Chelsea fans have been put through the wringer again this season.
Mauricio Pochettino's side continue to bounce between impressive victories and embarrassing defeats despite the massive sum of money spent in the summer.
However, while much of the squad has failed to step up this year, Cole Palmer has shone.
The 21-year-old has been the club's best performer by a country mile this campaign, although he's being outscored by a former Blues player who just broke a goalscoring record.
Cole Palmer's performances this season
The Pensioners paid around £42.5m to Manchester City last summer for Palmer's services, and while there was an element of risk in paying that much for a somewhat inexperienced youngster, it has to go down as one of the club's best transfers in a very long time.
In just 33 games for the Blues, the Wythenshawe-born ace has already scored 13 goals and provided 11 assists, meaning that he's already averaging a goal involvement every 1.37 games as a new signing in a relatively dysfunctional Premier League team.
Appearances
33
Goals
13
Assists
11
Goals per Match
0.72
All Stats via Transfermarkt
They haven't just been the third goal in a 4-0 hammering or a consolation goal in a defeat; the 6 foot 2 sensation has been putting away important chances.
For example, he scored the first goal in the club's 2-2 draw with Arsenal, the equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur, and the goal that restored the team's lead over Newcastle United.
In all, Palmer has become one of, if not the most important player at Chelsea this season, although his goal tally still falls behind that of a former Blues flop who was released in the summer.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's performances this season
Yes, former Arsenal captain, Borussia Dortmund star and Blues flop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has outscored Chelsea's new fan favourite this season, and by quite some way at that.
The Gabon international joined the west Londoners in the summer of 2022, but to say his stay at Stamford Bridge was underwhelming would be an understatement.
Appearances
21
Goals
3
Assists
1
Goals per Match
0.19
In all, the former Gooner scored just three goals and provided a solitary assist in 21 appearances in west London, was roundly booed at the club he used to captain and, perhaps most embarrassing of all, was cut from the Pensioners' Champions League squad.
So, the fans weren't particularly bothered when he joined Marseille on a free in July. However, perhaps if they had known just how deadly he was going to be on the French Riviera, they would've been.
In his 37 games for Les Phoceens, the 34-year-old has scored a staggering 23 goals and provided eight assists, meaning that he's currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.19 games for the French giants.
Moreover, the Laval-born goal machine was in the news again recently for scoring his 31st Europa League goal and breaking the record held by Radamel Falcao – he has since added two more.
Ultimately, it's easy to understand why Chelsea opted to part ways with Aubameyang last summer.
Yet, given his dramatic resurgence in France this year, it would have been interesting to see if Pochettino could've coaxed something out of him in England. You do wonder whether there is some regret at how everything worked out.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.