Chelsea’s João Pedro praised Cole Palmer saying he was a complete player and that’s ‘what makes him special’. Everton and Chelsea, sitting fifth and sixth, respectively, battle on October 17 to strengthen their position in the Premier League table, with Pedro being the key threat in Chelsea’s attack, leading the scoring charts with five goals.
Speaking in an interview shared by JioStar, Pedro opened up about working under Xabi Alonso, Cole Palmer’s all-round ability, and Chelsea’s attacking mindset.
On manager Xabi Alonso, he said: “Our gaffer Xabi Alonso is very open with us because he used to play football so, he understands our mind. The first meeting we had with him was like he’s very passionate. He wants to win every game possible. So, it’s very good for us because we are thinking in the same way.”
Cole can do anything: Pedro
On what makes Cole Palmer a special player, Pedro said: “Cole Palmer is a beast, he can score, he can pass. He can score from free kicks. He can do everything. He’s a complete player and that’s what makes him special. He scored amazing goals in our matches against Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion. I don’t know how he did it but that’s just Cole Palmer things and that’s why everyone says he’s a special player.”
On his role in the front three with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, he said: “My role in the front three is pretty simple. Whenever I see Palmer, I always try to get the ball to his feet, and he always manages to put it past the goalkeeper. For Morgan Rogers, I try to play the ball into space, to put him in 1v1 situations. Once he beats the defender, he passes the ball to me and my job is just to make the runs. If I do that, they will find me, and then it’s up to me to put the ball in the back of the net.”
On why the team is scoring so many goals, Pedro said: “Everyone in the team wants to score goals and Xabi always tells us it doesn’t matter what happens, you just need to be focused and be connected to the game and you’re going to score. That’s why we have scored many goals this season from the beginning because in the front three, you can create a lot of chances and if you create a lot, you’re going to score a lot of goals as well. For us, it is not just about one player. Cole, Morgan, and I all chip in, but the midfielders and defenders also help with goals from set pieces. That makes us hard to defend against because the threat can come from anywhere. As long as we keep creating chances, I am sure the goals will keep coming.”
On Moises Caicedo, he said: “Moises, for me, he’s the best in his position in the world. He’s a machine. He covers so much ground in midfield and wins the ball back so many times. That gives the rest of us the freedom to go forward and attack. When he is playing, we feel more secure as a team because we know he is there to protect the back four. So that’s why he’s very important for us.”
