Silly Chelsea 'kids' must mature quickly

Chelsea's season seems to be plagued by chaos, and it was no different during their match against Everton. Despite leading 4-0 with an outstanding first-half hat-trick from Cole Palmer and a superb strike from Nicolas Jackson, things took a dramatic turn when a penalty was awarded shortly after the hour mark.

With the match already decided and only goal difference on the line, both Jackson and Noni Madueke appeared eager to take the spot-kick, sparking a heated argument over who should be the one to do so.

Despite attempts by designated taker Palmer and captain Conor Gallagher to intervene, the disagreement persisted, with Jackson and Madueke even resorting to pushing their own teammates. Eventually, Palmer stepped up to take the penalty and converted, contributing to Chelsea's 6-0 victory. However, the unnecessary conflict had already tarnished what should have been a straightforward win.

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"It is impossible to have this type of behaviour after this performance," Pochettino said to Sky Sports after the game. "If we want to be a great team, we need to change and think in a collective way. They’re all involved in this situation. Next time they’re all out. This is not a joke."

Not the first time

Ironically, this recent spat over a penalty is not Chelsea's first encounter with such controversy this season. In October, Raheem Sterling attempted to claim the ball from Palmer during a Premier League match against Arsenal. Enzo Fernandez had to intervene as an adjudicator, and Palmer eventually took and scored the penalty.

A similar incident loomed in March, but Palmer willingly surrendered the responsibility to Sterling during an FA Cup fixture against Leicester. Unfortunately, Sterling's attempt was saved.

Speaking about the October incident, Pochettino remained ambiguous about who held the responsibility, stating, "There are a few players who can take the penalty. It’s about their feelings. As a coaching staff, we give them the responsibility to decide on the pitch."

He continued, "It’s not only one player who is going to be in charge. It shows that Cole was ready to take the two penalties he took. Normally, it is going to be him if he is on the pitch. But if not, I’d be happy with Raheem, with Nico (Jackson). For me, the most important thing is to have the decision and the personality to go."

'You cannot behave like kids'

In contrast to his previous response, Pochettino took a much harsher stance on the recent squabble, referring to his players as "kids" and departing from the ambiguity of his earlier answer. He made it explicitly clear that Palmer is the designated penalty taker when he is on the pitch.

"The players know, the staff know, the club know that the penalty taker is Cole Palmer. All that happened after is a shame. I am so, so upset about this situation.

"We cannot send this type of image. It's a shame. I want to apologise to the people and to our fans because that is unacceptable.

"The discipline is the most important thing for the team. Of course the players need to show that they have the hunger to score goals and everything but this type of situation, we were talking in a very good way because we need to make the situation clear.

"But I am not going to accept again this type of behaviour. I am going to be very strong if something like this happens again. I was telling them and I promise this is not going to happen again. It is type of the process that we need to learn when you have a young squad that sometimes the personal aims are in front of the collective.

Desire to succeed?

From another perspective, it could be seen as a positive sign that even with a comfortable 4-0 lead, Chelsea's lesser-known players are eager to make an impact and demonstrate to their manager their willingness to step up when needed. Although the pressure was significantly reduced when Paul Tierney awarded the penalty, the players' determination to seize the opportunity is commendable.

Winger Madueke has had limited playing time this season despite showing glimpses of his talent, such as his impressive goal in the previous fixture against Sheffield United. Starting two league games in a row for the first time in the 2023-24 season, he likely aimed to prove his worth to Pochettino, especially with the possibility of securing a regular starting role with Sterling and Mudryk struggling to assert themselves.

On the other hand, Jackson appears determined to win over the Chelsea fans, despite facing skepticism from some quarters. Despite a respectable tally of 13 goals and five assists in his debut English football season, he is still striving to convince certain sections of his qualities. Known for his fiery demeanor, reminiscent of past Chelsea favorites like Diego Costa and Didier Drogba, Jackson's passion on the field could endear him to the Blues faithful over time.

Or youthful petulance?

Pochettino's assessment is spot on; there's a certain standard of behavior expected, particularly in such a public setting with thousands in the stadium and millions watching at home. The scenes were undeniably embarrassing, casting a shadow over what was otherwise Chelsea's standout performance of the season. Madueke and Jackson's rush to claim the ball, their heated dispute over who should take the penalty, the delay caused by Palmer and Gallagher asserting authority, and Jackson's subsequent attempt to snatch the ball back – all of it was nothing short of shameful.

It was a display of immaturity and a lack of growth, especially considering there's still over a month left in the season. Despite Thiago Silva's efforts to calm the situation, it was Chelsea's young players who were at the center of the debacle. None of Jackson (22), Madueke (22), Palmer (21), or Gallagher (23) emerged from the incident in a positive light. It's no wonder the manager is considering bolstering the squad with more experienced players in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Palmer not blameless

Palmer's perspective on the situation could be seen as reasonable. With the opportunity to equal Erling Haaland as the Premier League's top goal-scorer with 20 goals in his debut season at Stamford Bridge, it's understandable that he wanted to take the penalty, despite the comfortable 4-0 lead. While acknowledging that other players also wanted to take it, Palmer emphasized his role as the designated penalty taker and ultimately stepped up to convert.

In his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Palmer stated, "Other players wanted to take it, which is understandable because it’s 4-0. But I’m the penalty-taker and I wanted to take so in the end, I took it. We’re trying to show that everyone wants to take responsibility, maybe it was a bit over the top with the argument and stuff but everyone wants to help. It was nothing major, we were laughing and joking about it. The gaffer has told us now."

However, Palmer is not without criticism in this situation. Despite being the designated taker, he appeared indecisive about stepping up, especially after already scoring a first-half perfect hat-trick. Additionally, his shove on Jackson during the altercation was unhelpful, potentially escalating the situation with his teammate, who clearly showed reluctance to be pushed around.

Symptomatic of deeper issues

The incident has brought to light deep-seated issues within the Chelsea squad, which many may have suspected but perhaps didn't want to acknowledge. It highlights a concerning blend of immaturity and lack of discipline among the young players, compounded by a manager seemingly struggling to assert authority behind the scenes. Additionally, it appears that Gallagher, acting as stand-in captain in James' absence, lacked the authority to command respect.

While on-pitch discussions over penalty-taking are common, the situation escalated to an unacceptable level, with players resorting to pushing and shoving each other. Such behavior would likely not have been tolerated under the watchful eyes of past Chelsea managers like Jose Mourinho or Antonio Conte.

Despite Pochettino's initial strong criticism of his players, he ultimately refrained from imposing punishment, perhaps influenced by the team's ongoing injury woes. Instead, he emphasized the need for the players to learn from the experience.

"It's not about punishment," he explained. "It's about learning. They are young guys, and they need to understand that such behavior is unacceptable. We don't deserve to be discussing incidents like this after such a promising performance."

He continued, "It's like we're in a school. They need to realize they were wrong and learn from it. If they fail to do so, then we will have to take action. But for now, it's about learning from this experience and moving forward."

Pochettino acknowledges that his young team is still in the process of learning, but incidents like this undermine the team's progress and cannot be overlooked. As he rightly states, there can be no repeat of such behavior in the future, especially during crucial matches where Chelsea is striving to secure European qualification.

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