Chelsea have a “joke of a footballer” and he’s now just “like Cole Palmer”

It’s incredible just how quickly the mood around a football club can change, and Chelsea are a perfect example.

Less than a month ago, the Blues were coming off their third defeat in four games, and as a result, the club had to publicly back the manager.

Yet today, after three wins on the bounce against Benfica, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, there is a renewed sense of optimisim that Enzo Maresca’s side will be near the very top of the Premier League table come the end of the season.

What makes this turnaround even more impressive is that it’s come without the talismanic Cole Palmer. However, the manager does have another star in his team, whom he has compared to the former Manchester City gem.

How Chelsea have coped without Palmer

Palmer was forced off just 21 minutes into the defeat to Manchester United last month, has missed the previous three games and will be out for another six weeks.

However, while Chelsea lost to Brighton & Hove Albion, largely thanks to Trevoh Chalobah’s red card, they have come out on top against Arne Slot’s Reds and the Tricky Trees without the sensational Englishman in the side.

Now, that isn’t to say the Blues are better without him – they are not – but it does show that, unlike some other sides, the West Londoners are capable of putting in good performances without their talisman.

For example, against the defending champions, the Pensioners opted to stick with Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto on the wings, with Enzo Fernández down the middle, and were still able to create chances.

Moreover, when the former Wolverhampton Wanderers’ star came off in the 75th minute, Maresca opted to throw on the young and hugely exciting Estevao, who was able to slot home the winner late on.

Interestingly, instead of keeping the 18-year-old in the starting lineup, the manager opted to start Neto at the City Ground, and what a decision that turned out to be.

In his 78 minutes of action, the Portuguese international was a constant threat. Although he lacked that final delivery in the first half, he provided an assist early into the second and then scored a free-kick to ensure his side collected all three points.

It was a comprehensive performance from Chelsea, and one that showed they can cope without Palmer when it really comes down to it.

With that said, Marsca did start another player whom he has compared to the Englishman.

Chelsea’s star who is like Palmer

Given the quality of young players in Chelsea’s squad today, like Estevao, you could argue that several of them could become Palmer-type players.

However, a player you might see as being all that comparable to the talismanic attack is Reece James.

However, it was after the Conference League final last season that Maresca claimed that “for us, he is like Cole Palmer.”

There were two reasons the Argentine made this comparison, and the first is that he sometimes needs his minutes managed due to injuries and fitness.

However, the second and far more important point of comparison is just how undeniably important the two players are to the West Londoners.

After all, the defender might not be as involved when it comes to goals and assists, and therefore doesn’t get the same recognition outside the club, but he is a core leader, he is the captain.

Moreover, while he’s not as prolific as his compatriot, he is still more than capable of chipping in with goals and assists.

For example, he has already provided two assists this season, and scored his first goal of the campaign against Forest on the weekend.

Finally, his underlying numbers more than back up the idea of him being one of the best full-backs in the world.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for through balls, the top 3% for passes into the final third, the top 5% for passes completed and aerials won, the top 9% for interceptions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, it might not seem like an immediately obvious comparison to make, but when you think about how important he is to Chelsea, James really is like Palmer.