Mauricio Pochettino has challenged Chelsea to prove that they are not “Cole Palmer Football Club” should they have to take on Arsenal on Tuesday without their player of the season.
Palmer, who has been Chelsea’s main source of goals and creativity since joining from Manchester City last September, is a doubt for the trip to the Emirates Stadium because of illness. But instead of worrying about whether his young side are capable of beating Arsenal without their best forward, Pochettino wants the rest of his players to show that they are not dependent on the 21-year-old.
“It is a good challenge in case Palmer is not available,” Chelsea’s head coach said. “It’s a good challenge for the teammates. If I am a teammate of Cole Palmer in his position or a similar position, I am going to be motivated to go there tomorrow and show this is Chelsea Football Club, not Cole Palmer Football Club.”
Palmer has left others in the shade for much of the campaign and there were hints of tension when Chelsea beat Everton 6-0 last week. Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson were criticised for trying to snatch a penalty off Palmer. But Pochettino denied that some of his players are jealous of Palmer’s success. “No, it is a good example for them – why is he doing so well and why are they not capable to do the same,” the Argentinian said. “It is a good challenge. They are not jealous. They only want the same pill we provide Palmer! It’s a joke! They ask, ‘What you are doing for Palmer, we want the same.’”
Pochettino, whose side need to bounce back from their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester City on Saturday, has not decided on who will take penalties if Palmer is out. “I will decide when I pick the starting XI but we have players like Noni Madueke, [Conor] Gallagher, [Enzo] Fernández or even Jackson that can shoot,” he said. “It will depend. Of course, there is [Mykhailo] Mudryk.”
Pochettino said that he does not need to talk to Moisés Caicedo about his on-field discipline. The £115m midfielder was lucky not to be sent off against City for a challenge that forced off Jack Grealish. Caicedo, who has been booked 12 times this season, has been involved in similar incidents with Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon.
“In these situations he was a little bit more anxious or nervous about performing, to maybe push himself to go to the edge,” Pochettino said. “Now it is much better. He is more calm, relaxed, and we are happy.
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“When you are a holding midfielder you need to defend, you are more involved in actions where maybe sometimes you need to be more aggressive. Sometimes you are on the edge.”