8 hours ago, axman2526 said:

George Benson on his YouTube channel has said that our win rate with Cole in the side is only 24%. As well as a few other unflattering stats.

Really shows how large a cliff his form has fallen off this season.

Win rate with or without a particular player doesn't mean anything in football. It is mathematically invalid. Sports with interchange subs, like basketball or ice hockey, can legitimately use these stats (called VORP or value over replacement player) because you are testing the comparison many, many times over the course of a game or season.

People might think they are making an empirical argument here, but in truth they use those stats to confirm information they already believe. It's not great logic.

Edited March 3Mar 3 by SydneyChelsea

In some horrible form at the minute

He's been poor/inconsistent since the start of 2025.

Maresca was to blame for a lot (shafting Palmer out left to accommodate Enzo) but I always insisted Palmer's regression was much deeper. No surprise we hear the news he's been playing injured since the latter stages of the season and has come out saying he still isn't confident because of it.

27 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

He's been poor/inconsistent since the start of 2025.

Maresca was to blame for a lot (shafting Palmer out left to accommodate Enzo) but I always insisted Palmer's regression was much deeper. No surprise we hear the news he's been playing injured since the latter stages of the season and has come out saying he still isn't confident because of it.

Spot on. It's the absence of confidence that's showing.

1 hour ago, GarnachoCheese said:

In some horrible form at the minute

Think that is going way too far as he's still one of the first names on the team sheet just down to what he can offer in terms of passing and vision. But there is no doubting he isn't the match-winner that he was. That's not confidence as the lad has that in abundance but it's this injury that clearly needs surgery or a long rest. As I said in the other thread, so annoying that he has lost that ability to get away from opponents like he was doing - now he just seems to get smothered and rarely gets away from them. And because of that, he too is now taking easy option and often just keeps it simple or passes back, when you want him going forward ALL of the time.

Just yet another frustration to add to a season that is full of them.

I’d suggest our season is over. Let’s look to next.

Let’s give him the rests/surgery he needs as if we’re to be taken seriously next season then a fit Cole Palmer is at the front of all the good things we will do.

14 minutes ago, The Boehly Babes said:

I’d suggest our season is over. Let’s look to next.

Let’s give him the rests/surgery he needs as if we’re to be taken seriously next season then a fit Cole Palmer is at the front of all the good things we will do.

He won’t go for surgery, presumably because of England and the World Cup.

He’s gone down in my books massively this season. I honestly would prefer it much more if he just went for a surgery and forget about the season, rather than holding us back.

40 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

He won’t go for surgery, presumably because of England and the World Cup.

He’s gone down in my books massively this season. I honestly would prefer it much more if he just went for a surgery and forget about the season, rather than holding us back.

From what I heard it is not that straight forward. The condition that has been causing him issues may not be fixable by a surgery.

18 minutes ago, forbzy said:

From what I heard it is not that straight forward. The condition that has been causing him issues may not be fixable by a surgery.

Sports Hernia?

1 hour ago, forbzy said:

From what I heard it is not that straight forward. The condition that has been causing him issues may not be fixable by a surgery.

That is possible, so are the rumors he could have surgery but is choosing not due to the world cup.

Could be surgery is not an option, could be it is and he is managing it like Reece and Wes Fofana did for a log while before getting surgery.

We Don't know, can only speculate.

Were Cole to get surgery right after England duty then we would have an answer.

2 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Sports Hernia?

Didn't Enzo Fernandez have that 2 seasons ago and got surgery towards the end of the season?

He's not going to the World Cup and actually playing anyway with the form he's in now..

But despite his current form we all know what a world class player he is when fully fit. Shame for the lad , and he always looks gutted when he's subbed. Let's hope we see the genius Palmer again before too long .

16 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Didn't Enzo Fernandez have that 2 seasons ago and got surgery towards the end of the season?

I haven't seen anything suggest it was something other than pubalgia or a sports hernia. Surgery itself is 90% successful. I know a mate who played college footy too that surgery basically healed his hernia, which never went away no matter how long he rested.

He will not be going to the World Cup period and I wouldn’t take him. If he goes then it’s because of his name that’s it.

2 minutes ago, El regreso said:

He will not be going to the World Cup period and I wouldn’t take him. If he goes then it’s because of his name that’s it.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he got in ahead of Foden. He scores ‘ big’ goals, even if it’s from the bench.

4 hours ago, El regreso said:

He will not be going to the World Cup period and I wouldn’t take him. If he goes then it’s because of his name that’s it.

He almost certainly will be, he's England's best asset off the bench. All of England's AM/Wingers have more or less fallen off a cliff. We're just focusing on Palmer (10 G/A) because we see him week in and week out, but you could write the same narrative for Rogers (13) , Saka (13), Gibbs-White (10), Bellingham (7). Palmer's actually scored more goals than all of them.

5 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

He almost certainly will be, he's England's best asset off the bench. All of England's AM/Wingers have more or less fallen off a cliff. We're just focusing on Palmer (10 G/A) because we see him week in and week out, but you could write the same narrative for Rogers (13) , Saka (13), Gibbs-White (10), Bellingham (7). Palmer's actually scored more goals than all of them.

How many of those goals were non-Penalty goals though? 4 this season. You widen it to Jan 2025, and it’s 6 non penalty goals. Only Saka takes pens regularly, and ironically also has 6 non-penalty goals goals since 2025. Blue tinted glasses off and he starts as RW for England at the WC.

3 hours ago, markpitts said:

How many of those goals were non-Penalty goals though? 4 this season. You widen it to Jan 2025, and it’s 6 non penalty goals. Only Saka takes pens regularly, and ironically also has 6 non-penalty goals goals since 2025. Blue tinted glasses off and he starts as RW for England at the WC.

Saka's form has been dreadful this season. No way is he a guaranteed starter for England on his current form.

44 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Saka's form has been dreadful this season. No way is he a guaranteed starter for England on his current form.

Who would you start? Saka has 12 goals in 48 appearances, while Palmer has 2 goals in 12 appearances. If this was the end of 2025 when he was 8th place in The Ballon D’or rankings, sure start him and build around him. Saka is competing for a PL trophy, will likely get to the semi finals of the CL, and playing a Cup final this weekend. These little things do matter.

8 minutes ago, markpitts said:

Who would you start? Saka has 12 goals in 48 appearances, while Palmer has 2 goals in 12 appearances. If this was the end of 2025 when he was 8th place in The Ballon D’or rankings, sure start him and build around him. Saka is competing for a PL trophy, will likely get to the semi finals of the CL, and playing a Cup final this weekend. These little things do matter.

Club form isn't always a factor in England selections. Coaches, and Tuchel in particular, have their preferred options regardless. As to Saka, he has been below his best for a while. Two reasons: his preference for coming inside on his left foot has become predictable and hence stoppable; and second, Arteta has flogged him over the last couple of seasons.

16 minutes ago, markpitts said:

Who would you start? Saka has 12 goals in 48 appearances, while Palmer has 2 goals in 12 appearances. If this was the end of 2025 when he was 8th place in The Ballon D’or rankings, sure start him and build around him. Saka is competing for a PL trophy, will likely get to the semi finals of the CL, and playing a Cup final this weekend. These little things do matter.

Bowen is in better form than anyone right now.

And right now, even Maduake appears to look better than Saka.

2 hours ago, Nibs said:

Bowen is in better form than anyone right now.

And right now, even Maduake appears to look better than Saka.

Madueke with 2 league goals & 3 assists all season? If anyone should be worried about Madueke, it will be Palmer. Like Dermott mentioned; managers do seem to have their favourites, and Tuchel seems to like Madueke.

Did think about Bowen, but he doesn’t seem to translate his club form to England. Playing outside the top 4 also counts against him. My Palmer theory is; he is more effective when you run your whole offensive play around him. He isn’t going to get that with England, and hasn’t earned the right. That is why he will be a bench option come the summer.

24 minutes ago, markpitts said:

Madueke with 2 league goals & 3 assists all season? If anyone should be worried about Madueke, it will be Palmer. Like Dermott mentioned; managers do seem to have their favourites, and Tuchel seems to like Madueke.

Did think about Bowen, but he doesn’t seem to translate his club form to England. Playing outside the top 4 also counts against him. My Palmer theory is; he is more effective when you run your whole offensive play around him. He isn’t going to get that with England, and hasn’t earned the right. That is why he will be a bench option come the summer.

He does. He also isn't a Bellingham fan as person or player. Bowen is terrific for WH but a bit short of international class, methinks. The back up to Kane is the curly one.

On 13/03/2026 at 08:50, markpitts said:

Who would you start? Saka has 12 goals in 48 appearances, while Palmer has 2 goals in 12 appearances. If this was the end of 2025 when he was 8th place in The Ballon D’or rankings, sure start him and build around him. Saka is competing for a PL trophy, will likely get to the semi finals of the CL, and playing a Cup final this weekend. These little things do matter.

Saka has been awful for a while, if he starts for England it should be at LB if Hall needs a rest.

On 13/03/2026 at 15:54, markpitts said:

How many of those goals were non-Penalty goals though? 4 this season. You widen it to Jan 2025, and it’s 6 non penalty goals. Only Saka takes pens regularly, and ironically also has 6 non-penalty goals goals since 2025. Blue tinted glasses off and he starts as RW for England at the WC.

I agree, but I think Palmer is guaranteed a spot because of what he brings as a substitute. Even Foden is underperforming, Tuchel must be tearing his hair out.