Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday with Mikel Arteta facing one of his most intriguing selection decisions of the season so far.
Christos Tzolis has started both Premier League games on the left, but Eberechi Eze’s second-half impact against Aston Villa strengthened his case for a first league start in Arsenal colours.
Eze replaced Tzolis at half-time at Villa Park and played a decisive role in the winning goal. Our Arsenal player ratings against Aston Villa highlighted how Eze released Riccardo Calafiori before the Italian created Bukayo Saka’s finish.
We also looked immediately after the game at how Eze had given Arteta a huge Chelsea selection decision.
Against a Chelsea side built around flexibility, aggressive transitions and changing shapes, Eze could give Arsenal exactly the type of movement required to disrupt Xabi Alonso’s system.
Eze can attack the spaces Chelsea leave between the lines
Chelsea should not simply be described as a low-block side.
Alonso wants far more flexibility than that.
Chelsea’s explanation of Alonso’s tactical philosophy details his desire for a versatile and unpredictable side, with players rotating and the shape changing throughout matches.
That presents Arsenal with an interesting challenge.
Traditional width can stretch Chelsea’s wide defenders, but Arsenal also need somebody capable of exploiting the spaces created when those players advance or central midfielders are drawn towards the ball.
This is where Eze becomes particularly attractive.
He does not have to remain attached to the touchline.
Eze can receive on the half-turn before driving centrally, move between Chelsea’s midfield and defensive lines and combine with Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz in tight areas.
Those movements would also create space outside him for Calafiori to advance.
Arteta has plenty of different attacking combinations available, as shown by our permanent Arsenal squad guide, but Eze offers a profile that is difficult to reproduce elsewhere in the group.
Villa cameo showed what Eze can change
Arteta has already seen the difference.
Tzolis started at Villa Park but was replaced at half-time after struggling to impose himself consistently on the contest.
Eze immediately gave Arsenal another player comfortable receiving centrally.
The winning goal demonstrated the value.
Eze found Calafiori, the left-back accelerated into space and his delivery allowed Saka to score from close range.
The Guardian’s report from Villa Park also details Eze’s involvement in the decisive move.
It would be wrong to judge Tzolis after 45 difficult minutes.
The £34million summer signing offers qualities Arsenal still need, particularly his direct running and willingness to attack space outside a defender.
But Chelsea may be a game better suited to Eze.
Our Arsenal predicted XI against Chelsea already identifies the left wing as one of Arteta’s biggest selection calls.
The argument for changing it has only become stronger.
Chelsea’s fluid shape creates an opportunity
Chelsea’s defensive structure is still evolving under Alonso.
The Spaniard has repeatedly emphasised adaptability rather than committing his side to one permanent formation.
Ahead of the Arsenal game, Alonso again discussed Chelsea’s need to adapt, explaining that his team require different solutions depending on the type of opponent and match.
That flexibility makes Chelsea difficult to predict.
It can also create opportunities when players rotate.
If their right-sided player advances and a midfielder moves across to support possession, Arsenal need someone capable of recognising where the gaps appear rather than simply waiting for a one-versus-one on the touchline.
Eze specialises in finding those pockets.
He can draw a midfielder towards him before releasing Calafiori outside.
He can move inside and allow Ødegaard to rotate wider.
He can combine around Havertz before attacking the penalty area himself.
That unpredictability could be particularly valuable against a Chelsea side trying to defend through collective movement rather than fixed individual match-ups.
Our analysis of why Chelsea face an Arsenal defensive problem no Premier League rival can solve explains why Sunday’s contest may ultimately come down to Arteta’s control against Chelsea’s ability to create a more transitional game.
Eze gives Arsenal another way of controlling the attacking side of that battle.
Eze can help Arsenal create central overloads
Arsenal’s right side already has an established structure.
Saka and Ødegaard have years of experience combining, while Ben White can provide the supporting run outside.
The left has been less settled.
That makes Eze potentially important beyond his individual ability.
Moving inside from the flank gives Arsenal another player between the lines and can create an extra central presence alongside Ødegaard, Declan Rice or Myles Lewis-Skelly and Havertz.
Chelsea then have a decision to make.
Allow Eze to receive and turn, or commit another player towards him and potentially create space somewhere else.
Arteta has increasingly built Arsenal around those positional rotations rather than rigid starting positions.
Our analysis of how Arsenal’s tactics evolved over the course of last season explains how the manager has moved towards structures designed to increase control and populate attacking areas more effectively.
Eze appears naturally suited to that evolution.
Calafiori could benefit from Eze starting
There is another player who could gain from the change.
Calafiori has started the season superbly.
His willingness to advance aggressively means Arsenal effectively gain another attacking player whenever the Italian moves beyond the opposition midfield.
That becomes even more dangerous if the left winger vacates the touchline.
Eze moving centrally can draw Chelsea’s right side inside with him.
Calafiori can then attack the space that opens outside.
We saw a version of that combination for the winning goal at Villa Park.
It is precisely the type of movement Arsenal should try to recreate against Chelsea.
Calafiori’s importance has already been evident during Arsenal’s perfect league start, and supporters can track how Arteta’s options develop throughout the campaign through our permanent Arsenal first-team hub.
Arteta has to decide whether now is the moment
There is still a perfectly reasonable argument for retaining Tzolis.
He has started Arsenal’s first two league victories.
Arsenal have scored four times and conceded none.
Continuity has value.
Tzolis could also pin Chelsea’s right side deeper with his pace and willingness to make runs behind.
But Sunday is not only about rewarding what has already worked.
It is about selecting the player best suited to the next problem.
Chelsea arrive with seven goals from their opening two league matches and Alonso has already demonstrated that his side can make games chaotic.
Our full Arsenal vs Chelsea preview looks at how Arteta may try to impose greater control at the Emirates.
There is also another significant subplot on that side of the pitch after Chelsea beat Arsenal to Morgan Rogers this summer. Our feature on Rogers’ return to the Emirates after Arsenal refused to meet Aston Villa’s valuation explains why the comparison between Arsenal and Chelsea’s attacking choices will be impossible to ignore.
Supporters can follow the rest of Arsenal’s title defence through our permanent Arsenal fixtures and results hub.
Eze could be fundamental to Sunday’s contest.
He gives Arsenal creativity between the lines, another ball-carrier in central areas and a player capable of changing positions without reducing the threat on the left.
At Villa Park, Arteta needed only 45 minutes before turning to him.
Against Chelsea, he may be better served not waiting that long.
Comments.
Loading comments…