Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs Chelsea: Predicted starting XI – A thinning squad

By Andrew Dowdeswell

WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 31: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns on December 31, 2017 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 31: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Bromwich Albion and Arsenal at The Hawthorns on December 31, 2017 in West Bromwich, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Laurent Koscielny
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on January 20, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) /

Centre-Halves

I feel that, with the return of some key defensive players from injury, we are coming to the end of the back three. There is a chance that Wenger chooses to play 3-4-3 to match Chelsea up man-for-man across the board, making the bet that his players are better than Antonio Conte’s. But given the players that Wenger is pursuing in the transfer window, the 3-4-3 shape perhaps does not work too well with the personnel that he will have to work with.

As such, I believe that Wenger will replicate the same shape that he implemented against Crystal Palace — a 4-3-3 with a flat back-four and two box-to-box midfielders flanking a centralised anchor. As a result, that leaves room for just two centre-halves. It’s fairly easy to determine who they will be.

Laurent Koscielny returned to the starting XI on Saturday after taking an extended absence because of his ailing Achilles. He scored the third goal and looked far more comfortable in a pair with Shkodran Mustafi. It would be extremely surprising to see Wenger do anything different, if he keeps the same formation, against Chelsea.