Against Finland on Sunday evening, Chelsea star Cole Palmer earned his ninth cap for England, two of which have come during Lee Carsley’s interim time in charge.
Palmer played in a much deeper midfield position that he’s usually deployed in for Chelsea when England lost to Greece last week, a Carsley experiment that didn’t work.
And in an improved England performance against Finland, Palmer was closer to the opposition goal but deployed on the right wing.
Carsley was presumably attempting to use the Chelsea man as something of an inside forward, cutting onto his left foot.
And after a quiet first half out wide on the right, Palmer was often drifting into a central positions where things became a little congested.
Compared to his levels at Stamford Bridge, England aren’t getting the best out of Palmer.
Cole Palmer should replace Jude Bellingham as England’s number 10
That is also an opinion shared by Micah Richards when speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast after England’s 3-1 win in Helsinki.
Richards was ultimately frustrated that Palmer was forced to play out wide, voicing his opinion that either him or Phil Foden should be the number 10, with Jude Bellingham sitting deeper.
Richards said: “Playing Cole Palmer out on the wing, it just doesn’t work for me.
“I know Bellingham is the main man, or they’re making him the main man of this team, but I just think when you’ve got someone as talented as a Foden or a Palmer, in that number 10 free role, I think he’s better suited there.
“I’d put Bellingham further back, like we discussed during the Euros.”
Of course, it doesn’t quite feel as if England are getting the best out of any of their number tens right now, suggesting that something should change.
Leave a Reply