The key connection between Chelsea’s ascent in the title race and Manchester City’s struggles is Cole Palmer.
Manchester City’s squad is becoming aged and urgently requires a young, elite player to rejuvenate their performance.
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The player City needed to retain is Cole Palmer.
In contrast, Chelsea has transformed from a disorganized outfit to one that crucially required a leader to unify the squad.
And that leader is Cole Palmer.
Pep Guardiola’s choice to let Palmer depart for Chelsea seemed questionable even last season when City clinched their fourth consecutive title while the young Mancunian excelled in a struggling Chelsea team.
Now, as Palmer makes his mark as a key player in a rejuvenated Chelsea side while City stumbles, winning just one of their last nine outings, this decision is becoming increasingly detrimental.
It’s important to mention that the absence of Rodri due to injury has affected City. However, their alarming drop in form cannot be entirely attributed to the absence of the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder.
This week, the executives 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 emphasized that “seven Premier League clubs and 12 Championship teams currently feature a player developed at the CFA.”
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Football Free Bets and Sign Up Deals
This is impressive, but it becomes troubling when we note that Palmer, alongside Phil Foden, is among the few world-class talents nurtured at the CFA and is currently thriving at a club positioned higher in the league than City.
For an initial fee of £40 million, which appears remarkably low now.
Such miscalculations occur in football, but they are generally attributed to Chelsea rather than Guardiola’s teams.
A look at Chelsea’s former top players shows Kevin De Bruyne, sold by Chelsea at 22 and who has been a standout for City for several seasons since.
You will also find Mo Salah, acquired by Liverpool after Chelsea sold him at 23, who has long been their star performer.
Furthermore, Declan Rice, who was overlooked by Chelsea at 14, is now crucial for Arsenal after a £105 million transfer.
During Jose Mourinho’s era at Chelsea, he did not underestimate De Bruyne or Salah; he simply thought they weren’t ready for his first team, nor did he foresee them as future stars.
Likewise, City misjudged Palmer, who I believed was more deserving of the Footballer of the Year accolade over City’s Foden, who won solely because it seems more prestigious to excel in a strong team than to be exceptional in a weaker one.
Guardiola held Palmer in high regard, keeping him near while other City players were loaned out, ensuring he received first-team opportunities and nurturing patience similar to Foden’s experience.
However, by last summer, Palmer was 21 and prepared to become a significant player in the Premier League.
Guardiola had committed to giving him more minutes, and expectations heightened after Palmer dazzled with a stunning goal at Wembley in the Community Shield against Arsenal and another in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla.
Yet shortly thereafter, City opted to spend £55.5 million on Jeremy Doku, who, while not a direct replacement for Palmer, was another promising talent of similar age whom they valued higher financially.
This transfer surprised Palmer and his representatives, marking the turning point that led to his departure.
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Although Guardiola wanted to retain him, he recognized that pressuring a player to stay when they express a desire to leave is imprudent, especially as Palmer came to understand that his first-team chances at City would remain limited last season.
Additionally, Doku’s arrival necessitated City to adhere to the stringent Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Doku is a competent player—an exciting winger who may evolve further—but is currently inconsistent in finishing and is not infrequently on the bench.
He cannot be compared to Palmer, who scored two penalties and created a sublime assist that led Chelsea to a crucial comeback win against Spurs, edging them closer to league leaders Liverpool.
Following that 4-3 triumph at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca—who previously coached Palmer in City’s academy—lavished praise on his standout player.
Maresca notably disclosed that Palmer, who has converted all 12 penalties he’s taken in the Premier League, doesn’t actually practice them.
This notion of forgoing penalty practice is quite extraordinary in contemporary football.
Historically, England’s past struggles in shootouts were attributed to inadequate penalty preparation. However, under Gareth Southgate, they began rigorous practice, resulting in successful shootouts.
Yet according to Maresca, Palmer is “not normal.” His skill and composure exceed those of the average player.
Most athletes engage in training to refine their abilities; even those with exceptional talent pursue practice to enhance their skills.
The truly elite, those blessed with extraordinary talent and improvisational genius, exist in a realm of their own.
Interestingly, Guardiola—a recognized mastermind—failed to recognize the brilliance Palmer represented while at City.
This distinction highlights what differentiates Manchester City from Chelsea.
Ashworth’s painful exit
MANY successful business moguls have attempted to enter football only to falter, yet Sir Jim Ratcliffe is taking this to unprecedented extremes.
As England’s top entrepreneur, Ratcliffe has stepped into Manchester United—Britain’s premier football club—and within a year, he has undeniably botched the situation.
The summer decision to extend Erik ten Hag‘s contract and grant him significant control over transfer activities, only to dismiss him after merely nine matches this season, stands as a notable embarrassment.
Now, the departure of Dan Ashworth—the internationally respected sporting director recruited from wealthy Newcastle United just six months into his tenure—is particularly agonizing.
Ashworth possesses a notable history of successfully appointing managers, including Gareth Southgate with England, Graham Potter at Brighton, and Eddie Howe at Newcastle.
Still, Ratcliffe seemingly dismissed Ashworth’s advice when selecting Ruben Amorim.
Whether Amorim will succeed remains uncertain.
Ratcliffe’s missteps concerning Ten Hag and Ashworth have reportedly cost United about £25 million.
The billionaire head of Ineos is now attempting to recuperate some of that expenditure by charging fans £66 to witness United play and laying off numerous dedicated club staff.
Ah, capitalism in action!
The ‘Smallest’ clubs outperforming the bigger ones
THIS summer, Bournemouth parted ways with their star player, Dominic Solanke. Brentford released their prolific scorer, Ivan Toney. In the meantime, Fulham sold their top player, Joao Palhinha.
Despite these exits, all three clubs—arguably the youngest in the Premier League—have thrived and currently find themselves in the top half of the table, looking down on wealthier rivals.
Substantial credit should go to managers Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank, and Marco Silva.
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Chelsea’s new strategy with Chesterfield
FOOTBALL clubs don’t necessarily require expensive PR advisers.
Winning games typically results in positive media coverage; conversely, losing prompts negative attention.
However, Chelsea appears poised to enlist a prominent public relations expert, Nerissa Chesterfield, who previously oversaw communications during Rishi Sunak’s tenure. And we all know how that turned out.
Perhaps she can assist in managing 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 deemed acceptable for Stoke City, then critics from Stoke Newington should not be outraged.
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