In this year’s traditional Boxing Day game, Chelsea face Arsenal in a classic London game. The circumstances could not be more different; one is in the race for the title and the other is on the verge of a relegation dispute. However, if history has told us something, that form has been thrown out the window in this type of game.
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
After an important victory against West Ham, the WAGNH community maintained confidence in known quantities. Faith in the 4-3-3 formation continues, with 4-2-3-1 (15%), 3-4-3 (6%) and 4-4-2 (3%) all falling short.
Édouard Mendy maintained his 10th game without conceding a goal for the club earlier this week, so Kepa Arrizabalaga (4%) will have to limit himself to looking at the beer bottles on the bench.
As the usual defenders are out due to injury, Emerson and César Azpilicueta enter again, with Marcos Alonso (9%) remaining as a reserve. Toni Rüdiger (10%), Andreas Christensen (6%) and Fikayo Tomori (5%) did not stand a chance against the flourishing and magnificent partnership that developed between Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma.
The choices in the midfield were also clear, with Mateo Kovačić, N’Golo Kanté and Mason Mount ahead of Billy Gilmour (13%), Jorginho (9%) and Kai Havertz (26%). The latter, in particular, can benefit from leaving the bank and getting a little out of the spotlight.
The attacking band remains the same as on Monday: Olivier Giroud (22%) and a Callum Hudson-Odoi comeback (39%) behind the Christian Pulisic trio, Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner.
4-3-3 (76%)
Mendy (95%) | Emerson (86%), Silva (93%), Zouma (93%), Azpilicueta (98%) | Kovačić (74%), Kanté (98%), Mount (89%) | Werner (67%), Abraham (63%), Pulisic (95%)
MY FAVORITE CHOICE
While I understand the community’s choice to start Abraham after he scored an important goal on Monday, I’d like to see Hudson-Odoi, Werner and Pulisic’s potentially deadly combination start here, as Arsenal’s defense is ready to be taken. Imagining them commanding names like Mustafi or Holding Ragged is a little fun, to say the least.
Otherwise, the remaining team will recover with the current injury list.
4-3-3
Mendy | Emerson, Silva, Zouma, Azpilicueta | Monte, Kanté, Kovačić | Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Pulisic