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Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has called out Cole Palmer for going missing during large periods of games. He has urged the Englishman to find a way to deliver in big moments.
Speaking on DAZN after Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Flamengo at the Club World Cup (June 20), Mikel called for Enzo Maresca to help Palmer navigate certain situations better. He also hoped the former Manchester City star would improve his link-up play with new signing Liam Delap. Mikel said (via METRO):
"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."
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"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 took the lead in the Club World Cup clash against Flamengo after Pedro Neto (13') scored the lone goal of the first half. However, the Brazilian side roared back in the second half to seal a stunning 3-1 win.
"This is the Cole that we expect" - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca spoke about Cole Palmer earlier this week and said he was happy that the Englishman was taking responsibility on the pitch. The Italian said (via ESPN):
"I had a conversation with Cole [today] and I said to him that I really like the way he was in terms of taking responsibility, taking the initiative on the ball. He was trying even on our side to receive the ball, trying to go one versus one against the player. This is the Cole that we expect."
Chelsea take on Tunisian champions ES Tunis in a winner-take-all final group stage clash on Tuesday, June 24. The winner will join Flamengo in the Round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup.
