Cole Palmer’s brilliant opener for Chelsea against Bournemouth on Tuesday night has left pundits in awe, with Rio Ferdinand describing it as ‘rude’ and ‘out of order.’
The 22-year-old’s audacity and composure under pressure were on full display as he calmly slotted the ball into an empty net after a brilliant assist from Nicolas Jackson.
Jackson’s strong hold-up play and precise through ball set Palmer up in front of Bournemouth’s goalkeeper. Palmer then executed a perfect dummy, leaving the keeper on the floor before rolling the ball into the net.
Ferdinand, impressed by the youngster’s skill, couldn’t contain his excitement: “It’s rude. It’s out of order, it’s in the school playground you do that. It’s rude, outrageous really.”
Peter Crouch, also taken aback by Palmer’s calmness in such a crucial moment, compared him to former Arsenal and Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil, praising his composure and casual approach: “The calmness, it’s almost too casual, just sits the goalkeeper down. The ability for a young man to stop it, put the keeper down and roll it into an empty net, that’s what makes him special.”
While Chelsea made a strong start, they ultimately dropped points after goals from Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo gave Bournemouth the lead.
A late free-kick from Reece James salvaged a point for the Blues, though manager Enzo Maresca felt they deserved all three.
Chelsea’s recent struggles continued as they are now without a win in five Premier League matches. Maresca acknowledged their missed opportunities but remained positive, highlighting the strong first-half performance.