Palmer was easily the Blues’ best player last season, scoring 27 goals and making 15 assists following a big money move from Manchester City.
It was therefore a shock to see the England international have little impact in Chelsea’s opening game of the season on Sunday – a 2-0 home defeat to the Citizens.
Under Mauricio Pochettino, Palmer mainly played as a No.10 and even when he started on the right wing he drifted inside, but in Maresca’s first match in charge, the attacking midfielder stayed out wide more.
That tactical decision baffled former Liverpool and Manchester United striker Owen, who said on Premier League Productions: ‘Chelsea have bought so many players that can play in that position, haven’t they?
‘You’ve got players who aren’t even in the squad who can play in that position too like Raheem Sterling. I’m sure the manager watched how good he [Palmer] was last season and the position he played in and everything else.
‘And you would just think that when you’re picking a team, your best players play in their best positions and you fit around them. You’re not going to push your best players into unfamiliar positions.
‘If I was the manager, he’d be first on the teamsheet in his favoured position and then I’d work around it but it seems like they’ve bought so many players that they’re trying to shuffle the pack.
‘We heard the manager before the game say Cole Palmer can play in any of those positions around the front and I’m sure he can but I would prefer him to be at his best and getting more of the ball in a more central area.’
Former Chelsea player and manager Hoddle concurred, saying: ‘I don’t like to see [Palmer so wide]. Start out wide and be allowed to drift in.
‘In the second half, I’m not sure if it was the manager or he just said to himself, “I’m going to get the ball”. You need him on the ball!
‘That means he needs to be in the hub of the team where people are feeding him and he’s getting the ball twice as much. Things will happen off him.’
Despite the result, Maresca was upbeat after the game so it remains to be seen whether he’ll switch up Palmer’s tactics for Chelsea’s trip to Wolves on Sunday.
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