Arsenal head into Wednesday’s London derby against Chelsea looking to do the league double over their local rivals. Boosted by an important win over West Bromwich Albion, what kind of team will Mikel Arteta be choosing for this game?
The Gunners are still reeling from the impact of their Europa League exit, but it was alleviated to an extent by the win at the weekend. There was a lot to admire about a performance that was punctuated by some good attacking play, and has made bettors more interested in backing Arsenal in the soccer picks for this game.
An even better display will be needed at Stamford Bridge to beat the Blues. They are in tremendous form and look solid and compact under Thomas Tuchel. Arteta will have to find a system that can get the best from his players and to tactically outthink the opposition as well.
The North Londoners are likely to continue with their 4-2-3-1 formation, and Bernd Leno will be in goal. As for the defence, there will only be one change with Kieran Tierney coming in for this game. He will start at left-back as Calum Chambers continues on the right. Rob Holding and Gabriel will be the preferred centre-back pairing.
Thomas Partey is another player who is set to return to the playing eleven. The Ghanaian will play alongside Mohamed Elneny. Both of them need to be careful or they could be overpowered by the Chelsea midfielders. A strong performance from this duo will help the Gunners get closer to a win.
Nicolas Pepe after scoring a fantastic goal on Sunday will keep his place but the Ivorian will play on the left-wing. On the right, it will be Bukayo Saka who is back after playing in defence against the Baggies. These two will have to be at their best to trouble the hosts’ defence. The central role will be taken up by Martin Odegaard as Emile Smith-Rowe is a doubt for the game.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should return as the centre forward replacing Gabriel Martinelli. The Gabonese forward will want to lead his team to victory but will have a tough challenge against the likes of Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger. If he is given adequate service, the Gunners will have a chance to take home all three points. Getting past Chelsea will be tough, but Arteta and his men should believe that they can get a positive result.
Arsenal Starting XI Against Chelsea (4-2-3-1):
Bernd Leno, Calum Chambers, Rob Holding, Gabriel, Kieran Tierney, Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Nicolas Pepe, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Also Read: Arsenal’s 2021 Summer Transfer Targets.
