Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has hailed Cole Palmer as the best player in his squad but has urged the young star to show more initiative from the start of matches.
Maresca’s comments come after Palmer admitted feeling “bored” during the UEFA Europa Conference League final last month, expressing frustration about having to play too many backward and sideways passes. The 23-year-old came alive later in that game, providing two assists as Chelsea came from behind to beat Real Betis 4-1 and lift the trophy.
Palmer also featured in Chelsea’s Club World Cup opener against LAFC, where he played seven passes into the final third and created one chance, though he did not register a goal or assist.
Speaking about Palmer’s influence, Maresca said:
“This is the Cole that we expect. After the Conference League final, he said that he was quite bored receiving the ball and so he decided to do something different.
“The day after that interview I said to him, ‘But you can do that since the first minute, why are you waiting so long? Why don’t you do the same after one minute?’
“[Against LAFC], he was exactly doing what we asked him to do. We are happy when he does that because I said many times that Cole is our best player, he is a top player and hopefully he can continue to do the right things.”
Maresca’s message to Palmer is clear: lead by example, and do it from the first whistle.
