Cesc Fabregas questions Gareth Southgate's use of England star in 1-0 win over Serbia at Euro 2024
Former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has questioned England manager Gareth Southgate's decision to bench Blues star Cole Palmer throughout his side's 1-0 win over Serbia in their Euro 2024 opener on Sunday, June 16. The Spaniard was skeptical of the 53-year-old's tactics to shut up shop and see out the result after Jude Bellingham's 13th-minute strike.
England are on a run of five straight clean sheets in the group stage of the European Championships, becoming the first ever team to do so. However, it has come at the cost of defensive substitutions becoming Southgate's primary focus, if his side is in the lead.
In a post-match analysis show, Fabregas made his thoughts about Palmer's non-appearance very clear. He said (via chelsea.news):
"If you send the message in putting in a defensive midfielder or an extra defender to cover the result, you will as a player feel it. Mentally you start going back, dropping more. But instead if you put an offensive player, [Cole] Palmer let's say, up the pitch and controlling the ball in the final third, I think the players get so much more comfortable."
Palmer moved from boyhood club Manchester City to Chelsea for a reported €47 million in September 2023. He enjoyed a sensational debut campaign for the Blues, becoming their primary offensive outlet and bagging 25 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions.
After such an outstanding campaign, he was expected to be an integral part of England's plans for the European Championships. Instead, he watched on throughout the opening game as Southgate chose to bring on Blues teammate Conor Gallagher (69'), West Ham's Jarrod Bowen (78') and Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo (86').
With games against Denmark and Slovenia coming up, it will be interesting to see the role Southgate has planned for Palmer.
Rio Ferdinand in agreement with Cesc Fabregas over Cole Palmer's absence in England's win over Serbia
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was in agreement with Cesc Fabregas on the absence of Chelsea star Cole Palmer in England's 1-0 win over Serbia.
The 45-year-old was baffled by manager Gareth Southgate's substitutions, claiming that Palmer could have been brought on to keep the opposition in check. Referencing Serbia's substitution of Dusan Tadic for Aleksandar Mitrovic and how it helped them wrest back control of the game in the second half, Ferdinand said (via chelsea.news):
"The game needed a bit more control. Where are the players that can do that? Someone like Cole Palmer who has got that bit of swagger and arrogance to say give me that ball. The way Tadic came on for Serbia, he came on and said 'give me the ball, I will be that outlet for you guys’."
Up next, the runners-up of EURO 2020 will take on Denmark at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt on Thursday, June 20.