Former England manager, Glenn Hoddle believes Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca’s tactical approach during the match against Arsenal affected the performance of Cole Palmer.
The match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, November 10, saw Arsenal take an early lead through Gabriel Martinelli, but Pedro Neto later brought Chelsea back on level terms, resulting in a hard-fought 1-1 draw.
After the draw, Hoddle pointed out that Cole Palmer, who has been regarded as one of Chelsea’s main attacking threats, struggled to make an impact.
During his appearance on Stadium Astro, Hoddle explained that the tactical decisions made by the coaching staff may have stifled Palmer’s effectiveness on the pitch.
“It’s clear that they didn’t deploy him in a more central midfield role,” Hoddle said. Instead, Maresca opted to place Malo Gusto into a midfield position, moving him from right-back, a decision that Hoddle believes constrained Palmer’s ability to influence the game.
He explained, “Gusto played in that inside left channel, and that move really tied Palmer down. From my perspective, there are specific moments in a match when you need to allow a player like Palmer to roam freely, to play across the arc, and to take on the responsibilities of a number 10.”
He continued, “Unfortunately, he didn’t get the opportunity to play in that role. Instead, he was often positioned as an inside forward, with Neto primarily on the outside of him. It wasn’t until the second half, when Neto moved over to the right side, that I had hope for a better connection between them because Palmer tends to perform better in that area.”
