S Poddar
Enzo Maresca might have a few reasons or two to complain about the leadership at Chelsea, but one player has been consistently proven to be instrumental in helping this team win. Cole Palmer did it again, netting his seventh of the season and helping Chelsea carry on their climb as they drew Newcastle for the fifth game in a row.
Chelsea, even if they could not dominate the game as the demanding coach wanted them to, at least have Palmer to swing games around for them on their heads. His extraordinary contribution in the buildup of the opening goal by Nicolas Jackson proved again how he influences the game. A response to that one at Anfield was badly needed; with some luck thrown in there, they worked their way to climb a point above Aston Villa well.
The biggest missed opportunity was by Alexander Isak, who rounded Robert Sánchez but could not finish. It just highlighted the continued Newcastle’s struggle. The patience of Eddie Howe is wearing thin as the team continues to search for form. Newcastle did manage some chances but were often disrupted by Chelsea’s intensity and Palmer’s class.
Palmer’s early goal, a scuffed effort after a fine assist from Jackson, set the tone for the game. Although VAR intervened to disallow the goal due to a marginal offside, it was a sign of things to come. Chelsea’s second goal was a thing of beauty, orchestrated by Palmer’s visionary pass from the halfway line. Tino Livramento was left in the dust, and Pedro Neto’s clever play set up Jackson for a simple finish.
Maresca heaped praise on Palmer, comparing him to the legendary Gianfranco Zola. He has quality and can do magic on the pitch.
Newcastle did level matters with a well-worked goal finished by Isak, but Chelsea were soon back in front. Palmer scored his second of the match with a clinical finish from the edge of the box.
While Chelsea was good going forward, they mostly did not know how to play the game. The reason for this was chaos everywhere. Maresca has also been frustrated with Chelsea’s chaotic style of play. He believes that Chelsea needs calmness and composure, reminding them that their opponents may easily take advantage of this reckless approach.
