Chelsea vs Arsenal: Combined XI
Arsene Wenger prepares to take on Jose Mourinho againTwo sides searching for consistency and desperate for points square off on Saturday afternoon as Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Both sides have made relatively slow starts to this campaign. Chelsea, reigning champions, who are in the middle of their worst start ever since 1988, currently sit in 17th spot with a goal difference of -5. However, they did pull it together in Europe against Maccabi Tel Aviv, finally producing a convincing performance, albeit against a relatively weak opposition.Arsenal, on the other hand, have blown hot and cold. Victory against Stoke raised them into the top 4 of the table, but that was followed up by an absolute horror show at Zagreb, where they slipped to a miserable 2-1 defeat.Mourinho has always had Wenger’s number. But it was the Frenchman who came out triumphant from their last meeting in the Community Shield, although many would consider that as a friendly. Wenger has few other positives when it comes to playing against the Special One. On that note let’s take a look at the combined XI from both teams in a 4-5-1 formation. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect those of the website
#1 Goalkeeper
After a shocking first couple of games, Petr Cech has found his form and makes the cut. Producing his best performance in an Arsenal shirt in their biggest game to date against Liverpool has raised his confidence. He followed that up with a clean sheet against Stoke City. With Thibaut Courtois injured, Cech was always going to be the obvious choice.
As Arsenal’s only marquee signing this season, he has a lot to live up to. Having been rested on the trip to Zagreb, Cech will be expected to feature on Saturday and his performance could be a key factor in determining the outcome of the match. Having kept three clean sheets in five appearances and averaging almost 4 saves a game there is no doubt Cech is back to his best.
It will be interesting to see the fans’ reaction to their hero as he makes his return to Stamford Bridge. Will Cech be able to shake off his initial nerves and put in a decent performance?