Cole Palmer (1).jpg

A decade ago, a certain 21-year-old had a debut season so remarkable that many refused to believe he could replicate or out-do it. **_“One season wonder”_** was already the assumption before the season was even over. 

Some bookmakers even shared free betting tips about a second season slump for him. It followed him everywhere, and even England U21 manager at the time, Gareth Southgate, responded to questions about it.  

The player himself, Harry Kane, would never forget it, especially after he failed to score in the first 7 games of the new season and the growing list of detractors submitted their I-told-you-sos. 

Every time he broke records or did more remarkable things after that period, he referenced the phrase.  

Given that Cole Palmer is one of the England stars who has been conspicuously absent from the Three Lions squad during this international break,  


**Breakout Season Cold Palmer**

When Cole Palmer was signed by Chelsea last year, many wondered what was going on with the club. In truth, they didn’t seem to have a clearly defined transfer strategy or any real sense of direction.  

After a disastrous season under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard despite unprecedented levels of spending, they were expected to rework their strategy.

But that did not happen. Instead, they doubled down on the spending.  

The Cole Palmer signing seemed like a desperate one, a last resort after failing to land Michael Olise. 

No one knew what to expect from Palmer, despite the flashes of brilliance he had shown at Manchester City, but even the wildest projections did not reflect expectations for anything particularly special. 

He just did not seem ready to be an important player for a club like Chelsea, especially in the state they were in.  

In a league featuring established world class stars like **_Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Son Heung-min_**, it was Cole Palmer who ended up with the highest combined goals and assists. Of course, it must be mentioned that 9 of his 22 league goals were penalties. 

However, that does not in any way diminish what he did. After all, Haaland scored 7 penalties himself on his way to claiming the golden boot and Palmer still produced 11 assists, the second highest in the league.  

It's hard to truly quantify the value of Palmer’s 33 goal contributions to Chelsea, but it is reasonable to say that they would probably have been in the bottom half without it. 

Instead, they finished 6th with him contributing to 43% of their goals. In fact, Cole Palmer is largely the reason Chelsea are priced at 2.85 to finish in the top four this season. 

Last season, Pochettino's decision to give him freedom and empower him by letting their attacks run through him contributed immensely to the excellence he showed.

More of the same is expected from new manager Enzo Maresca.  

**One Season Wonder?** 

Two games into the 2024/2025 EPL season, with Palmer having failed to score or assist, whispers started about the youngster likely to be a one-season wonder, despite his decisive contributions at EURO 2024. 

Unlike with Kane a decade ago, the whispers were not quite as loud this summer, probably because Palmer was so decisive off the bench for England at EURO 2024, assisting the winner in their semifinal against the Netherlands and scoring in the final against Spain.  

We may not have seen a player quite like Palmer before, but [**Premier League**](https://m.betking.com/sports/events/prematch/football/england/premier-league) history is replete with players who emerged like he did, only to fade once expectations soared and everyone knew to look out for them. 

The likes of Marcus Stewart, Roque Santa Cruz, Papiss Cisse, Andy Johnson, Amr Zaki, Michu and Wilfried Bony all produced seasons they were never able to replicate again; the classic “streets-won’t-forget” players of the league.  


**Factors that affect one-season wonders**

One thing to note about the players mentioned is that none of them played for a heavyweight like Chelsea at the time. 

It is more difficult to replicate a whirlwind season with a smaller team, perhaps because those teams never have the resources to sustain such runs. 

Sometimes, it also comes down to injuries, as was the case with Michu. After a great first season at Swansea, things fell apart for him when his struggles with injuries began the next season. 

What made it worse was the fact that his club had signed Wilfried Bony, who would step in and produce his own one season wonder, which he never replicated anywhere again.  

The interesting thing is, despite Chelsea being heavyweights powered by more resources than most, they’re affected by the same kind of instability that’s a feature of smaller clubs.

A new manager, a massive clear-out, a bunch of new players – this is basically Chelsea every summer.  


**Second Season Palmer**

The good news for Cole Palmer is that he will be working with a familiar face in the dugout. He previously worked with manager Enzo Maresca at Manchester City, and the coach knows all about his strengths as a player. 

In addition to that, the arrival of Pedro Neto is a great boost in attack and means that Palmer will have a lot more freedom. It also reduces the burden on him to carry all creative duties for the club.  

In terms of goalscoring, there will still be a reliance on him, but the burden will also be shared. 

Nkunku feels like a new signing after an injury-ravaged 2023-2024 season and a rejuvenated Nicholas Jackson could also help the Englishman.

There is also João Félix, who returned to the club after his previous loan spell.  

Chelsea lining up with a new-look attack, which is a significant improvement on last season’s, could be a double-edged sword for Palmer.

On the one hand, it means that there will be less reliance on Palmer. That could lead to him not having the same freedom to take matters into his hands and have the ball more, something which proved to be perfect for him last season.  

On the other hand, playing with better players in attack means his workload will be lessened.  

How high can this new look attack propel Chelsea? With Palmer motivated to avoid the one-season wonder tag hovering above him, can they spring a surprise and show their mettle as Premier League contenders like Arsenal did some seasons ago?  

The good thing is that, with us, you will find odds that match your all your [**predictions**.](https://www.betweysure.com/)

If you believe that Palmer can inspire Chelsea to an unlikely title run, you can also get odds on that with us. 

● Bet on Chelsea to win the English Premier League if Man City was not a factor  

**Conclusion**

No, we do not think that Cole Palmer will flop this season and join the ranks of English Premier League  _“one season wonders”._ 

He’s already recorded 5 G+A for Chelsea this season and looks set to build on last season’s exploits and if anything, should be a **_“Player of the Year”_** contender again at the end of the season. 

However, Football, just like life, is unpredictable. Who knows? 

Every bet is an adventure in the new season, [sign up](https://m.betking.com/account/registration) with us to enjoy access to every English Premier League match this season and [download our mobile apps](https://m.betking.com/l/mobile-app/) to place your bets on the go! 

Cole Palmer's debut Chelsea season exceeded expectations. Can he maintain that trajectory or become a 1-season wonder? Find out what our experts think!

News

One Season Wonder or Certified Star Player? Reviewing Cole Palmer’s First Full Campaign for Chelsea

● Bet on Chelsea to win the English Premier League if Man City was not a factor