Pat Nevin has shared whether he would find room for Chelsea’s Cole Palmer in the England starting XI at this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament.
Fresh off a stunning debut year in Chelsea colours, Cole Palmer was included on Tuesday in Gareth Southgate’s provisional 33-man England squad. It will need to be cut down to 26 players by the start of the Euros competition, though.
Palmer, who’s just 22, is well deserving of his international recognition. The left-footed attacker scored 25 goals and made 15 assists in only 45 Chelsea appearances this campaign since joining from Manchester City last summer.
Pat Nevin delivers England verdict on Cole Palmer
BBC pundit Pat Nevin has made quite an interesting suggestion when discussing how England go about fitting as much of their attacking talent in the same starting line-up at the Euros in Germany.
He’s suggested that he would find room for Chelsea talisman and Young Player of the Season Palmer.
There could be a system that allows Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka to play in the same XI.
Nevin wrote in his BBC Football Extra newsletter (20 May): “I honestly think that England have to look at what Pep Guardiola did in the final game of the season against West Ham United. It was a 4-1-4-1, with [Erling] Haaland up top and [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Phil] Foden, [Bernardo] Silva and [Jeremy] Doku supporting. If they were considered light in the deeper midfield with ’only’ Rodri there, then one of the full backs was tasked to step in to help.
“… In short, I reckon England’s best chance to win the Euros is to go with Kane up front and four attacking players behind him with Declan Rice holding the midfield defensive fort.
”If you can get Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka all starting in the crucial games then not only can England win, they can win with style. Even if they do not win this time, Foden (23), Palmer (22), Bellingham (20) and Saka (22) have got at least five tournaments ahead of them when they should only improve.”
What is Cole Palmer’s best position?
Chelsea fans have enjoyed watching Palmer as either a right-winger or No 10 this campaign. Regardless of his actual starting position, he’s been a chief goal threat for his club side.
The Chelsea Chronicle would argue that the skilful playmaker is at his very best as a central No 10, operating in tight spaces between the lines.
Could the Blues youngster do a job on the left-wing, though?
As long as there’s a licence to drift centrally when in possession, Palmer’s got the ability and football intelligence to play anywhere in the final third.
How England’s front six could look with Pat Nevin’s advice
GK
RB CB CB LB
Rice
Saka Bellingham Foden Palmer
Kane
The talent in that front midfield/attack would surely earn the respect and fear of any national side competing at Euro 2024 this summer.
If you see the confidence that Palmer has when he steps on the football pitch right now, England would be wise to try exploit that despite his lack of experience at international level.