Chelsea concluded their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 victory against Real Sociedad on August 15 at Stamford Bridge. While the match marked a successful outing for the Blues, the performance of star player Cole Palmer drew scrutiny from a portion of the fanbase, who expressed concerns about his form since last summer. Social media reactions highlighted a sense of unease, with some fans suggesting that Palmer needs to improve his influence on the pitch to avoid being dropped as the new season progresses. One fan noted, "I will only defend you for 6 more months," while others called for a more serious conversation regarding his current contributions.
During the match, Chelsea took an early lead through Morgan Rogers, who scored just 11 minutes into his debut for the club. Real Sociedad equalized before halftime thanks to a volley from Jon Mikel Aramburu that beat Robert Sanchez. Chelsea regained control in the second half, with Joao Pedro netting two goals to secure the win, bringing his pre-season total to seven goals in five matches. Following his first goal off a Reece James cross, Joao Pedro added a second after being set up by Malo Gusto.
Amid the discussion surrounding Palmer, the player recently reflected on his friendship and on-pitch chemistry with Morgan Rogers. Palmer revealed that he was initially surprised when Rogers informed him of his move to Chelsea, noting that he had missed an urgent call from his teammate while Rogers was with the England squad. Chelsea secured Rogers from Aston Villa in a deal worth £117 million. Regarding their shared goal celebration, Palmer clarified that while Rogers initiated the gesture, it was his own adoption of it that brought it wider fame. Chelsea is now preparing for their Premier League opener against Fulham, scheduled for August 24 at Craven Cottage.
@_bigade_LINKI just hope Xabi Alonso will be prudent and bold enough to drop Cole Palmer at the needed moment if he won’t improve on his form as we progress this season.
He played midweek, then we played Luton on the Saturday and I told him I was going to do it.
