Palmer joined the club as a winger but operated as a false nine in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal last week. Against Brentford he switched again to a number 10 behind Nicolas Jackson to fill the gap left by Enzo Fernandez’s injury. Palmer may even have given Pochettino a dilemma as he was one of the few silver linings at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Crouch was one of many dazzled by Palmer’s performance in a central role, as he created countless opportunities but his team-mates were unable to put them away. During the defeat, the England Under-21 international was singled out and even likened to legendary playmaker Ozil.
“It’s also the weight of his passes, no matter where he is on the pitch,” Crouch told TNT Sports at half-time. “For someone so young, you see him directing players around the pitch, he’s got a great left foot. I’ve said it before, but he reminds me of a young Mesut Ozil, he’s dropping back, trying to find passes with that left foot, he’s a technician. By far he’s been the best player on the pitch.”
Ozil was seen as one of the best playmakers to grace the pitch during his time with Real Madrid, Arsenal and Germany before retiring earlier this year. Palmer has made only a handful of appearances since joining Chelsea but has stamped his authority on the team already, scoring from the penalty spot in his two previous games against Arsenal and Burnley.
Blues hero Joe Cole was similarly impressed as the Ozil-esque Palmer took the initiative and dictated play against Brentford, with Pochettino hoping that there is plenty more to come from the 21-year-old.
“He always seems to be playing at his own pace, and his ability to recognise when the runners are going, [Noni] Madueke and [Raheem] Sterling, is great,” Cole added.
“It’s really and truly difficult for a 21-year-old to come into this Chelsea side that has been struggling and be the one to say ‘Alright lads, we need to pick this up’. He operates predominantly in between the lines, and I think he’s quickly becoming a leader in this team.
“Cole Palmer though has been fantastic, he looks like a player that’s been unaffected by what’s happened here over the past 12-18 months. He was a bright spark in an average performance so far, he just picks the right pass constantly.”
