Cole Palmer's Absence Leaves Chelsea Toothless in Brentford Stalemate
Resting star man Cole Palmer proved costly for Enzo Maresca, as a sluggish Chelsea failed to spark in a 0-0 draw at Brentford, damaging their Champions League hopes.
Original Source
The Times
Written by
Craig 'Tosh' McKinnon
Chelsea’s decision to bench Cole Palmer for the first time in over a year backfired as they laboured to a lifeless goalless draw at Brentford. Enzo Maresca cited fixture congestion for the rotation, but the Blues lacked any attacking verve without Palmer and were second-best for much of the game. Nicolas Jackson and Palmer’s introductions in the second half provided a temporary lift, but Robert Sánchez had to bail Chelsea out late on. With four of the top seven still to play, the result adds pressure to Chelsea’s already fragile Champions League pursuit.
- Palmer rested: Cole Palmer was benched in a Premier League game for the first time since December 2023 and Chelsea lacked creativity in his absence.
- Maresca’s gamble fails: Five changes from the Spurs win disrupted momentum; Jackson, Palmer and Neto were only introduced after the break.
- Lacklustre attack: Christopher Nkunku was ineffective leading the line and was replaced at half-time after a quiet performance.
- Fan frustration: Chelsea’s passive first-half display prompted chants of “attack, attack, attack” and sarcastic cheers for a single shot.
- Brentford’s threat: The hosts created better chances late on, with Van den Berg and Wissa both spurning headed opportunities.
- Sánchez’s mixed bag: The goalkeeper’s erratic distribution alarmed fans, but he made key saves to preserve the point.
- Top-four pressure: Chelsea remain winless in eight league away games and now face a daunting run-in against several top sides.
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Getty
Written by
Craig 'Tosh' McKinnon
Co-founder of The1905Club. A life long Chelsea fan and season ticket holder for over twenty years. Now residing in Poland, this doesn't stop Tosh from watching every minute of every game.
