Are Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Joao Pedro Chelsea’s Most Potent Attack in the Premier League? Ruud Gullit Weighs In

Do Chelsea hold the Premier League's most dangerous attacking trio with Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, and Joao Pedro? Blues legend Ruud Gullit shared his thoughts with GOAL on this topic.

After another summer of heavy spending at Stamford Bridge and changes in management, the west London club certainly boasts impressive firepower.

Palmer’s Recent Struggles and Comeback

Palmer, wearing the No.10 shirt, had a remarkable debut season with 25 goals and trophies like the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup. Yet the 2025-26 season was tougher for him, and he missed out on England’s World Cup squad.

Rumors linked him to Manchester United, possibly considering a return to his hometown club. Still, Palmer is locked into a long-term contract and has regained his confidence after being joined by his close friend and fellow Manchester City academy product, Morgan Rogers.

How They Line Up

Xabi Alonso has placed Palmer and Rogers just behind Brazilian striker Pedro, who also missed out on World Cup duty and wants to prove himself. Chelsea started the 2026-27 season strongly, scoring nine goals in three matches across Premier League and Carabao Cup games. Many view them as serious challengers to Arsenal, the reigning champions.

Gullit’s Take on Chelsea’s Front Three

“The short answer is yes. You can see the potential of Chelsea, but it’s more about the collective philosophy of Alonso.They played three at the back against Fulham, but I could see a very strong midfield with Cole Palmer having a kind of freedom without Enzo Fernandez, which for now is a bit of a controversial call. I do believe Chelsea have a strong side, a very strong side.I still have some doubt about bringing in Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson in terms of the kind of mentoring they wanted in the system. I remember complaining in the media that they should bring in an experienced player, but I wanted someone as a first-choice player, rather than someone who will be in the group and play once in a while, just to keep the spirit high and lift the team when they go through a run of bad games.So yes, I believe there is a strong, strong squad. Palmer will want revenge. He didn’t take part in the World Cup. England did well there; they reached the semi-final. But everyone could see the evidence that if he’d been there under the right discipline, he could perform.He’s shown he’s ready for the new challenge straight away. Last year we saw the talk of him going to Manchester United, and there was a lot of discussion around whether he’d stay. He’s stayed, so this is a good season for him.There’s no other competition this season, no European competition, nothing else, so he has to perform. At the very least, we want to see him committed, and if there’s any lingering disappointment from missing the World Cup, I hope Chelsea benefit once they’ve also sorted out their issues with players.”

Defensive Concerns and Upcoming Challenges

The main concern for Chelsea remains their defense, having conceded five goals in their opening two Premier League matches. New signing, World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez, aims to strengthen the backline.

If Chelsea fix their defensive leaks, the threat from Palmer, Rogers, and Pedro could be enough to keep them competitive and collecting points.

The next test comes Sunday when Chelsea face title holders Arsenal at Emirates Stadium after the summer transfer window closed.

• Premier League fixture: Arsenal vs Chelsea
• Date: 6 September 2026
• Kick-off time: 17:30