Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior has delivered a fitness update on Cole Palmer, hailing the midfielder's "scary good" return to action in the Blues' crucial Champions League victory over Napoli. The 3-2 win in Italy secured a top-eight finish in the group stage, with Palmer playing a decisive role off the bench.
Palmer's Pivotal Impact from the Bench
Despite starting the match on the sidelines, Cole Palmer's introduction at half-time proved instrumental in Chelsea's comeback. The England international provided two assists for Joao Pedro, who scored a brace of excellent strikes to fire the Blues to a memorable away win. This performance marked a highly encouraging return for Palmer, who had missed recent fixtures due to injury.
Rosenior explained the decision to bench Palmer, stating unequivocally that the player was not ready to start. "There was no way that Cole could have started this game and played through to 60, 70, 80 minutes," said the Chelsea boss. "So I knew Napoli had had a difficult time with injuries. I felt that later in the game we would be stronger and I felt Cole's performance was magnificent."
Rosenior's Praise for Palmer's All-Round Display
The Chelsea manager emphasised that Palmer's contribution extended beyond his creative quality. "Not just his quality, his pressing, his running for the team," Rosenior noted. "We need to look after him. He's had so many games over a long period of time. We need to look after him and I think the way that he's managed himself in the last two weeks has been magnificent and hopefully we can now see the best of him now that he's fully fit."
When asked if Palmer's immediate impact after limited game time was a "scary" prospect, Rosenior responded with enthusiasm. "Yes, scary good," he declared. However, he was quick to highlight the collective effort of the team, praising several other players who made significant contributions.
Collective Mentality and Tactical Adjustments
Rosenior pointed to the tactical changes that helped Chelsea overcome a difficult first half, during which Napoli took the lead through goals from Antonio Vergara and Rasmus Hojlund, after Enzo Fernandez had put the Blues ahead with a 19th-minute penalty. "I thought Andrey Santos actually had a very good game but we needed to go for the win," Rosenior explained. "When Enzo moved back into the No.6 role, he started to really dominate and control the game with Moi Caicedo."
The manager also commended substitutes Jamie Gittens and Ale Garnacho for their roles, but emphasised that the most pleasing aspect was "the collective mentality of the group to have a positive reaction to a difficult first half."
Rosenior's Delight with Chelsea's Progress
The victory marked Rosenior's fifth win in his first six games in charge of Chelsea, and he expressed delight with how his players have responded to his methods. "I think to get through in this competition is the most important thing, so I'm delighted to do it," he said. "In this way, in terms of our season, in terms of my time on the pitch with the players, that's going to help us so much."
Rosenior acknowledged the challenges of implementing new tactics quickly, stating: "I had no time. It's not an excuse, it's a fact. And I'm asking the players, and I'm so proud of them, even in the first half, I'm asking them to press in a completely different way that they've never done before and hardly had any practice at."
Looking ahead, the Chelsea boss emphasised the importance of continued improvement. "So that time over the next few weeks will help us get better and improve, but we still need to win games in this moment," he concluded, underscoring the balance between development and results as Chelsea progress in the Champions League.
