Arsenal vs Chelsea predicted XI: Keep the trajectory

Fullbacks

The one position that will be fully populated by guys that aren’t naturals at the position. Due to a complete lack of alternatives, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Bukayo Saka will start here. The only other potential possibility is if Arteta overthinks himself and puts Calum Chambers as a rightback and sorts his centerbacks accordingly, but that doesn’t seem likely at all.

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I worry about the leftback situation here. With Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac both out, Bukayo Saka is going to be called upon to play the position that he has very little experience at. He’s done an admirable job so far, no doubt. But he’s got Willian across from him now.

Saka can match Willian in the athleticism department, but there’s a certain value to having a guy who is more familiar to the position than Saka is. All we can do is have hope that the young man is up to the challenge.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles also needs to bounce back, as he was all over the place facing Joshua King at Vitality Stadium. And I mean all over the place.

Moving on to the centerbacks.