After Chelsea’s 3-0 loss to Brighton on Friday night, Gary Neville blasted Cole Palmer and another Chelsea player. The Blues had already lost to the Seagulls the week before, but injuries forced manager Enzo Maresca to start a similar front four, with Noni Madueke being substituted early after taking a knock. If Maresca had hoped for a response from his team after their cup elimination, he would be devastated as his team put up a slack effort against a rampant Brighton team that outperformed their opponents that evening. Neville did not hold back when he expressed his opinion.
Neville Slams Palmer and Nkunku
The pundit says that their pair needed to step up amid Chelsea’s recent slump
The Sky Sports analyst focused on Palmer and colleague Christopher Nkunku after the final whistle, calling their performance “useless” and asserting that they must produce for Chelsea to improve their record:
“The top players on the team have an obligation to improve the team. Palmer and Nkunku are both outstanding players. They seemed so impoverished to me tonight. If you want to be a top player, you must accept responsibility.
“Palmer had to deliver for them. Additionally, Nkunku, who has been inconsistent since joining Chelsea, needs to take the initiative now. These two are incredibly gifted musicians. Win your team games, please. To be honest with you, I didn’t think they were useful together tonight.”
Both men had a poor performance; neither was able to put a shot on goal at the Amex or generate any other significant chances for his teammates. The difference between the two teams, according to Neville’s analysis, was that the hosts made runs in behind the defense while players like Palmer and Nkunku were too lazy and failed to extend the game. Their off-ball efforts were also subpar.
After the game, Maresca was unable to defend his team; according to the Daily Mail, the Italian called the performance the worst he has witnessed since taking over last summer.
“Especially at this point in the season, it is not the best performance we can provide. “We must remain united,” Maresca said.
“I’m sorry about the fans.We are still in fourth place and in the race to finish in Europe, but the performance was the worst since I arrived, so it is not the ideal time.
“We need to improve on a lot of things. We are still in a strong position and have a lot of games left. We must try our hardest to finish as best we can.
Improvements Needed For Chelsea’s European Hopes
The likes of Palmer and Nkunku will have a pivotal role in how Chelsea finish the season
Chelsea has only won two of their last nine Premier League games, dating back to December, as a result of the loss. In the early years of his tenure, when the Blues finally appeared to have stabilized for the first time during the Boehly/Clearlake ownership, Maresca’s hard work seems to have been undone.
But because of their bad play, they are currently behind Manchester City, who may pass them and knock them out of the top four if they defeat Newcastle on Saturday.
Being the overwhelming favorites in the Europa Conference League, it seems almost certain that the Blues will end the season with a trophy, but their domestic campaign is in danger of failing, and players like Palmer and Nkunku need to perform well in the upcoming weeks to keep that from happening.
The 2024 English Player of the Year has consistently been Chelsea’s top player since joining the team, so it may seem harsh to criticize him, but Friday’s loss was his longest run of the season without a goal contribution, going four Premier League games in a row. Nkunku may not be a natural number nine, but since Chelsea placed Joao Felix on loan to AC Milan, the Frenchman must fill that position while Nicolas Jackson is out.
Naturally, the Frenchman’s fitness is still a concern, but perhaps more concerning is the fact that, despite his clinical play in the Conference League, he has only won one league game this season when he has been included in the starting lineup. To lessen the impact of losing Jackson and keep the Stamford Bridge team from dropping even farther down the table, the Blues need more from him in the upcoming weeks. That is a harsh assessment of his failures.
