Cole Palmer told he 'keeps disappearing in big games' by Chelsea legend
Cole Palmer has not been at his best in 2025, scoring just three goals for Chelsea, and former Blues star John Obi Mikel is "worried" about the fact the No.10 "disappears in games"
Chelsea star Cole Palmer has been accused of disappearing in games following his side's 3-1 defeat to Flamengo at the Club World Cup. Palmer enjoyed an outstanding debut season at Stamford Bridge, netting 25 goals and providing 15 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.
He then followed that up with 15 goals and 12 assists in 46 games last season, with his output dropping off massively towards the end of the campaign as Palmer managed just three goals in 2025.
And former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, who won ten major trophies during his time at the club, says he is "worried" about Palmer's tendency to disappear in matches. Speaking after another quiet showing against Flamengo, Mikel told DAZN: "It is a bit worrying.
"Cole is a fantastic player, everything goes through him but sometimes he disappears in games where you don't see him and that has happened again. But he needs to know that he is now a marked man.
"You will play against teams and they will know if you take out Cole Palmer, you can nullify the way they play. So he needs to find a different way. Maybe the manager needs to help him in terms of navigating games and opponents.
"Maybe try to free him, give him more space. If he plays well, we play well, so I hope the combination between him and [Liam] Delap will get better. So [I am] a little bit worried but Cole is a fantastic player and will hopefully continue to develop."
Chelsea began their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over LAFC, but were beaten by Flamengo after they staged a second-half comeback. Pedro Neto had given Chelsea an early lead, but goals from Bruno Henrique and Danilo turned the game on its head.
Things then got even worse as Nicolas Jackson was sent off for a poor challenge on Lucas just minutes after he was introduced by manager Enzo Maresca. A third goal from Wallace Yan wrapped up the victory for Flamengo and Jackson issued an apology after the game.
"I want to say sorry," he wrote on Instagram. "To the club, the staff, my teammates, and all the fans watching, I let you down. Another red card... and honestly, I'm so angry at myself. I work hard every day to help the team not to put us in this kind of situation.
"I still don't fully understand how it happened. But one thing is clear: it wasn't intentional. Just a football moment that went the wrong way. No excuses. I take full responsibility. I'll reflect, I'll grow, and I'll come back stronger for the badge and for everyone who believes in me. Sorry. Sorry."
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
'Jackson needs to go' - your thoughts on Chelsea's defeat
We asked for your views on Chelsea's performance following their 3-1 defeat by Flamengo at the Club World are some of your comments:Kim: Another game when the manager plays players out of position and wonders why it doesn't flow. As for Jackson, he's just not up to this Poor performance all round. Seemed that there was a lack of any strategy going forward. Sanchez worried me every time he had the ball at his feet. Good shot-stopper but not at all comfortable when he has time to think. Jackson an absolute disgrace - too prone to doing something stupid and letting the team First and foremost, Jackson needs to go. He is a liability to the club. Secondly, something seriously needs to be sorted out with the defence. It's an absolute shambles. Thirdly, what is the point of only playing James for 50% of each match when he is clearly making an impact on the match. And lastly, how much longer are the owners going to put up with Maresca's inability to read the game and act accordingly?Steve: Can't see what all the fuss is about. Chelsea are virtually on their holidays after a long season. Flamengo are midway through their season playing in a climate they enjoy. If the roles were reversed and the tournament was being played in favour of the European teams, then we'd see different After a good first half, we lost our way in the second half. Our opponents appeared to be more motivated and took their opportunities well. Perhaps it's a case of one tournament too many. Having already played a full season, the players need a An inept, dreadful performance against a spirited Flamengo side who were made to look good by Chelsea's performance. Jackson needs a good long spell out of the team.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea star gives damning response to Jackson red card - "He needs to improve"
Chelsea were beaten in their Club World Cup clash against Flamengo as they ended with ten men after Nicolas Jackson received a second red card in as many months Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson has been told he needs to "improve a little bit with these kinds of things" by team-mate Marc Cucurella after being shown a red card within four minutes of his introduction as the Blues were beaten by Flamengo in the Club World Cup. The Chelsea frontman came off the bench in Philadelphia but only last four minutes before he was given his marching orders. The Senegalese star recklessly planted his studs on Ayrton Lucas' shin just after his side had gone down 2-1, making their task even harder. It is the second time in a matter of weeks that Jackson was red carded. He was sent-off at Newcastle back in May as the west Londoners fell to a 2-0 loss and his moment of madness against cost his team again, as they eventually lost 3-1 to their Brazilian opponents. Jackson's antics have drawn criticism from all quarters and Cucurella has admitted that the 24-year-old needs to address the issue in his game. The Spaniard said: "It is a bit of bad luck. He tried to put his foot in to kick the ball but he kicked the player's leg. That's it. We now miss him for the next game. He is a young player with a lot of quality and maybe he needs to improve this." Cucurella confirmed that Jackson, who was described as a "very important player for us", stood up and apologised to the group in the aftermath of the loss with the forward taking to social media and issuing a statement where he said there were "no excuses". "I want to say sorry. To the club, the staff, my teammates, and all the fans watching, I let you down," it read. "Another red card… And honestly, I'm so angry at myself. I work hard every day to help the team not to put us in this kind of situation. I still don't fully understand how it happened. But one thing is clear: it wasn't intentional. Just a moment in football that went the wrong way." Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca refused to dwell too much on the situation as he said: "It was a red card, so nothing to say." Jackson's moment of madness does open the door for new signing Liam Delap to further stake his claim. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel blasted Jackson for his red-card challenge as he said on DAZN: "Unbelievable. Stupid, stupid, stupid mistake. I don't know what's going through his head. You come into the game, you're 2-1 down, your team needs you, and you do that. "He did it in the important Premier League game against Newcastle, when we needed to win to qualify for the Champions League places, and he has done it again. You can't keep making mistakes." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Thunderstruck: After heat, Club World Cup weathers storms and threat of lightning
June 21 (Reuters) - From stifling heat to thunderstorms, the Club World Cup has been at the mercy of the extremes of the American summer, with the threat of lightning now forcing players to retreat to the tunnels while fans seek shelter as matches are suddenly halted. While soaring temperatures and oppressive humidity initially fuelled concerns among players and fans, it is the crackling skies and pouring rain that have emerged as the tournament's most disruptive forces. Friday's match in Orlando between Benfica and Auckland City was suspended after halftime for nearly two hours due to a lightning storm in the area. At the same venue on Tuesday, fans had barely settled into their seats when the referee ordered Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns to return to the dressing rooms, with the match delayed for more than an hour due to the threat of lightning. Cincinnati witnessed an even longer interruption when a severe thunderstorm suspended Red Bull Salzburg's clash with Pachuca for more than 90 minutes. Palmeiras and Al Ahly saw their contest in New Jersey halted for 50 minutes due to lightning near MetLife Stadium. "Your attention please. For your safety, we are going to have everyone leave the Seating Bowl area and take shelter inside the stadium because of severe weather in the area," said a safety message flashed on the big screens in the arena. "Event staff are available to guide and assist you. Those on the field, please walk calmly to the nearest tunnel... or to the service corridor." Heavy rain is often the X-factor for the home side on a cold, wet night in Stoke -- which lends itself to the famous English soccer cliche -- but the same cannot be said in the United States. According to the country's National Weather Service (NWS), 75% of lightning-related deaths in the last decade occurred from June to August. Meteorological challenges are nothing new but with the combination of sweltering humidity followed by electrical storms, the simple yet stark warning from the NWS rings particularly true -- "When thunder roars, go indoors!" Tournament organisers FIFA have weather protocols in place to ensure the safety of those on the pitch and in the stands. If there is lightning within 10 miles (16.09 km) of the stadium, an automatic match suspension is triggered. The match director is informed, who in turn asks the referee to stop play. The storm is monitored before players are called back out, with the warm-up time before the restart dictated by the time they spent off the pitch. Fans are also asked to leave the stands and find shelter in the concourse, with one source saying the stadiums had the capacity to keep them inside until the storm passed.
