Silva, Chilwell And Havertz To Start, Ziyech On The Bench: Chelsea’s Predicted XI To Play Arsenal

David Tully

3 years ago

Categories: Chelsea News, Galleries, Match Previews

Trying to guess Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel’s team selections can be pretty challenging. I don’t think many would have guessed that the likes of Marcos Alonso and Billy Gilmour would have started against Manchester City at the weekend. Yet, the German continues to get his starting lineups spot on.

So, how will he deal with the game against Arsenal tomorrow night? It’s three days before a FA Cup final but the Blues still need to clinch a top-four finish.

With that in mind, Tuchel may well go with a very strong eleven in order to secure three more points at Stamford Bridge.

Press the next page as we name Chelsea’s predicted lineup for the game.

GK – Edouard Mendy

The Senegalese international continues to impress in goal for the Blues, making some smart saves in the 2-1 win over City at the weekend.

Mendy also showed some good footballing intelligence to anticipate and save the Panenka penalty from Sergio Aguero, which proved pivotal to helping Chelsea turn the game on its head in the second half.

RWB – Reece James

After rampaging up and down the right flank at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, the 21-year-old fully merits keeping his place in the starting lineup.

James could, and perhaps should, have had an assist against City, with Timo Werner failing to get his toe on the end of an excellent cross.

CB – Cesar Azpilicueta

With Andreas Christensen now sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Spaniard will likely stay at centre-half for the Arsenal game, rather than switching back to the wingback role Tuchel has employed him in recently.

Despite being 31 years of age, Azpilicueta seems very capable of playing every few days so expect the club captain to be named in the eleven tomorrow evening.

CB – Thiago Silva

The Brazilian was given a deserved rest for the City game, but there will be a question mark over his inclusion in the lineup versus the Gunners, considering the close proximity of the FA Cup final.

Kurt Zouma would be the main alternative if Tuchel holds Silva back for the weekend but, as we have decided to go for the strongest eleven, we’ll back the Brazilian to play.

CB – Antonio Rudiger

The German international is actually playing with a broken jaw at the moment, making his consistent performances recently all the more remarkable.

Tuchel has used Emerson Palmieri as an auxiliary left centre-back on occasion so the Italian could play if Rudiger is given a rest.

LWB – Ben Chilwell

Marcos Alonso undoubtedly provides the greater attacking threat out of the two left wingbacks, as we saw with his late winner at the Etihad.

However, Chilwell is the all-round better player and the 24-year-old is likely to be recalled for the Arsenal clash tomorrow night.

CM – N’Golo Kante

The Frenchman was taken off midway through the second half on Saturday which suggests Tuchel was saving his legs to play in the midweek fixture.

Kante’s energy and ability to win the ball in important areas of the pitch has made him an integral player in Chelsea’s revival in recent months.

CM – Jorginho

The Italian international was given a rest at the weekend but his 25-minute cameo against City proved important in the Blues securing the three points.

Chelsea maintained pressure on City by controlling possession, and Jorginho was key to keeping the ball and providing the springboard for the Blues to clinch a late winner.

AM – Mason Mount

It was a shock not to see the England international in the matchday squad at the weekend, considering his outstanding form and fitness.

With that in mind, you would expect Tuchel to recall Mount for the Gunners game, even with the FA Cup final on the horizon.

CF – Kai Havertz

Tuchel’s rotation policy certainly didn’t do Havertz any favours against City. The 21-year-old was harshly dropped despite superb performances versus Fulham and Real Madrid.

It would be surprising, therefore, if the German international was left out for a second game in a row, so a start tomorrow evening is expected.

CF – Timo Werner

To be honest, Hakim Ziyech would probably deserve to keep his place after his goal against City, but Tuchel seems more willing to drop the Moroccan than Werner.

Despite the German’s inconsistent performances, it’s likely we’ll see the 25-year-old in the starting lineup once more versus Arsenal.