How Cucurella trapped Saka AGAIN in Arsenal draw with simple trick

ARSENAL were dealt yet another blow in the Premier League title race on Sunday.

Despite taking the lead at Stamford Bridge, the Gunners were pegged back and had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Gabriel Martinelli fired in from a tight angle to break the deadlock on the hour mark.

But ten minutes later, Pedro Neto let fly and squeezed his shot into the bottom corner.

Arsenal squandered big chances to nick all three points - but instead could not fully capitalise on Manchester City's shock defeat at Brighton.

And the draw left both Arsenal and Chelsea on 19 points - nine behind early pace-setters Liverpool.

But what did we learn about both sides and how did the managers cancel each other out?

SunSport's tactics guru Dean Scoggins revealed all on the latest episode of Tactics Exposed...

1. HAS CUCURELLA GOT SAKA'S NUMBER?

Marc Cucurella kept Bukayo Saka very quiet in the Euros final - and he did it again at Stamford Bridge on Sunday because he had a very good plan.

First of all, it's how he attacked him - he went in, he was very physical, he hit him very, very hard.

But he did it really quickly as Saka received the ball, not after he received it when he likes to touch the ball in field.

Cucurella was already there and that meant Saka was taking the ball where he didn't want to go.

Also, the Spaniard's starting position saw him occupy an inside lane, a narrow position which allowed Saka to have the space on the outside, effectively saying, 'Let's have a race.'

Romeo Lavia, Neto and even Cole Palmer help out defensively to create traffic on the inside, where Saka wants to cut inside on to his left foot.

So it was the early contact from Cucurella and not allowing Saka to spin inside higher up the pitch.

But then when it was deeper, he decided not to engage and challenged Saka to beat him on the outside because he was not giving him the inside channel.

2. COLE HAS GONE COLD

Cole Palmer started the season in red-hot form, scoring seven and assisting five in his first nine games.

However, the last two games have told a very different story with no goal contributions and just one shot on target.

And the explanation comes from Enzo Maresca's box midfield.

The Chelsea gaffer likes to bring Cucurella inside to create a four-man box in the middle - but the left-back was tied up keeping tabs on Saka.

So instead, Maresca instructed Malo Gusto to come inside.

However, the right-back bypassed the holding midfielders and effectively became the right No10, pushing Palmer across to the left No10 - the opposite flank from his devastating inside right position.

Add in the very effective Arsenal defensive triangle of Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard and Saka stopping Palmer getting the ball and he had another anonymous afternoon.

3. ODEGAARD THE CONDUCTOR

Odegaard is the captain and the conductor - and not just with his attacking intelligence.

It's his pressing, understanding of space and where everyone is around him.

Honestly, he must come off with his arms as tired as his legs because he is constantly waving them, pointing and barking out instructions.

Odegaard is so often the trigger, he is the one who sets the traps.

Kai Havertz did an OK job in his absence. How did they cope without Odegaard?

He is just a sensational player.

And the goal comes from that inside right channel because Odegaard worked it out.

He realised there were four players around him and Saka, so that meant somebody else was free in space and he barely looked before producing that beautiful ball in behind for Martinelli.

If Arsenal are going to go close in the title race, it will be because of Odegaard.

4. CHELSEA'S SANCHEZ FORCEFIELD

Arsenal set pieces have been a major hallmark of their success in recent times but Chelsea defended them better than anyone else has so far this season.

Firstly, they desperately didn't want to give away corners and Robert Sanchez - who made a massive mistake for the goal - was coming out of his area to prevent them.

On the rare free-kicks, the Blues defenders stepped right up to the edge of the box.

But it was at corners where they were particularly impressive as they created a forcefield, a circle around Sanchez to stop the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba a free run at a close-range header.

Nicolas Jackson was the front post as a big man to head clear, the two centre-backs were in front of Sanchez and everyone else was blocking.

Neto even stood with his arms out to block Gabriel from causing more problems.

It was committed defending and highly effective.

5. THE ENZO FERNANDEZ INSTINCT

Enzo Fernandez is a top quality footballer - and he has a massive impact on matches.

Maresca likes the defensive pairing of Moises Caicedo and Lavia but Fernandez offers something different and that was evident from the moment he came on.

His introduction was a clever substitution and the right substitution.

He scanned, knew he couldn't go one way and then turned back and the pass for Neto's goal is underrated - the weight was like an invite to move into the area and it was a great goal from the Portuguese winger.

Yes, there were mistakes from Arsenal - Saliba was out of position after going for a wander, Martinelli went to sleep and Neto was given a huge gap.

But do not overlook the quality play from Fernandez.

It gives Maresca a dilemma because Fernandez has such a big impact but doesn't quite fit the system the manager wants to play.

Is Palmer not producing as much because Fernandez is not playing?

A nice problem to have with a £100million-plus player on the bench.