"What He Went Through Last Year" - Morgan Rogers Defends Chelsea Teammate Amid England Criticism

Chelsea will hope Cole Palmer is fit for their Premier League return after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Brentford.

Morgan Rogers has defended Chelsea teammate Cole Palmer’s decision to withdraw from the England Squad to “focus on his body”.

Palmer has faced criticism for withdrawing from international duty with England despite receiving a call-up for the Nations League fixtures.

England manager Thomas Tuchel acknowledged that Palmer is nursing a minor muscle injury and had been playing with “discomfort and pain” for Chelsea, but still described the midfielder’s absence as “a missed opportunity”.

Since Tuchel took charge of the national team in January 2025, Palmer has only featured for England three times, having been left out of the squad for the 2026 World Cup. He has previously missed several England camps because of recurring groin issues that troubled him last season.

Given his absence, Palmer’s limited involvement in the national setup could hurt his future international chances under Tuchel.

Rogers, however, argued that Palmer is right to value his recovery above international duty, especially given his recent injury record.

“I love playing with Cole. I love being around him,” the Chelsea summer signing told the Daily Mail when asked about Palmer's England withdrawal.

“Unfortunately, he couldn't be here, but he's got to focus on his body. He needs to be in a good physical state.

“Obviously, as a nation, you want Cole Palmer and players like that in an English shirt, but it's not what is possible with the games and what we've got coming up.

Palmer’s cautious approach may still pay off in the end. After all, there would have been very few upsides to forcing himself to play through pain with England. Staying fit and convincing Tuchel to pick him through his stellar performance with Chelsea could be an alternative route back into the England squad.

Additionally, Palmer is not the only player in this situation. Several other players, such as Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento, and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo, have also pulled out of the England squad due to injuries.

Chelsea captain Reece James was also not called up for England selection, having sustained a hamstring injury in the week leading up to the international break that forced him out of the 3-0 Premier League defeat to Brentford.

Levi Colwill, on the other hand, was left out by Tuchel, who opted to give the spot to Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

Palmer, James, and Colwill will still have two more international breaks, in early November and late March, to try to win back their England spots before the UEFA Nations League finals in June.

More importantly, Chelsea will be back in action in a Premier League game against Bournemouth on October 10, and the club will hope that both James and Palmer will be available for the clash at Stamford Bridge.