Arsene Wenger has some injury headaches ahead of Saturday’s Cup Final clash, with Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel doubtful and Granit Xhaka and Alexis Sanchez nursing knocks that forced their early withdrawal from Sunday’s win over Everton. But even leaving aside fitness concerns, the manager has a few noggin scratchers to mull over before submitting his teamsheet at Wembley. Here, Tim Stillman looks at the 5 biggest selection dilemmas.
PETR CECH OR DAVID OSPINA
Ospina was injured for the semi-final against Manchester City, so the Great Arsenal Cup Final Goalkeeping Debate™ hasn’t really taken place this year. But the fact remains that Arsene has given his ‘cup ‘keeper’ the gloves in the last two cup finals, so Ospina must be in his thinking. It is likely that the Colombian will leave in the summer, but Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski were in the same situation when they undertook goalkeeping duties in the 2014 and 2015 finals.
I think the manager will use the lack of conjecture around this position to his advantage and opt for Cech. With Koscielny suspended and Mustafi and Gabriel doubtful, it would be a huge gamble to voluntarily remove another experienced mainstay from the Gunners rearguard. Cech’s form has improved markedly since the adoption of the back 3.
Assuming Mertesacker does not play, Cech will probably wear the captain’s armband against his old club. If Arsene’s decision to play Szczesny and Fabianski in past finals was based a little on sentiment, opting for the Czech should be suitably saccharine for his tastes. I think he should pick Cech and I believe that he will.
OXLADE CHAMBERLAIN OR BELLERIN
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain settled into the right-wing back role nicely back in April. The slightly deeper starting position allows him time to establish a few gallops worth of momentum before he begins to power past opposing full-backs. His delivery can be a little inconsistent, but pinpoint crosses for Alexis (Sunderland away), Giroud (Manchester United away), Monreal (at Wembley against City) and Welbeck (Manchester United at home) show that he is capable of genuine quality from out wide.
Ox was keeping Bellerin out of the team until an injury forced him off against Southampton. Since coming back into the team, Hector has looked something closer to his old self. He brilliantly set up Olivier Giroud at Stoke and helped himself to a goal against Everton on Saturday. Bellerin is slightly more accomplished defensively than Chamberlain and is beginning to produce end product in attack.
Had Chamberlain stayed fit, I think he would have stayed in the team and been selected for the final. But I don’t see Wenger disrupting the starting line-up anymore than strictly necessary now. Bellerin has built up a little momentum over the last ten days or so and the Gunners will have to contend with Marcos Alonso and Eden Hazard down that side. For those reasons, I see Bellerin being named as a starter.
FRANCIS COQUELIN OR AARON RAMSEY
Granit Xhaka seems to be a certain starter- fitness permitting. But the question over who should partner him abounds. Ramsey has been the preferred choice over recent weeks, but Wenger will give serious consideration to whether Coquelin is more suited to this match. For a start, Arsenal have to try and disrupt Eden Hazard and the Frenchman seems a better fit for that job than Ramsey.
That said, Hazard made pretty short work of Coquelin when he dribbled into Arsenal’s area so easily at Stamford Bridge in February. Coquelin and Xhaka would directly match Chelsea’s Kante and Matic axis in midfield. Kante is not especially comfortable in possession and Coquelin could make some hay by putting his compatriot under pressure on the ball (and vice versa of course).
Ramsey offers far more going forward and has a superior understanding with Xhaka compared to Coquelin. I think having persevered with the Ramsey and Xhaka partnership for so much of the last month or so, Arsene will opt for it again at Wembley. The issue is that being dribbled past is one of Arsenal’s biggest weaknesses and, in Hazard, Chelsea have the foremost dribbler in the country. It’s difficult not to worry about all of the Gunners’ midfield permutations.
WELBECK OR GIROUD
This will probably prove to be Wenger’s most contentious call. In recent weeks, he has flitted between the two strikers, suggesting that he is not exactly 100% sold on either. Welbeck is more suited to Arsenal’s style. His mobility stretches defences and he gives the Gunners the option of swapping places with Alexis Sanchez mid game.
But sometimes I wonder whether the idea of Danny Welbeck is a lot more attractive than the reality. He has not grown out of the inconsistency that saw him divide opinion during his Manchester United days. I’ve the impression Arsene trusts Giroud more because he pretty much knows what he will get from the Frenchman. The issue is that the opposition do too.
In reality, Welbeck and Giroud are likely to split line leading duties at Wembley, the question will be, who gets the lion’s share of the prize? Against Manchester City, Welbeck was incredibly effective as a late substitute, once City’s centre halves had been sufficiently tired out by their battle with Giroud. Does Arsene rely on Giroud to tire Chelsea physically before unleashing Welbeck’s pace on them or vice versa?
The Gunners will have to be clinical to stand any chance of winning and, on balance; you’d marginally trust Giroud with a big chance more than you would Welbeck. Yet it seems more likely that the Frenchman will be nullified completely, standing frustrated in the centre circle as he is left to contest a series of inconsequential headers.
I would slightly prefer to see Welbeck start because even when he is not hugely involved in a game, his presence and pace creates greater space for Alexis and Özil. But I have a feeling Arsene will opt for Olivier Giroud having given Welbeck 90 minutes on Sunday whilst Olivier had his feet in a bucket of cold water on the sub’s bench.
TO PER OR NOT TO PER?
If Shkodran Mustafi and Gabriel are unavailable, the manager may have little choice but to blow the cobwebs off of his captain and give him his first start of the season on the cup final. This is far from ideal, especially as he’d be charged with stopping Diego Costa and Eden Hazard in a back 3 system that he has yet to start a game in for the club.
Let’s not forget that the last time Per lined up against Chelsea, he was sent off for a professional foul on Diego Costa. With Koscielny absent, Mertesacker’s leadership skills could be crucial. In theory, an extra centre-half protects the space in behind him. Mustafi played in the centre of the 3 because of his ability to bring the ball out and play.
Mertesacker’s passing is good, but you would worry about him straying too far from the defensive line. I think Arsene will try to avoid playing the BFG if he possibly can, but if Mustafi and Gabriel are both ruled out, he will probably have very little choice.
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