Merson Says: If Palmer doesn't start now, when does he?

Paul Merson asks how Cole Palmer would ever start for England if he does not get a chance in this Nations League window in his latest column.

Palmer has begun the season in scintillating form for Chelsea, scoring six goals and making another five in the first seven Premier League games.

The 22-year-old has only started two of his nine international caps but was still voted the fans’ Player of the Year ahead of the Nations League double header with Greece and Finland, having netted the equaliser in England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain.

Here, the Magic Man returns to give his thoughts on why Palmer has to feature for England – and the Three Lions’ other attacking talent…

Palmer’s form means he has to play

It’s the manager’s job. It’s the hard part. Twenty years ago, you had Sven-Goran Eriksson struggling to get Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the same team.

They’d walk into this team! And we’re saying we’re blessed with a lorry-load of talent. That three would get into this team in a heartbeat.

If Palmer plays, what about Bellingham? If Bellingham plays, what about Palmer? How you get these players in the team, I do not know. It’s a hard one, it’s a hard one.

He’s got to be in the team though. He’s got to be, he’s bang in form. I’m a great believer in playing people who are in form; not all the time, or you don’t get a team. International football’s different, but he’s bang in form, on top of his game, and for me he’s got to play.

Playing at No 10 won’t be as easy… eventually

Playing at No 10’s going to be hard, international football’s a lot different. When you start playing against the big boys, the international big boys, people look out for you.

The one thing that you get in the Premier League now is no one ever goes man-to-man with anyone, really. No one ever goes: ‘Stop Palmer playing. Stop Palmer, we’ll stop Chelsea.’

On the international side, he’ll be alright at the moment. Bellingham’s got the reputation, not Palmer. He catches international teams cold, not so much Ireland but other teams won’t have played against him to know what he’s like.

Bellingham goes across to Spain and scores 17 in 20 games. Then in the second half of the season, clubs wise up to it that he’s going to make late runs into the box. They’ve nipped that in the bud now, he doesn’t score a goal – now he’s got to think of something else.

The same thing will happen to Palmer, but while he’s hot you play these players. You have to. If you can’t find a space for him now, I don’t see him playing for England. He can’t get any more consistent.

Saka’s lightyears ahead of his age

Someone like Bukayo Saka’s playing against 10 at the back week-in and week-out, and he’s still performing.

He’s been where Palmer is for a couple of years and is still finding solutions. That’s what you have to do if you want to stay at the top. Teams get smart to you and you’ve got to be one ahead again, and he’s done that.

It’s like Scotland having two of the best left-backs last year, Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney.

Saka’s very, very consistent. He plays lightyears ahead of his time. He’s been at the top for a while now, it’s not like people are just trying to work him out. He just comes up with solutions all the time.

They have a system to play which gets Saka time on the ball. He doesn’t get it with five players round him, he gets it in space and that’s top management from Mikel Arteta.

We’ve had more pull-outs now than I think Gareth Southgate had. That worries me, we’ve got three out. I can’t remember too many pulling out when Gareth was in charge, I might be wrong.