season because of the Euros, no such mid-season break was scheduled for this year that would have given players such as Palmer a much-needed chance to recuperate.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Nicolas Jackson&#8217;s injury<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Senegalese striker injured his hamstring against West Ham United on 3<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rd<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> February and will be out of action until after the international break.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Also in that match, Marc Guiu picked up an injury that could force him to miss the rest of the season, meaning Palmer has been missing a strike partner in attack.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Of his 36 Premier League goals, Nicolas Jackson is the top assister with seven assists for him.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The same can be said for Nicolas Jackson\u2019s 23 goals, which sees Palmer as the main assister with five set-ups.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">However, some will point out that the Englishman\u2019s form dipped even before Jackson was injured.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Whilst this is true, only two games against Manchester City and Wolves were played in the time between Palmer\u2019s last goal involvement and Jackson\u2019s injury.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Despite Christopher Nkunku having shared the pitch on 34 occasions with Palmer, most of this was off the bench having started just eight league matches all season and spending only 862 minutes on the pitch.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This means the Frenchman averages 35.92 minutes of football per Premier League appearance in 2024\/25.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As such, the pair haven\u2019t been able to find a connection anywhere near to what Palmer had with the Senegalese international.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Verdict<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">While all three factors play an important role, I think Maresca\u2019s management has had the greatest impact on the player. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Fatigue has been important, however the 12-day break the Blues got in early March as a result of being knocked out of the FA Cup early had no impact on Palmer\u2019s fortunes in the following matches.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As for a lack of strike-partner, there should be enough quality within the likes of Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku to fill the void of Jackson\u2019s assists yet none of them have been able to help the midfielder crack the code.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As for the style of play, it is clear to see that the attacking stats overall have suffered this year, which Palmer is just one cog in that machine that ultimately makes Maresca most responsible.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Ashton Cox After another blistering start to the 2024\/25 Premier League season, Cole Palmer\u2019s recent drop in form has coincided with the Blues slipping down the order.\u00a0 The Chelsea star is now without a goal contribution in 10 games across all competitions.\u00a0 What factors have contributed towards this?\u00a0 Maresca\u2019s style of play\u00a0 Fatigue\u00a0 Nicolas&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4583"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4586,"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4583\/revisions\/4586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chelseabluesnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}