Chelsea attacker Cole Palmer has been struggling with form this season due to injuries.
His struggles continued during the break while on international duty for England.
Palmer started for England against Japan last night and looked out of sorts. He gave the ball away in midfield for Japan’s winner, compounding a miserable outing.
He failed to complete a dribble, lost the ball 13 times, and won only two of his five ground duels.
Palmer was hesitant and constantly made poor choices in the final third, leading to him losing possession.
He is fighting to book his spot at the 2026 World Cup, but failed this audition in front of former Chelsea boss and current England manager Thomas Tuchel.
The Daily Mail gave him a 4.5/10 rating for his performance, saying that he looks ‘way short of confidence and rhythm’.
The Blues can afford to be patient with Palmer. There is still trust in his talent, and Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior can let him rediscover his rhythm in a familiar environment.
His performances over the past two seasons have earned him enough credit in the bank. However, international football is far less forgiving.
With England’s attacking depth, opportunities are scarce, and competition is ruthless.
One or two poor performances can quickly push a player down the pecking order, especially under Tuchel, who wants efficiency and control in the final third.
Palmer is no longer the exciting outsider. He is now being judged on output and influence.
If he doesn’t improve soon, he risks being overtaken by more in-form options and the 2026 World Cup plane may leave without him.
