With just over three weeks until the start of the World Cup, some big questions remain for England. Many of America’s biggest names, including Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Mark Guehi and Declan Rice, are virtually guaranteed to get on the plane. For others, it will be a nervous wait to see if they have worked hard enough to pass.
Cole Palmer didn’t play a key role under Gareth Southgate after joining Chelsea, but he was included in the Euro squad two years ago. Going back to this point, his form has fallen off a cliff this season and a World Cup spot is by no means certain. He remains a shadow of his former self with nine goals and just one assist in the Premier League.
In his first two seasons at Chelsea, the 24-year-old scored 45 goals and provided 29 assists, establishing himself as one of the league’s most feared attackers.
But things can change quickly in football, and that has recently become painfully clear. Palmer hasn’t scored for the Blues in over two months, his last goal coming against Aston Villa in early March.
He has not been able to regain his once prolific form after suffering injuries, raising questions as to whether he really deserves a place in the World Cup squad.
Palmer was nowhere to be seen in the FA Cup final as Chelsea narrowly lost to Manchester City. Such a flat performance on such a big stage doesn’t exactly suggest he will be a game-changer for England in the greatest tournament in football history.
But some would argue that Palmer is capable of running the show at his best. He scored in the Euro final two years ago and gave them an added edge when he was left off the bench in the knockout stages.
There’s no denying that the full-throttle Palmer is one of the country’s best attacking midfielders, but it remains to be seen whether manager Thomas Tuchel trusts him enough to perform under pressure at the World Cup.
Ultimately, he must choose the player he believes will give England the best chance of winning the tournament for the first time since 1966.
It will be up to Tuchel alone to decide whether Palmer is up to the challenge. In any case, whatever his decision is, it will surely be a topic of conversation when the final squad is announced later this month.
