A key factor linking Chelsea’s rise in the title race to Manchester City’s recent challenges is Cole Palmer.

City’s roster is aging, highlighting the urgent need for a world-class young talent to rejuvenate their play.

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The player that City should have held onto is Cole Palmer.

In contrast, Chelsea has evolved from a disorganized club into one that urgently needed a leader to unite its squad.

And that leader is Cole Palmer.

Pep Guardiola’s decision to allow Palmer to join Chelsea was questionable even last season, during which City secured their fourth consecutive title while the young Mancunian shone in a struggling Chelsea outfit.

Now, with Palmer emerging as a critical player in a flourishing Chelsea team and City facing a crisis—managing only one win out of their last nine matches—this choice is proving to be a mistake.

Notably, the absence of Rodri due to injury has influenced this downturn. Yet, City’s dramatic dip can’t be solely pinned on the loss of the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder.

This week, executives at Etihad have been celebrating the tenth anniversary of their City Football Academy, which boasts the “production of 40 players for the men’s first team and generating transfer fees of up to £300 million.”

They also take pride in having “seven Premier League clubs and 12 Championship teams currently featuring a player developed at the CFA.”

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Football Free Bets and Sign Up Deals

This is praiseworthy unless we recall that Palmer, one of just two world-class talents from the CFA—alongside Phil Foden—is thriving at a club currently ahead of City in the league.

For an initial fee of £40m, which now seems like a real steal.

Such oversights are common in football, but they usually occur with Chelsea rather than Guardiola’s squads.

Take a look at Chelsea’s main rivals, and you’ll find Kevin De Bruyne, sold by Chelsea at 22, who has become City’s standout player for several seasons.

You also have Mo Salah, sold by Chelsea at 23, who has long been Liverpool’s top player.

Additionally, Declan Rice, turned down by Chelsea at 14, is now a central figure for Arsenal at £105million.

During Jose Mourinho’s time at Chelsea, he didn’t overlook De Bruyne or Salah but deemed them unprepared for his first team and certainly not future stars.

Likewise, City misjudged Palmer, who I felt deserved the Footballer of the Year award over City’s Foden, who received the honor merely because it’s perceived as more important to shine in a dominant team than to be exceptional in a struggling one.

Guardiola regarded Palmer highly, keeping him close while other City prospects were sent on loan, providing him with first-team chances and promoting patience at City, similar to Foden’s journey.

By the last summer, Palmer was 21 and ready to emerge as a major Premier League talent.

Guardiola reassured him of more playing time, and expectations were elevated after Palmer showcased his skills with a stunning goal at Wembley in the Community Shield against Arsenal and another in the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla.

However, soon after, City decided to invest £55.5m in Jeremy Doku, who, while not a direct alternative to Palmer, was another exciting attacker of the same age they valued more financially.

This transfer took Palmer and his team by surprise, marking the turning point that led to his decision to move on.

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Guardiola intended to keep him but understood that compelling a player to stay against their wishes was not sensible, particularly given Palmer’s realization that his opportunities in the first team would still be restricted at City last season.

Furthermore, the signing of Doku demanded City adhere to the challenging Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.

Doku is a solid talent—a promising winger who may develop further but currently lacks consistent finishing and often finds himself warming the bench.

He certainly does not reach Palmer’s level, who not only scored two penalties but also delivered a brilliant assist, leading Chelsea to a crucial comeback against Spurs, bringing them closer to league leaders Liverpool.

After the 4-3 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Chelsea’s manager Enzo Maresca—who had previously guided Palmer in City’s academy—heaped praise on his star player.

Notably intriguing was Maresca’s revelation that Palmer, who has successfully converted all 12 penalties in the Premier League, does not actually practice them.

This notion of refraining from practicing penalties is astonishing in today’s landscape.
Previous failures in shootouts for England were attributed to insufficient penalty preparation. Yet, under Gareth Southgate, they began rigorous practice and subsequently started winning shootouts.

However, according to Maresca, Palmer is “not normal.” He possesses a talent and composure that transcend the ordinary.
Most players engage in practice to enhance their abilities. Even those exceptionally skilled undergo practice to improve.

The truly elite, endowed with remarkable talent and spontaneous brilliance, operate in a league of their own.

Interestingly, Guardiola—a recognized genius—failed to recognize the genius embodied by Palmer during his tenure at City.
This divergence is what sets Manchester City apart from Chelsea.

Ashworth’s painful departure

NUMEROUS successful business figures have ventured into the realm of football only to stumble, yet Sir Jim Ratcliffe is taking this trend to new lows.

As the most accomplished businessman in England, Ratcliffe has entered Manchester United—England’s foremost football club—and within a year, has created a complete fiasco.

The decision made in the summer to grant Erik ten Hag a new contract and substantial influence over transfer decisions, only to dismiss him after just nine games this season, stands as a significant embarrassment.

Now, the exit of Dan Ashworth—the globally recognized sporting director poached from wealth-laden Newcastle United less than six months into his tenure—is genuinely excruciating.

Ashworth has a remarkable history of successfully appointing managers, including Gareth Southgate with England, Graham Potter at Brighton, and Eddie Howe at Newcastle.

Yet it appears Ratcliffe completely dismissed Ashworth’s guidance in deciding on Ruben Amorim.

Whether Amorim will succeed remains uncertain.

Ratcliffe’s blunders concerning Ten Hag and Ashworth have reportedly cost United approximately £25 million.

The billionaire Ineos chief is currently scrambling to recuperate some of that loss by charging fans £66 to attend matches and laying off multiple dedicated club staff.

A classic example of capitalism in action!

The ‘Smallest’ clubs outperforming the giants

THIS summer, Bournemouth offloaded their star player, Dominic Solanke. Brentford parted with their prolific scorer, Ivan Toney. Meanwhile, Fulham capitalized on the sale of their top player, Joao Palhinha.

Nevertheless, all three clubs—arguably the three youngest in the Premier League—have thrived and currently sit in the top half of the table, looking down on wealthier rivals.

Significant credit goes to managers Andoni Iraola, Thomas Frank, and Marco Silva.

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Chelsea’s new PR strategy with Chesterfield

FOOTBALL clubs don’t strictly need pricey PR consultants.

Winning football games usually leads to positive press. In contrast, losing creates negative coverage.

Nonetheless, Chelsea seems set to employ a prominent public relations expert, Nerissa Chesterfield, who previously handled communications during Rishi Sunak’s administration. We all recall how that turned out.

Perhaps she can help manage Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’ dismissals. To Rwanda, perhaps?

Leveraging set-piece strategies

LET’S not fault Arsenal for relying on set-piece goals.

If it was deemed acceptable for Stoke City, then it should be perfectly acceptable for the critics in Stoke Newington.

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