In the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough team was thrashed by Chelsea, but the Manchester United legend was gracious in defeat.
Cole Palmer has been identified by Michael Carrick as a “real talent” following his two goals in Chelsea’s 6-1 thumping of Middlesbrough.
The Boro manager watched as his team, trailing 1-0 going into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, was crushed by the Blues. In the first leg, Palmer had let three excellent opportunities pass him by, and Chelsea had suffered a shocking loss at the Riverside.
However, on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge, he was firing on all cylinders, adding two goals to help the Blues advance to Wembley.
He dispossessed Dan Barlaser on the boundary of his own area first, then slid past Thomas Glover, the Boro goalkeeper.
He had his second in thirteen minutes, finishing clinically from Conor Gallagher’s cut-back. Carrick, who lamented his team’s loss but praised his performance highly, predicted the Chelsea star would have a “great career.”
“He has genuine talent. Nice guy too. He’s humble and you can tell he’ll have a successful career when you meet him. We can respect and admire how good he is, even though it’s not nice to be on the receiving end,” Carrick said on Radio 5 Live.
It’s difficult. The boys have worked incredibly hard to get here, complete the first leg, and put themselves in a position where we are now. Therefore, it is extremely disappointing in the end. Six goals, six shots on goal. It is quite harsh, merciless, and vicious.
“I can’t blame the boys for that; I know there were a few goals where we could have performed better. To be honest, I was really proud of them for their effort and commitment, as it is not an easy feat. I thought their level of ruthlessness was a little harsh.
“It’s difficult, and I applaud them for persevering. There was a hint of shellshock. We thought we were in it when we came here to play a certain way, but suddenly the writing was on the wall. As we continued to play, important moments gradually came apart.”
The opposite number of Carrick Palmer possesses talent that Mauricio Pochettino is well aware of. Pochettino has praised the Englishman’s verstatility in the forward line since bringing him to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
“He has incredible talent as a player. It’s a player who knows how to play the game. He is gifted with the ability to read the game and see situations.
“He can play behind the striker, from the right, or both. We make an effort to give him flexibility because he can choose the best position to benefit the team in this kind of game. In my opinion, the most enjoyable aspect is when he presses and uses his instinct to retrieve the ball.
“Despite his youth, he is performing admirably for us. We approached the goal with extreme clinicalness today. We were disappointed because we missed that in the first leg. We performed incredibly well today, and I believe that makes a difference.
These kinds of games are enjoyable for younger players, and as they develop, they will make it easier for us to compete. We are constructing an excellent group. It’s a positive mentality. We need more time, but we have plenty.”
