Robert Chou
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Chalk it up as another time Cole Palmer’s words didn’t match the magnitude of his exploits.
Palmer’s performance in Chelsea’s 6-0 victory over Everton will be remembered as one of his best this season. A perfect 16-minute hat-trick (left-foot, right-foot and headed goals) was made even better by another ice-cold penalty to become the first Chelsea player since Frank Lampard in 2010 to score four goals in a match of the Premier League. .
As everyone around him waxes lyrical and runs out of superlatives, you can be sure that Palmer won’t get carried away with all the emotion. The 21-year-old’s post-match interviews are often deadpan, as if he doesn’t quite understand what all the fuss is about. Maybe being so good, he’s just surprised that anyone is still amazed by the things he can do with a soccer ball.
“I think the first one was my favorite,” Palmer said in his classic style when asked which of his four goals he liked best.
Instead of going into great detail about why, the England international then downplayed the majestic lob perfect for him and Chelsea’s third as “a bit of a swinger” with his right foot. He may have fooled Everton’s beleaguered defenders during the 80 minutes he was on the pitch, but surely no one will fall for this attempt at self-deprecation.
The first goal certainly deserves far greater recognition and scrutiny than Palmer achieved. Not only was it Chelsea’s best goal of the campaign, but it surely has to be on the shortlist for this season’s Premier League goal. Palmer’s important contribution won public acclaim, but what elevates it to another level is the quality of the preparation that preceded it.
And then The Athletic is back to take another look at it in greater detail…
As the 12th minute approaches the end, Everton takes a throw-in in Chelsea’s half and striker Beto receives it with his chest.
But Chelsea captain Conor Gallagher wins possession, Moisés Caicedo passes it to Thiago Silva, who returns it for the first time to goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, who is in the six-yard box. It is from this non-threatening position that Palmer will beat Everton number one Jordan Pickford at the other end 20 seconds later.
As you can see below, the attacking move begins with Petrovic passing a simple ball to Malo Gusto. Everton’s trio of Beto, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil are trying to apply some pressure with a high press.
There isn’t much rhythm to Petrovic’s pass, but Gusto reacts calmly when McNeil closes it down and passes it to center back Trevoh Chalobah.
Chalobah plays a lovely first-time weighted ball between Doucoure and McNeil to Caicedo, who has found some space to run.
Everton’s James Garner sees the danger and tries to slide to win the ball, but Caicedo is too quick and sends it perfectly into the path of Gusto as the French international runs down the right flank. Such is the speed of the movement that Beto, Doucoure and McNeil are no longer in action.
Gusto advances into the Everton half and cuts inside Vitalii Mykolenko as Noni Madueke threatens to overlap. Palmer has moved away from his nearest marker, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Gusto finds him easily.
Branthwaite tries to regain possession, but Palmer sees it coming and shoots him after a silky touch with his left foot.
Branthwaite dives in desperation and manages to get his foot on the ball as Palmer continues his advance towards the Everton box, but the 21-year-old centre-back does not make enough contact to stop Chelsea’s top scorer.
Palmer continues to come under pressure from Amadou Onana, while Garner is also now in the frame after making a run from the Chelsea half. As both men threaten to make Palmer the meat of an awkward Everton sandwich, the Chelsea man produces an audacious backheel strike behind Onana towards team-mate Nicolas Jackson.
Everton centre-back James Tarkowski is concerned about the threat of Gusto and Madueke on the right flank and points his left back Mykolenko in their direction. But this distracts Mykolenko and himself for a crucial second, first allowing Jackson to make a beautiful return pass to Palmer with his left foot.
It also meant that while Palmer, who opened a two-yard gap between Onana and Garner, completes the wall, Tarkowski has a difficult time blocking any shot.
He lunges to his right as Palmer makes contact, but it’s too late. Palmer uses Tarkowski to get around him and into the bottom corner.
Everton manager Sean Dyche bemoaned his players’ lack of work rate and desire after the match, no doubt seeing the way they conceded this goal as an example of this. But he wouldn’t be the first opposing coach this season to have a plan to contain Palmer frustrated by the player’s movement and skill.
Chelsea haven’t had a player regularly stump teams since Eden Hazard left for Real Madrid in 2019. Here are some of Palmer’s impressive stats for 2023-24:
- 23 goals and 13 assists in 38 games for Chelsea
- The first Chelsea player since Diego Costa in 2016-17 to score 20 goals in the Premier League
- He equals Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot (both at 20)
- He is the first Chelsea player to score in seven consecutive Premier League home games.
- Since March 1, he has scored in England’s top flight as many times as the entire Liverpool squad (nine).
Naturally, Palmer made it all look very easy. And he added: “As an attacker, you always want to help the team with goals and assists, but my main objective was to play well and try to occupy positions to score goals.”
Job well done, Cole.
(Top photo: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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