Arsenal vs Chelsea: 5 key players in yet another necessary match

1. Lucas Torreira

This is the promised “more on this later.” Which means that I could probably stop writing right now, you all get why he is so important to this match. But in case you need to hear/see it again, I’ll go ahead and say it – because we have to win the battle in the midfield.

Lucas Torreira has been missing in the last two matches and his absence has been notable. It’s been discussed all throughout the season who is more important in the Torreira/Xhaka tandem, but that question has already been answered – they both are. It’s so obvious that they both are equally important because they each bring out the best in the other, and all the other to play to their best ability.

Torreira’s absence hurt Xhaka more than anyone else, because Xhaka was stuck playing the babysitter to Guendouzi, who, while immensely talented, doesn’t exactly understand the concept of positional awareness or responsibility. He’s a bit of a loose cannon

Torreira is going to be needed to match Kante (which he absolutely can do) and defend with such gusto that Xhaka is allowed to play with more freedom and really take the fight to Jorginho. He’s becoming the Lacazette of the midfield pairing, bringing out the best in his mate while doing so much in his own right.