Enzo Maresca slammed for ‘tying down’ Chelsea star during Arsenal draw

Glenn Hoddle has questioned Enzo Maresca’s set-up against Arsenal, suggesting it inhibited Chelsea’s main attacking threat Cole Palmer.

The Blues, searching for their first Premier League win against Arsenal since 2021, went behind to Gabriel Martinelli’s second-half strike at Stamford Bridge.

But Maresca’s side responded well and earned a point when Pedro Neto rifled home a long-distance finish to level the game.

In a cagey London derby, neither side were at their fluent best with Palmer, in particular, struggling to impact the game for the home side.

The 22-year-old only trained twice in the week after sustaining a knock against Manchester United last weekend but failed to get into the game after some nice touches in the early stages.

While his lack of match fitness no doubt played its part, former Chelsea midfielder Hoddle reckons that Maresca’s tactics also stiffled Palmer’s ability to get on the ball in dangerous positions.

Speaking on Stadium Atsro after the game, he said: ‘Because of (Bukayo) Saka’s threat, (Marc) Cucurella stayed out there [on the left] and did his job – he got player of the match and it was probably right because he stopped Saka playing and bursting.

‘So they didn’t put him in midfield, they put (Malo) Gusto in midfield from the right-back position which stopped Palmer for me.’

Hoddle continued: ‘Gusto played in that inside left channel and tied him down a bit. For me, there are times when you have to let that lad play across the arc and play as a 10.

‘He didn’t really play as a ten, he was in that inside forward position and Neto was outside of him until he came over to the right in the second half which I was hoping because he’s better on the right.

‘But Palmer I felt was tied down and he didn’t play so well today.’

Speaking at full-time, Maresca insisted it was not a risk to play Palmer given his lack of fitness but did appear raise doubts over his ability to play for England during the international break.

‘I don’t think we took any risks,’ the Italian said. ‘For sure, he was a doubt until the end. His performances have been very good.

‘In the first 10 minutes, we contact with him, from (Levi) Colwill to him, three or four times. Then they adjust and (Thomas) Partey was marking him man-to-man so it was difficult for Cole in that case.

‘But overall, very happy with Cole’s performance. He is painful now but it doesn’t look something important.’

Palmer’s potential abscene for Lee Carsley would be another blow for the interim England manager who saw Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon all pick up knocks as well on Sunday.

The Three Lions travel to face Greece on Thursday before hosting the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday.

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