Arsenal predicted lineup vs Chelsea: 3-4-3 return with Balogun?

Arsenal host Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday for a fixture that can be viewed as a glass half full or glass half empty encounter. Mikel Arteta needs to oversee a vastly improved performance to stand any chance of success. Here is the predicted lineup.

So, after falling to defeat away at Brentford on the opening day, Arsenal have gone on to sign two new players! Martin Odegaard arrives on a permanent £30m deal to bolster the creativity department and Aaron Ramsdale comes in to give Bernd Leno the kick up the backside he so desperately needs.

Sadly, only one is available to play. Even that is touch and go.

Odegaard couldn’t secure a visa in time to make the squad which, if Arteta does as expected with his team, is a big miss. Ramsdale has a chance to be on the bench.

Arsenal predicted lineup vs Chelsea: 3-4-3 return with Folarin Balogun keeping his place in the Premier League for his full home debut?

It is touch and go for both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Willian to be involved but given their length of absence and that the latter is still considered not fit to be part of the matchday squad, it’s highly unlikely that the pair will feature. At least not from the start.

Alexandre Lacazette and Alex Runarsson are the other two who tested positive for COVID-19 and they’re confirmed absentees for Sunday.

Having overseen two victories against Chelsea in the Premier League last season, how will Arteta approach this one? Against Frank Lampard it was a 4-2-3-1 and in the away clash against Thomas Tuchel he tried to match their system with a back three that utilised two No. 10’s.

Again, if Odegaard were available he’d slot straight into one of those two positions behind the striker – even if he had a poor game at Stamford Bridge. Not expected to have much of the ball, will the centre-forward be a someone with pace to isolate Chelsea centre-backs or someone who can hold the ball up? We’ll have to find out.

Goalkeeper & Centre-Backs

Bernd Leno (GK) – Ramsdale may be in the building but it would be an almighty shock to see him usurp Leno in the starting lineup just yet. Hopefully the mere presence of a £24m goalkeeper will push the German to be considerably less terrible as he was against Brentford.

Ben White (CB) – A position that many argue is more suited to his skillset, while Arsenal being at home may prompt Arteta to adopt his usual approach, facing a side of Chelsea’s quality (surely) calls for a change of shape? In which case, White on the right of the back three may come into play.

Rob Holding (CB) – Low-block football calls for low-block defenders. Holding can leave all the distribution to his fellow central defenders and be left to act as the covering body to double up on Romelu Lukaku.

Kieran Tierney (CB) – Having Tierney in the back three will obviously limit his attacking output, but does anyone fancy Calum Hudson-Odoi and Lukaku having the run on Pablo Mari? No, didn’t think so.

Wing-Backs & Midfielders

Bukayo Saka (RWB) – Of all the millions of positions that Saka has featured in, right wing-back is arguably his weakest. As seen in the previous meeting at Stamford Bridge, Saka struggled to cope with the demands placed on him as he was left to deal with Holding as the right centre-back, which could change with White behind him.

The Gunners’ two most threatening players in positions that reduce their danger? It may have to be.

Albert Sambi Lokonga (CM) – Another opportunity for the Belgian to showcase his ability, the midfield control that N’Golo Kante and Jorginho will look to have means Sambi will need to demonstrate his positional awareness and proactive reading of the game throughout.

Likely to drop into the defence with Holding and Tierney either side to allow White the chance to provide width in a right-back position.

Granit Xhaka (CM) – With Partey still absent it means Xhaka will have to prove he’s capable of managing without his usual partner. His display against the Bees was very much ‘Xhaka without Partey’. Has to speed up in possession as the previous concerns over his use of the ball returned to the fore.

Nuno Tavares (LWB) – This is the interesting move that we may see implemented by Arteta as he seeks to inject pace and ball-carrying ability in the flanks in an attempt to isolate Chelsea’s defenders in transition. It’s a big call placing Tavares in the side for his full Premier League debut and it may be more of a wing-back role than a winger role given how the match will likely play out.

Forwards

Nicolas Pepe (RW) – In this system Arteta adopts two No. 10’s, which he did last season with Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe, which is not in any way a natural slot for the Ivorian.

However, due to the lack of possession Arsenal will have, it may be a case for Pepe drifts into the central roles in transition where his pace can be utilised, and the centre-forward in this case will drop deeper to try and facilitate play.

Folarin Balogun (ST) – Will Arteta plump for Gabriel Martinelli as the striker and try to get his front three in behind the Chelsea midfield as much as possible? He may very well do that. Or, the Brazilian may be an option off what will be an especially weak bench.

Where there is some potential for Balogun to play is in having someone who can hold the ball up and allow runners beyond. Pepe can continue attacking the spaces vacated by Flo dropping in, which will also open up gaps for Saka to move into advanced half-spaces.

It’s a huge ask for Balogun but Arsenal will need someone with physical presence in the front line, which may be enough to convince Arteta.

Emile Smith Rowe (LW) – This is where the Arsenal No. 10 will actually play as a No. 10, using Tavares’ natural width as the opening for him to slot into the left half-space and look to facilitate play from those areas.

Centrality will be brought in by Balogun who Smith Rowe can play off, finding pockets in around Jorginho, if at all possible.