The 2023/24 domestic campaign has again not gone to plan for Chelsea, despite having a new manager in place in the shape of very experienced gaffer Mauricio Pochettino, and added to further eyewatering spending from the now newish owners in yet another summer transfer window, one of which was youngster Cole Palmer.
Having missed out on the riches of the varying European competitions this year, without an incredible and highly unexpected end to the current season, they are basically marooned down in eleventh place in the table and will have to manage their already highly controversial finances without European revenue again in the coming season. For those fans who like a small flutter, a betfair promo code nz, would probably give some good odds of that not happening given their form so far.
There have been a few highs across the year though, they reached the EFL Cup final, eventually losing out 1-0 to Liverpool with an incredibly late extra time goal when many felt it would be decided on penalties, and their FA Cup adventure also continues with an upcoming quarter final clash with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.
Fresh on the back of the Monday evening’s 3-2 victory on home soil over Newcastle United, there is undoubtedly one huge positive for them this year, and that has been the emergence and better than expected consistency from youngster Cole Palmer.
The 21 year old midfielder was a hot prospect as he came through Manchester City’s youth ranks, and whilst he did impress for them in his 13 starts, and 28 substitute showings (five goals scored) many felt that he had not quite done himself credit, so when Chelsea were prepared to pay £42.5 million for his services, there were certainly those who felt City had pulled off a cracking piece of business here.
But it only took the lad three to five games to really start showing his quality in their inconsistent side, and since adding a far greater goal threat to his game, he really has not looked back and the praise keeps on flowing in for the performances he is producing.
28 starts and five substitute showings later, in Monday’s game he scored his 13th goal of the season for them, and having picked up his first two senior England caps back in their November Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, most of the talk in the press is about whether or not he will now make Gareth Southgate’s squad for the full tournament, as he was in the stands for that game.
Whatever happens with the England question, he will quite easily be Chelsea’s Player of the Season come the summer, and he will definitely be one of the highlights of the entire year for those in their fan base, and they will no doubt be hoping that next season the rest of the team can live up to his performances and that they might have more to cheer about.
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