Premier League 2018/19, Arsenal vs Chelsea: How the Gunners should line-up

Arsenal started the season well under new boss Unai Emery, however, in the middle of the season, the performances started becoming inconsistent.

This along with their failure to put any big team to bed this season has got fans thinking that maybe Emery needs time for his team to gel and next season is maybe theirs.

Well, how many times has that happened in the past? The team does, however, look much more improved and purposeful post-Wenger. Couple that with a number of great performances that we have already seen this season, and you'd see promising signs.

It is safe to say that the team is heading in the right direction under the stewardship of the Spanish boss.

Their brand of football looks fluid and attacks look more tantalizing than before. The midfield is now solid and with the arrivals of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, they finally have options to pick from.

In the derby against Chelsea on Saturday’s late kickoff, Arsenal will take nothing to chance as they would want to walk away with all three points.

Chelsea has also shown that they can be inconsistent at times this season and Arsenal will want to capitalize on their lapse, even if it is just for a minute.

Emery will want to start a solid lineup against the Blues and look to put this game to bed early enough. What’s the most suited lineup for the Spaniard to use for this game? We will go with a 3-4-3 formation and discuss how the Gunners should line-up for this London Derby.

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Goalkeeper

The German is steady with his handling and his reflexes aren’t bad either

The obvious choice at the moment is none other than Bernd Leno for the goalkeeping position.

He’s finally proving to be the top-class goalkeeper that Emery thought he was getting from Leverkusen earlier this season. The German is steady with his handling and his reflexes aren’t bad either.

In addition to that, he can pick a pass which gives the team another dimension when they are building from the back.

Unai Emery will surely see no reason to replace the German international between the sticks as he represents the future for the club.

Defence

Lichsteiner's experience could come into play against Chelsea

Arsenal's back line hasn’t really been consistent this season as they have looked disorganized and out of sorts at times. This was mainly due to the long absence of their captain and obviously best defender Laurent Koscielny.

The French international is now back, and though not fully up to speed yet, he’s still their best choice to marshal their defence. Of course, Emery brought in Sokratis, but let's face it; he hasn't gotten into the Premier League rhythm quite yet.

Emery will want to put up a back three against Chelsea so as to have a solid platform for their attacking players. With Laurent Koscielny available for selection the manager will really be relieved

With that in mind, the three players that will likely lineup in that back three are Stephen Lichtsteiner on the right, Sokratis through the middle and Laurent Koscielny to the left side of that back three.

Midfield

Lucas Torreira will be crucial for Arsenal against Chelsea

The manager will most likely start with a midfield of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi. This midfield duo has been deployed to great effect already this season and some of Arsenal’s best performances have come with these two patrolling the middle of the park.

Lucas Torreira will man the runners from the Chelsea midfield and look to initiate quick counters.

He will also be tasked with mopping up for the players around him and ensure that his defenders don’t get outnumbered.

Chelsea will more likely look to attack more in this particular match so Lucas Torreira will be crucial for this tie at the heart of midfield.

Matteo Guendouzi will continue doing what he has been doing all season, pull the strings from deep and look to spot runners. If Arsenal is to unlock a stubborn defence, then the Frenchman will have to be on his 'A-game.'

The two wing-backs will be Sead Kolasinac and Hector Bellerin. These two will provide width and stretch the Chelsea back line on every opportunity.

Attack

The duo of Lacazette and Aubameyang could trouble Chelsea's defence

If the manager is most likely to go for the win, he will have to through caution to the wind and start a formidable attacking system.

Expect to see Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang start upfront. They will alternate between playing on the left and the central role.

Both these players are capable of scoring goals and with Aubameyang already among the contenders for golden boot this season, he may want to add a few more to his tally.

The final position will be occupied by Alex Iwobi down the right wing. Though he may not be every fan's cup of tea, Iwobi has really been a hard worker for Arsenal this season.

He is the one player that Arsenal will look to use in order to stretch Chelsea and get crosses into the box.

Here’s how the final starting XI may look against Chelsea.

Can this line-up secure all three points for Arsenal?