England’s X-factor has ‘hill to climb’ – will Palmer go to World Cup?

Thomas Tuchel spent 58 minutes watching Cole Palmer serve up mouth-watering food for thought at Stamford Bridge while he ponders his World Cup squad.

England’s head coach took in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Everton last Saturday, watching Palmer deliver the sort of elite moment that earned him a spot in the Fifa Best men’s XI when it was named on Tuesday.

It was classic ‘Cold’ Palmer.

Chelsea broke Everton down after 21 minutes when Palmer collected Malo Gusto’s pass in his stride and then feinted, deceiving Jordan Pickford to send a left-foot finish one way as England’s keeper went the other.

Tuchel saw Palmer play for 58 minutes last weekend. The catch is that, as England head coach, he hasn’t seen much more of Palmer at international level – just 64 minutes in the World Cup qualifier win against Andorra in June.

A lingering groin problem meant that, against Everton, Palmer was making only his fourth Premier League start of the season, scoring his first goal since September. And in his absence, Tuchel’s options for the number 10 role have expanded.

Tuchel may have given a clue to his future thinking with the way he voted in that Fifa Best poll, placing England captain Harry Kane as top choice, followed by Palmer and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.

Palmer offers England the X-factor. But will he make their World Cup squad?

If Palmer was fit and firing, he would be at the forefront of Tuchel’s thoughts with his creativity and goal threat, having scored 39 times and provided 19 assists in 76 appearances for Chelsea.

He has, however, only played 290 minutes in the Premier League this season.

Palmer showed he was a big-stage player at Euro 2024, scoring England’s superb equaliser in the 2-1 final defeat by Spain, as well as setting up Ollie Watkins’ late winner against the Netherlands in the semi-final.

Instead, he has fallen down England’s pecking order through injury. Morgan Rogers has flourished to threaten Jude Bellingham’s starting place, with Phil Foden, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White also staking claims.

Tuchel has made it clear he will not select five number 10s in his squad, saying: “I don’t see how this will help us.”

Chelsea are continuing to manage Palmer’s groin injury, making it likely he will only play one game a week until March, when England face Uruguay and Japan in their final friendlies before Tuchel names his World Cup squad.

Former England defender Matthew Upson, a regular observer of Tuchel’s side as a BBC Radio 5 Live pundit, said: “Can he still make it? You can’t say no to that, but he has got a big hill to climb. It is a fair old ask. He needs a couple of things to go his way.

“He’s missed the last three camps. Tuchel has not had a feel for him and what he can do. He is running out of time massively.

“Percentage wise it’s a ‘no’ more than a ‘yes’. Is he going to get the time with Tuchel regardless of him getting back to be the main man with Chelsea?”

Former Chelsea and Scotland winger Pat Nevin delivered a more positive prognosis, saying: “He’s got plenty of time. This could work in his favour in a strange way.

“If Tuchel sees him coming into brilliant form towards the middle and end of the season, looking fit and playing well, he won’t care about anything other than that simple fact.

“Tuchel doesn’t care about the media, about what other people think, or about star names. He will pick people playing well, so I don’t think it’s panic stations for Palmer.”

Even if Palmer is fit, he must find a way past the intense competition Tuchel has fostered in his favoured position, with even Bellingham’s place questioned after he was left out of a recent squad.

Aston Villa’s Rogers has been the wildcard, winning Tuchel’s confidence while flourishing at club level, scoring five goals in 16 starts this season as they lie third in the Premier League.

“Rogers has really put the cat among the pigeons in that position,” says Upson. “He’s now popping up with big moments, big goals.

“This has been the unexpected hurdle maybe Palmer didn’t see coming six months ago. Rogers has been so good that Bellingham’s place is now a live topic of conversation.”

Rogers has started six of Tuchel’s 10 games, playing 531 minutes, scoring one goal. The only players who have played more minutes under the German are Kane, Pickford, Declan Rice and Ezri Konsa.

Upson added: “I saw Phil Foden score in Manchester City’s win at Crystal Palace. He was very good. He is maybe more consistent with his mentality. I think Tuchel likes that. He likes to know what he is getting from people.

“I think this is the healthiest thing that could happen to this squad. If you asked me to pick a position where somebody could come from the wilderness to throw down a marker for a starting position in the World Cup it would have been at 10.”

Nevin has no doubts.

“If Cole Palmer is fit, I would start him – and ahead of Bellingham. Bellingham’s a very fine player, but if you’re looking for a team dynamic that all works together, and maybe there is bias because I like his style of play, then I go for Palmer if he’s fit.

“I said this during Euro 2024. Bellingham scored goals but didn’t actually play that well. I would have picked Palmer.”

Palmer has figured in the wide positions, but Upson dismisses that notion.

He said: “I don’t like Palmer wide. He doesn’t stay wide. He comes inside, the same as Foden. We had this with Foden at Euro 2024. You play Foden or Palmer out on the left at your peril. It just makes the pitch smaller when England get the ball.”

Palmer’s languid style disguises a pressure-proofed temperament, as proved at Euro 2024.

Upson said: “One of his biggest assets, and this is absolutely not a derogatory remark, is that he doesn’t think. He just does what he does. He’s not going to tighten up.

“We saw the perfect example in the Euro 2024 final. He does it all naturally and that is very powerful in moments of high pressure, which England will endure at some point at the World Cup.

“I don’t know if there are many better than Palmer in that respect.”

Nevin insists no-one should be fooled by Palmer’s perceived casual style.

“There are plenty of different ways to play football,” he says. “Just because the veins in your forehead are not permanently popping out, or you’re not shaking your fist at people for 90 minutes, doesn’t mean you’re not fully engaged. You can still be cool and incredibly competitive.

“He looks like he just cruises along, but look at his numbers, his impact.

“Cole Palmer has got a bit of everything. He’s got brilliant dribbling ability. He’s amazing in tight spaces surrounded by two or three players, creating more space when there doesn’t seem to be any.

“At his very best, I think Palmer’s world class. He would definitely in my squad if all things are equal, then I’d be very tempted to start him.

“He just needs to put together a two or three-month period at his best, then I can’t imagine Tuchel not taking him.”