“I hope to god…” – Pundit comes out with strong opinion on Chelsea star’s chances | OneFootball

England’s 5 dreadful games at Euro 2024 so far have had everyone scrambling to work out what on earth Gareth Southgate should do to fix his talented team’s shocking underperformance.

There’s been talk of a new formation, but in terms of the lineup, the main thing people are calling for is to see Chelsea star Cole Palmer in the mix after some great cameos off the bench.

Speaking on TalkSport, former Fulham man Danny Murphy basically begged Gareth Southgate to give the attacker a chance.

“I hope to God Palmer starts [against Switzerland]. That would be the only one I would say for sure who has got to play because every time he comes on the pitch, he just looks so comfortable. He is a special talent, and he plays free.”

Both of Palmer’s cameos, especially his time on the pitch against Slovenia, showed him generating the kind of threat the team needed, and his dribbling, crossing and passing are a real threat.

Cole Palmer gets first England tournament cap.

A perfect sub regardless

For once we’re full in agreement with Murphy, and of course we’d love to see our star boy get the recognition he deserves with a start for England. But equally, we’ve not been too frustrated by his role off the bench.

Firstly it’s keeping him from getting burned out, when thinking about it from a Chelsea perspective. But also, it really plays to his strengths. Palmer is a risk taker, someone who makes things happen. Bringing him on after an hour allows him to be at his best, taking risks with the game stretched and the other team tired.

Let’s not forget that in tournament football, extra time happens often and so Palmer could get an hour on the pitch even if he’s only introduced in the second half.

One thing is for sure – if this game is heading to penalties, Palmer will be used.