Arsenal: Arteta’s crucial Kieran Tierney decision vs Chelsea

Due to welcome back the biggest crowd at the Emirates Stadium in close to 18 months, the feeling of excitement among Arsenal supporters getting back to doing what they love best is offset by what it actually is they love doing.

Watching Arsenal hasn’t been the welcome distraction from all of life’s other ongoings. Not for quite some time. With zero points and zero goals on the board with one fixture down, the small matter of welcoming Chelsea to north London risks extending that displeasure.

A raucous home support will need all the encouragement they can get from Mikel Arteta’s side, which ensures the best personnel for the job are needed. The question is who and, importantly, where?

Creating the most chances of any player in the opening round of Premier League fixtures and the most by any player in a single game for Arsenal under Arteta, Kieran Tierney’s influence was clear. He equalled his own record that was previously set over 120 minutes.

Arsenal: Arteta’s crucial Kieran Tierney decision vs Chelsea is to have the Scotsman at left centre-back in a 3-4-3 shape to cope with Romelu Lukaku

Thus, his presence in the advanced lanes of attack will be an essential ingredient once more due to Martin Odegaard not being available for Sunday and the general lack of creative punch in attack.

Or not.

A second Chelsea debut for Romelu Lukaku is on the horizon and with other dangerous forward options such as Callum Hudson-Odoi to choose from, the prospect of either of those two, among others, isolating Pablo Mari in a 3-4-3 system is a terrifying prospect.

In the pre-season meeting Hudson-Odoi ran rings around Mari as he was caught square and physically incapable of covering the spaces left in behind him. In poor form, a hungry Lukaku will feed on his indecision.

Should it be a back-three, then of all the defenders available that you trust show someone down the line and keep their discipline a left centre-back, it’s Tierney.

What Arsenal lose in the final third they gain in their own third. The Scot is more than comfortable in the position he plays for his country, and utilising him in that area presents an opportunity for the more adventurous and slightly less secure Nuno Tavares at left wing-back.

Aggressive strides without the ball and bulldozing running with it could be the ball-carrying pressure release the defence craves. It’s a big ask of the Portuguese to be making his full Premier League debut in this of all fixtures but should it be Bukayo Saka on that side then Arsenal will be stuck in a position where their three best players are all down the left.

Pace on that flank will be essential as Emile Smith Rowe needs width to encourage half-space movement, while Tierney’s strength in distributing down the line can provide the service Tavares needs as he attacks open spaces.

Arteta will be woe to lose his primary attacking outlet at left-back, but issues his side will face with Chelsea’s dynamic attack calls for his greater composure alongside a covering body like Rob Holding.

Build some stability with Tierney in that slot, analyse the flow of the game and adjust accordingly should the time call for it.