Chelsea’s Cole Palmer might have found a new way to fire a blank as he missed a Premier League penalty for the first time in the 1-0 win at home to Leicester City – but the fact he played at all was perhaps equally noteworthy on Sunday.
Going into the match, Palmer’s involvement was in doubt after he missed training with a fever but insisted on playing to “help the team”.
And the England international was perfectly placed to end his goal drought – standing at eight games going into the match – in the 22nd minute but his well-struck effort was saved by goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
Previously, Palmer had scored all 12 of his penalty kicks in the Premier League, beating the record for perfect attempts held previously by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure.
It was the latest episode in a dip in form since the end of 2024. Last year, he scored 26 times and delivered 13 assists in the Premier League, more than any other player in England’s top-flight during that period. He also broke the Chelsea club record for goal involvements in a calendar year.
But having also squandered several big chances in the 4-0 win against Southampton last week, the signs are that his confidence is on the wane.
Palmer has varied his finishes from the penalty spot, but stats show that shooting with his left foot across to his right is his favoured option.
This is likely something that Hermansen will have known and he managed to get across the goal to save the shot despite it being close to the corner.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer told BBC Radio 5 Five Live: “Cole Palmer’s penalty wasn’t one from someone with a lot of confidence. He went for power over real placement and the goalkeeper does so, so well. It wasn’t his best penalty.
“It’s just not happening for Cole Palmer at the moment. The longer it goes on, there is more frustration and there will be more the element of trying to be selfish and making the wrong decisions.”
There was a two minute and 24 second wait to take the penalty that can’t have helped – as Chelsea and Leicester players argued on the edge of the box – and referee Tim Robinson asked him to re-spot the ball.
Ultimately the penalty miss did not matter for Chelsea as Marc Cucurella popped up with the long-range winner in the 60th minute as they hung on to the win despite a nervy end.
It was also arguably Palmer’s worst performance of the season as he was substituted in the 75th minute, the fourth-earliest he has come off in a match since joining the club.
However, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said there was a reason the forward was perhaps not at his very best.
“It’s very easy: Cole didn’t train yesterday and during the night he didn’t feel well,” Maresca said.
“The reason why he didn’t train yesterday is fever and diarrhoea in the last 48 hours. This morning, he woke up and he asked me, ‘I want to be on the pitch because I want to help this team, this club to play Champions League’.
“This shows how these players want to bring the club where it belongs to.”
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