October 2nd 2024.
Chelsea's Conference League squad has been announced, and it's missing one key player - Cole Palmer. Owen Hargreaves, a former player, has shared his thoughts on this decision and believes that Christopher Nkunku is the perfect candidate to fill in for Palmer. Nkunku has had a tough first season due to injuries, but he has already shown his potential with a hat-trick in the Carabao Cup and six goals in all competitions.
The absence of Palmer is a surprise to many, considering his incredible performance last season where he scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in the Premier League. His new coach, Enzo Maresca, has even gone as far as saying that he may be the best player in the league. However, with the European campaign starting, Maresca has decided to rest Palmer and leave him out of the squad.
Hargreaves believes that Nkunku is more than capable of stepping up in Palmer's absence. Although he has faced fitness issues, Nkunku is a complete player with excellent finishing and technical abilities. Hargreaves also mentions that Chelsea has a multitude of attacking talents, but Nkunku could make a real difference.
But the decision to drop Palmer for the six-game league phase is puzzling to Hargreaves. He questions what Palmer will do while the team is playing and suggests that players would rather play a game than train. He believes that the best players should be playing every three days, just like the great teams of Barcelona, Manchester United, and Chelsea.
Looking at Chelsea's opponents in the Conference League, Gent, Heidenheim, Astana, Shamrock Rovers, Panathinaikos, and Noah, Hargreaves admits that Chelsea is the clear favorite. However, he warns that complacency could lead to a shock upset and that it's never straightforward as the favorite. He states that new teams and players can often humble even the biggest clubs.
But despite the potential challenges, Hargreaves is confident that Chelsea will come out on top. The club has already won the Champions League and Europa League and could become the first to win all three European club trophies. However, he reminds everyone that football doesn't always work in favor of the favorites and that Chelsea must stay focused to avoid any surprises.
In the end, Chelsea's decision to rest Palmer and the team's chances in the Conference League are still up for debate. Fans and experts like Hargreaves will be keeping a close eye on how the team performs without their star player. And as always, football has a way of surprising us, so anything can happen in this competition.
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