Arsenal vs Chelsea predicted XI: Keep the trajectory

Centerbacks

I get so excited about our defense lately because Calum Chambers is finally getting a chance to settle into the role and go figure, it’s working. Our only two away clean sheets this year (throw in last year too) had Chambers anchoring the back line. That’s not a coincidence. So don’t mess this up, Mikel!

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Chambers will be returning from suspension so he will be fresh and ready to take home another man of the match performance, just like he did against Everton. There’s no reason he should be losing his spot between now and the end of the year.

With Sokratis picking up a knock against Bournemouth, unless Arteta wants to risk Shkodran Mustafi (don’t mess this up, Mikel!), then David Luiz will slide in as Chambers’ partner, and that’s the best way to situate this defense.

I’m anxious to move the defense forward, to get William Saliba, to potentially buy another guy in the coming windows, but until then, Chambers will hold me over.

On to the central midfielders.