Xabi Alonso has a number of key selection decisions to make ahead of Chelsea’s visit to Arsenal on Sunday, with Moises Caicedo’s involvement to be checked one last time at Cobham. The Chelsea boss said at his pre-match news conference that a decision would be made after the squad’s final training session, giving few clues on the Ecuadorian’s chances.
Emiliano Martinez is likely to keep his place in goal after coming in within a week of his arrival from Aston Villa for £7.5m. Alonso will likely stick with a back three of Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill.
The biggest problem is the midfield. If Alonso prefers defensive solidity to incision, a possible partner for Lavia is Reece James. The alternative is Malo Gusto, but his contribution in that role last weekend was met with measured criticism.
Pedro Neto and Jorrel Hato are expected to start at wing-back, with Pep Chavarria and Valentin Barco providing alternative options from the bench. There is no disputing the attacking triumvirate of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro, who have helped for the majority of the Blues’ seven goals in two games.
Alonso’s first job is defensive reorganisation
Arsenal are particularly well situated to capitalise on Chelsea’s structural porosity, which has come with the Blues’ attacking exuberance. The Blues shipped three goals to Brighton before Palmer’s late intervention, and Robert Sanchez’s struggles at Craven Cottage hastened the expedited pursuit of Martinez in the closing days of the window.
One particular concern is the defending of set-piece situations. In March, Arsenal scored twice from corners in their 2-1 win over Chelsea. According to reports, Alonso has been using unorthodox training methods this week to make his defenders stronger against crosses.
There’s also the loss of Enzo Fernandez, who was sold to Manchester City for £125m on deadline day. Alonso has little established personnel in the positions that protect his back three. Marco Palestra is a doubt, and Jordan Henderson is recovering from a wrist problem. Caicedo could be kept back as a precaution, and Chelsea will have a makeshift midfield against Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard when they travel to the Emirates.