Chelsea’s Cole Palmer is Not Himself. Liam Rosenior has Inherited a Complicated Situation

Cole Palmer sealed Chelsea’s win over Brentford with a second-half penalty Jacques Feeney/Offside/Getty Images

One of the first things Liam Rosenior did after securing his opening Premier League win as Chelsea head coach was walk towards a clearly exhausted Cole Palmer.

As the duo shared a quick embrace, Rosenior leaned in closer to offer a few words to the England international. Palmer nodded in acknowledgement, seemingly appreciative of what was said, before walking away.

On taking the job, the chance to work with Palmer will have been one of the biggest positives for Rosenior. But at this moment, the player’s ability to play regularly at a high level will be one of his biggest concerns.

This was Palmer’s 13th appearance of an injury-plagued season and just the fourth time he has completed 90 minutes. A superbly taken penalty to secure a 2-0 victory over Brentford was about the only recognisable thing about Palmer, though.

What followed immediately after he scored gave the greatest insight into his mood. There was no trademark “ice cold” celebration. There was little sign of a smile despite the best efforts of his team-mates to generate one. At the final whistle, Palmer was seen sitting disconsolately on the turf before Andrey Santos helped him to his feet.

Palmer’s comeback from a groin injury that kept him out for over two months, from September to December, is being carefully managed. Chelsea’s medical and performance department operates independently, issuing recommendations on when injured players can return and how much they can play.

Cole Palmer and Liam Rosenior at full timeBradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images

Sources speaking anonymously to The Athletic to protect relationships say, medically, Palmer is 100 per cent fine, but is still working on his match fitness after such a significant spell out.

There have only been flashes of the player who shone for the first two seasons of his Chelsea career, some may say the first 18 months in particular. The way he directed play to open the scoring against Everton on December 13 was top-class. During the second half of Chelsea’s defeat at Fulham this month, there was a spell when he took control of the game like he used to.

Anyone who watched the Brentford display, though, was given another reminder that he is still a long way from being at his best. It was not because of a lack of effort, just the usual sharpness to get away from players is not there. This was particularly exposed in the 65th minute when his customary trickery proved too good for Yehor Yarmoliuk. Instead of sprinting off down the sideline with the midfielder in his wake, Yarmoliuk comfortably recovered and was unfortunate to be penalised for fouling Palmer.

It is hardly surprising Palmer looked off the pace given Rosenior’s revelation afterwards that the attacker, who sat out the Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal in midweek, had not even been able to join in the team’s preparation for this fixture. That provoked praise from Chelsea’s new head coach for what Palmer was able to produce rather than admonishment for what he did not.

He said: “If you watch the last 15 minutes of the game and you watch the energy he puts into his press, his running for the team, I thought he was outstanding. It’s impossible for any player or any team to be magnificent with the ball in every game, but you can still find a way to win.

“The other thing I would say about Cole, and Reece James as well, they have not trained. I couldn’t play them against Arsenal. I am so proud of them because they put themselves up and they ran themselves into the ground. They have had no training time with the knocks they picked up, which shows me a fantastic attitude, and the more games and the more training sessions they get now, the better they will perform.”

But herein lies the question. Last week, Rosenior spoke about meeting with Palmer and the medical department. He was talking about the intensity of Chelsea’s schedule, referring to eight games in three weeks and how “it would be crazy for me to risk any player in this phase of the season”, clearly referring to Palmer.

Reece James and Cole Palmer were praised by Liam RoseniorDarren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

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Chelsea’s fixture list is not going to improve any time soon. Starting with Pafos in the Champions League on Wednesday, they have eight more games between then and Hull City in the FA Cup on February 13. Should they drop into the Champions League play-offs for a last-16 spot, there is a possibility there will not be a break from the midweek-weekend schedule, depending on whether they progress in the FA Cup and Champions League, until international football resumes in late March.

Palmer could do with a run of appearances to get fully back up to speed. Chelsea and Rosenior would obviously prefer to have him on the pitch as much as possible, too, because he is their best player. But is that feasible with a match every three-four days?

No one can blame Palmer if England, as well as Chelsea, is on his mind. He has played just 64 minutes, one appearance at Andorra in June last year, under Thomas Tuchel since the former Chelsea head coach officially took over as England manager 12 months ago. The World Cup begins in June and his spot in the squad, let alone the first XI, can not be assured given recent events.

Palmer has been a talking point since he joined Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023. Nothing has changed in that regard, but his every step will continue to be scrutinised until he looks more like his old flamboyant self again, consistently.

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