How Cole Palmer Transforms Chelsea: The Stunning Numbers Behind Their Star No. 10's Impact
Chelsea's dependence on Cole Palmer's exceptional talent has been evident since his arrival at Stamford Bridge at the start of the 2023–24 campaign.
Following a remarkable inaugural season with the Blues, Palmer continued his impressive form with another outstanding year of scoring and creating goals, establishing himself as Chelsea's key player for England. Though Enzo Maresca has built a more well-rounded team since taking charge, Palmer, who achieved an impressive eighth place in the 2025 Ballon d'Or rankings, continues to be the club's premier talent.
Regrettably for both the attacking playmaker and his Italian manager, an ongoing groin problem has already restricted his playing time early this season and could potentially keep him out for days, weeks, or possibly months ahead.
Chelsea will be anxious about their number 10's physical condition, but how worried should they really be about his possible unavailability?
Palmer's Influence on Chelsea's Match Outcomes
Looking strictly at statistics, Chelsea's concerns about Palmer's injury-related absence might be somewhat alleviated. Since the 23-year-old's first appearance on September 2, 2023, they have secured victory in 14 of 17 games played without him. The Blues have triumphed in all three fixtures this season without Palmer, defeating West Ham United, Fulham, and most recently, Lincoln City.
They have managed just three matches without Palmer where victory eluded them—two Premier League losses to Arsenal and last season's Carabao Cup fourth-round elimination at Newcastle United. In each of these three encounters, they were unable to find the net.
Nevertheless, the quality of teams Chelsea have encountered without Palmer requires examination. He was excluded from the club's Europa Conference League squad for the league phase last season and was absent for six victories against lower-tier European opponents. Teams like Noah, Astana, and Shamrock Rovers were all predictably defeated with relative ease despite Palmer's unavailability.
The same pattern emerges in cup matches where Palmer has been absent for wins against lower-division teams including Morecambe, Barrow, and Lincoln. Seventeen games represents a quite limited data set.
Chelsea's Success Rate With and Without Palmer
Category | Chelsea With Palmer | Chelsea Without Palmer |
|---|---|---|
Matches | 101 | 17 |
Wins | 55 | 14 |
Draws | 20 | 0 |
Losses | 26 | 3 |
Win Percentage | 54.5% | 82.4% |
Palmer has featured in 101 games for Chelsea overall and has emerged victorious 55 times. He has experienced 20 stalemates and 26 defeats while wearing the Blues jersey, resulting in a win rate of 54.5%—considerably lower than Chelsea's 82.4% success rate when the attacking midfielder is absent. However, circumstances must be considered.
Chelsea naturally achieve higher success rates against weaker opponents, often resting Palmer for such encounters. Having participated in nearly six times more matches with him than without him since his arrival also dramatically distorts the statistics.
It's undeniable that Chelsea perform better with Palmer in their starting eleven, and they will struggle to match his offensive contributions against quality opponents. They may discover this challenge firsthand in forthcoming fixtures against Brighton & Hove Albion, Benfica, and Liverpool if their primary creative force remains unavailable.