Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca insists Cole Palmer’s goal drought is down to a “mental” issue and nothing to do with him or his tactics.
Palmer has scored 39 goals in 84 appearances for Chelsea since his £42m move from Manchester City in the summer of 2023, and 14 under Maresca this term.
He’s failed to find the net in his last 11 Premier League games though amid suggestions that Maresca’s negative tactics are hampering the England international’s performances.
But Maresca told reporters ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Everton on Saturday though is adamant that the 22-year-old’s lack of goals is down to a “mental” issue.
Maresca told reporters: “For sure, it’s mental. I don’t think it’s tactical, I don’t think it’s technical, because Cole is still the same player who scored this season with us.
“The style of football we play is the same one. The manager is the same one. The club is the same one. So nothing changes around Cole and Cole doesn’t change.
“It’s just mentally at this moment. For sure, you can see that he is a little worried because he wants to help the team.”
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Chelsea will move back into the Champions League qualification spots with victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge, but having been in the top four for the majority of the season now face the very real prospect of missing out.
But Maresca insists the “improvement is clear” this season and the campaign would not be a “failure” even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
“Compared to the last two years, (the season) is not a failure,” said Maresca.
“How many times in the last two years have Chelsea been in the Champions League (places)? And this season we have been there almost all season. It’s an improvement or not? It’s already an improvement.”
“Compared to the last two years it’s quite clear there is an improvement. If you want to see it, you see it. If you don’t want to see it, you don’t see it. Depends in which way (you look). I see it.
“We have the obligation to bring this club to where it belongs. The results have been there. Me as a manager, the club, we all have ambition. I think we are in the right direction and hopefully we can be there very soon.”
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The Blues fans have voiced their frustration in recent weeks, with Maresca coming out swinging in press conferences in response to their boos, but the Italian says he “accepts” why they are “not happy”.
“I can understand (the frustration),” he added. “We are trying to keep them happy. I think the fans are the same as (in December) when they were singing that Chelsea is back and showing that they were happy.
“Now because we are not winning the same number of games as at the beginning, they are showing they’re not happy. In the way we accepted it when they were singing that Chelsea is back, we need to accept it now that they are not happy.”
