With the first defeat behind us, going into Chelsea, we ask, “Can Forest stop Cole Palmer?”
It’s not as if Chelsea are void of talent, it’s just that they currently have an individual who is arguably the best player in the Premier League.
And Nottingham Forest have to stop Cole Palmer before they can even consider getting anything out of this game.
The derisory comments surrounding Forest’s spending is nothing compared to Chelsea’s. The reason PSR exists in the first place is because of clubs like Chelsea that had the advantage of wealthy oligarchs or Saudi royalty prior to sustainability and profit rules.
Chelsea have been hoarding players with an obsessive-compulsive disorder and Cole Palmer is the hub of the team.
It’s not as simple as focusing on one player because Chelsea are a lot more than individual players. They are well-organised, they have good ideas, and they are tactically astute.
Cole Palmer is one in a £ billion.
When Forest returned to the Premier League, three seasons ago, the entire squad was worth circa £ 12 million.
As a comparison, Bournemouth and Fulham were promoted the same season as Forest with squads worth no less than £160 million.
Chelsea on the other hand broke the winter transfer record in 2022/23 when they signed eight players for £289 million, including a whopping £106 million for recent Copa America and 2022 World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez.
Other recently signed players of notoriety are Moisés Caciedo for £115 million (2023), Gambian-born international Nicholas Jackson for £32 million (2023), Noni Madueke for £28.5million, and Portuguese internationals Pedro Neto (£52million) and João Félix for £42million (2024). Yes, Chelseas could field two quality teams for this match and still have considerable options on the bench.
Chelsea are attempting to rival Dallas Cowboys with regards to sporting net worth and Microsoft with regards to world domination.
At the rate Chelsea is using its spending power, it will be playing itself in a league of its own by 2040.
With a squad worth circa £ 1 billion, it’s little wonder that they pose a threat to teams with an entire starting lineup that is worth less than three Chelsea players.
Posing a threat from midfield is VARchester United loanee reject, Jaden Sancho. Obviously, Chelsea can’t wait to trigger the purchasing clause to allow them to spend another £20million.
Sancho is cut from the same cloth as our very own MGW and Hudson-Odoi. Along with Phil Foden and Fulham’s Emile Smith Rowe, they were all part of Cooper’s successful England youth teams.
Chelsea are red hot at the moment and they seemingly score for fun. However, despite this array of opulence, it is Cole Palmer we are concerned with, especially following his latest performance.
Can Forest stop Cole Palmer if Morgan plays deeper?
Manchester City were happy to let Palmer leave for Chelsea for a reported £40 million – roughly the cost of Morgan Gibbs-White who is Forest’s record signing – and his home debut finished in a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. How unfortunate.
Since then, Cole Palmer has been outstanding and won last seaon’s Prem’s Young Player of the Year award and the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year.
Following four goals against Brighton last week, Cole Palmer is on top form and undoubtedly a dangerous and exciting talent.
He can score from anywhere and he can put a football on a washing line from forty yards. He spits his defence with his passing and his positional play puts him in space within a heartbeat.
It’s no wonder England fans were left disappointed with Palmer’s lack of minutes for England. Whenever Southgate threw him in – usually in sheer desperation – he looked a considerable threat and England fans were crying out for an earlier introduction.
Cole Palmer is Chelsea’s danger man amongst a £billion team of international talent with more players than a Gala Bingo night.
Chelsea’s squad is so valuable that economists are comparing the wealth with the potential cost of building a Dyson sphere or the hypothetical cost of constructing and arming a Death Star.
Forest can stop Cole Palmer with our midfield prior to any potential threat, and it may land on the shoulders of Forest’s England international, Morgan Gibbs-White, to be on form and take the emphasis to make a counter-attack, if and when we break Chelsea down.
MGW Vrs Cole Palmer
It’s an interesting comparison because MGW’s assists were better than Palmer’s last season but the biggest weakness for MGW is his finishing.
Morgan has scored only one goal so far this season and Cole Palmer has scored four goals in one game (hitting the post once) and he had four assists against Wolves, making his stats far more attractive than Morgan’s.
MGW admits he needs to work on his finishing and Cole Palmer is probably the creative midfield antithesis of Morgan when it comes to scoring goals, particularly following the aforementioned game against Brighton.
For this game, Morgan may have to slip into the midfield to make it a five-man line, even if it means playing a more defensive role that limits our attacking potential.
Can Forest stop Cole Palmer with Ryan?
One player who could upset Palmer is our very own Ryan Yates. We know he can wind players up but is he up to the task?
If Ryan is tasked with stopping the flow into the Chelsea attack, Ryan will have to concentrate and be at his sharpest. There will be no room for error. All Palmer needs is one opportunity.
Ryan won’t be able to be sloppy and certainly won’t be able to afford to give away freekicks in dangerous areas whilst receiving early yellow cards.
Can Forest stop Cole Palmer with our defence?
When you look at Forest’s back four, there aren’t many players you would swap. With Aina, Murillo, Milenković and Moreno, you would say that this is a top-class Premier League defence.
However, if Chelsea have breached our midfield it might be that Forest have to stop Cole Palmer with a solid back four.
Despite the faith I have in Forest’s defence, I think, considering his immense talent, it might be too late if Murillo or Milenković is faced with Palmer on the edge of the box.
Having said that, if anyone can deal with Palmer on a one-on-one, it’s Murillo.
Stop the Cross.
As touched upon, I think Palmer needs to be snuffed out earlier and maybe Yates will have to be the one to show a strong presence to stop Cole Palmer from delivering a cutting pass to Chelsea’s attackers.
If you can stop the cross or thwart a run from a deeper position, the threat that Cole Palmer poses may also help a counter-attack that utilises Forest’s creative element via Morgan becuase Chelsea arevulnerable at the back.
Can Forest stop Cole Palmer and prove me wrong?
The message may be that we have just got to stay in the game for 90 minutes.
I personally don’t think that Forest can stop Cole Palmer and the rest of the billionaire team.
Although Forest have started strong on the road and have great defensive stats, I don’t think it’s the right time for the Forest to play Chelsea and get something out of this game.
I sincerely hope it’s a close game – it certainly won’t be goalless – and I hope the game isn’t decided on a VAR decision and that Forest can stop Cole Palmer.
The margins are so fine for Forest and we need VAR to make better decisions for all the teams. It still amazes me that Forest didn’t back Wolves when the opportunity was there to scrap VAR, because Forest have been stamped on by the system.
Because of inept officials, Forest are perceived as the league’s complainer but it doesn’t help that Forest can’t score and don’t give enough distance between teams. If Fotrest were winning each game 3-0, the amount of poor decisions would be irrelevant and we would accept any errors as ‘part of the game’.
If Forest had already scored two goals before the Fulham penalty, we wouldn’t be so bitter. The lack of goals means that the emphasis is put upon the crap referring decisions.
With Chelsea being so hot right now and Cole Palmer’s form, I can see them overwhelming us before half-time.
It would be nice if we could put them under pressure and compete but I can just see Chelsea beating us about 3-NIL but if forest can stop Cole Palmer, Forest stand a chance of taking something from the Bridge again.
And that’s as positive as I can get about this one. I’m just trying to keep it real because Chelsea have so much talent and are at home after such a good performance against Brighton.
I’d take a point right now but I’d just like to see Forest be in the game and keep their concentration, making it an interesting challenge but not embarrassing ourselves.
COYR and prove me wrong
