Chelsea’s season is in full swing, but World Cup chatter continues to bubble in the background and Cole Palmer’s return has started a conversation.
Now a pundit for Sky Sports and the BBC, Theo Walcott is keeping a close eye on all the England hopefuls with the summer tournament fast approaching.
Palmer scored at Stamford Bridge for the first time since May as Chelsea grabbed an important win over Everton.
Three months, 91 days, 2184 hours since Cole Palmer last scored, how good is that to see, Blues fans?
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While his return to the scoresheet was fantastic from a Chelsea perspective, the performance of another attacking midfielder has sown doubts in the mind of the former Arsenal star.
Theo Walcott has Morgan Rogers ahead of Cole Palmer for England
Of all the selection dilemmas Thomas Tuchel is being faced with, none is more divisive than the number 10 debate.
Palmer is an obvious contender, but players like Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Eberechi Eze are all vying for that role.
Ahead of them all is Morgan Rogers in Walcott’s eyes, whose brace at the weekend was just the latest impressive performance from the Aston Villa star.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
As Walcott said on BBC’s Match of the Day: “He scored two fantastic goals and, for me, he is not just going to be in the squad next summer. He is a dead cert to be a starter for England at the World Cup —100%.
“He does everything, he’s not just a goal threat. I like all [the contenders for the number 10 position], but one of them is going to have to miss out on the squad itself – and Rogers, for me, has to start.”
A good friend of Palmer’s, the Villa star has emerged as a Premier League superstar since moving from Middlesbrough.
Chelsea have looked at Rogers as a transfer target for most of the time since, but his recent decision to extend with Unai Emery’s side has caused that interest to cool.
If Tuchel agrees with Walcott, it threatens to put the Chelsea star out of the frame for the World Cup.
Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers can play together
The thing about having so much star talent to choose from is that quality players inevitably get left out in the cold.
Tuchel was watching Palmer from the stands at the weekend, and will have been encouraged by his getting on the scoresheet after just 20 minutes of play.
He still isn’t 100%, but Enzo Maresca will begin to use him more and more as he regains match fitness.
Maresca is delighted to have his star back 🙌
How much does Cole Palmer’s return raise Chelsea’s ceiling this season?
Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
The weaker part of England’s squad is on the left flank. Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford offer a direct, pacey option, but Rogers is more than capable of playing there as well.
It’s going to depend on form going into June, but if Palmer returns to his usual levels, there’s no way Tuchel can leave him out of the squad. Even leaving him out of the starting XI could be a mistake that hurts England’s World Cup campaign.
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