Liam Rosenior Must Make Cole Palmer and Estévão Click | OneFootball

Saturday night will give us the first glimpse of what a Liam Rosenior Chelsea team looks like. Despite it being an FA Cup tie away to Championship outfit Charlton Athletic, the added element of a coach’s first game may provoke a much stronger lineup than usual.

Chelsea released footage of Rosenior’s first training session, and among the glimpses of intensity, potential pressing patterns and attempts to connect with his new players, fans noted the number of times Rosenior uttered the name of Estévão.

This is no guarantee of a major role. Similar early footage under Enzo Maresca showcased the Italian praising Ben Chilwell, who was quickly cast into the infamous bomb squad. However, the increased emphasis on Estévão feels non-negotiable for the 41-year-old.

Where’s Estévão?

The Brazilian star has been bizarrely omitted from several Chelsea games in recent months, notably two in which the Blues fell to 2-1 defeats on the road and were sorely lacking attacking inspiration (Atalanta and Fulham). One of his most recent starts, which turned out to be Maresca’s final game, only reaffirmed the magic at the feet of the 18-year-old.

He won Chelsea a penalty, was involved in almost all of the hosts’ best moves, and demonstrated an equal threat from the left side, causing terror for Bournemouth’s Alex Jimenez.

It is puzzling that Estévão played no role in Wednesday night’s loss at Fulham. Despite both the eye test and the data painting him as a consistently dangerous player, why Maresca so regularly omitted him from the starting lineup remains a mystery. FBref places the winger in the 90th percentile for non-penalty xG, total shots, expected assisted goals, successful take-ons and touches in the attacking penalty area.

He has to be playing more. It borders on malpractice for whoever is (or isn’t) picking the lineups at the club to ignore this level of talent.

The Palmer/Estévão Connection

On top of that, many fans have been licking their lips since the summer at the prospect of seeing a Chelsea team featuring both Estévão and Cole Palmer. Due to Palmer’s injury issues and Estévão’s limited game time, this partnership has simply not had the chance to develop.

For Rosenior, who needs wins quickly to gain the trust of an increasingly irritated fanbase, forming the partnership many have cried out for could be vital. Beyond simply playing both of them, finding a way to rediscover Palmer’s talismanic goalscoring form would be a godsend.

From the moment Palmer arrived in SW6 up until the beginning of 2025, he was one of the most devastating finishers in the Premier League. A tally of 25 goals in his maiden Chelsea season turned him into a beloved rockstar at Stamford Bridge.

Add a further 15 goals, including a ridiculous four-goal display against Brighton, and he was rivaling Erling Haaland in the scoring charts. For a variety of reasons —form, injury, positioning, bad luck, you name it — Palmer has not returned to that consistent level of output.

From the goal against Bournemouth in January 2025 to Fulham on Wednesday, he has only hit eight.

In whatever manner Rosenior achieves it, Palmer’s productivity will likely define whether he succeeds in the role. Adding the fearless output of Estévão into the mix should only help.

Go Back to Basics

Football can be a simple game, overcomplicated for no reason. Get very good players on the pitch as much as possible. If you have more than one, find a way to get them in the same lineup.

You can follow my coverage of Chelsea on YouTube at SonOfChelsea. More written coverage of the club on Substack. Follow me on X for more thoughts, along with listening to the podcast.