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Cole Palmer’s Goalless Run: A Mental Challenge, Says Maresca
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer’s ongoing difficulties on the field have been attributed to mental factors, according to head coach Enzo Maresca.
The 22-year-old England international has encountered a notable slump, failing to score in his last 16 matches after an impressive start where he found the net 14 times in his first 23 games this season.
This drought has coincided with Chelsea’s decline in the league standings, dropping from second to sixth place and out of Champions League contention.
Despite his goalless streak, Palmer has maintained a high level of activity, registering 41 shots—more than any other player in the Premier League during this period.
Maresca emphasized the psychological nature of Palmer’s challenges, stating, “For sure it’s a mental thing, it’s not tactical or technical.” He added, “Cole is still the player who scored 14 goals in 20 games. The style is the same, the manager is the same, the club is the same. Nothing has changed around Cole. It’s just mentally in this moment.”
The head coach noted, “You can see he’s a little bit worried because he wants to help the team. You can see he’s struggling a bit on that. But he showed how happy he was after Fulham. It’s just a matter of whether we can win games. For sure he’s going to score goals.”
Maresca further analyzed Palmer’s performance, indicating the presence of opportunities, stating, “If you go back game by game, he had at least every game one or two chances, so it’s not about how the team is playing.”
Source
www.bbc.com