Considering their record vs Arsenal in recent years, Chelsea fans will be wary going into the matchup against Mikel Arteta’s side. Liam Rosenior has already lost twice to them since taking the Stamford Bridge job last month. Can he stop it from becoming three on the trot?
Chelsea’s bad habits have cropped up once again in recent weeks. Their disciplinary issues are well known. And they have repeatedly failed to hold onto leads, dropping 17 points at Stamford Bridge from winning positions this season.
So, they have a mountain to climb away against Arsenal at the weekend. It is worth mentioning though, that Arteta’s side have shown their own frailties lately. Can Chelsea take advantage? Or will this be another in a long line of defeats for them?
Unfortunately, it looks like Chelsea are set to be without three key players this weekend. Estevao, Jamie Gittens have all been ruled out by Rosenior. According to football.london, the manager said: “Estevao will be out for a little bit longer and Jamie Gittens is progressing in his rehab. Cucu is not available for Sunday.”
Chelsea trio ruled out against Arsenal this weekend
Estevao has arguably been Chelsea’s biggest threat going forward this season with Cole Palmer struggling for form and fitness. Earlier in the campaign, we had seen him perform brilliantly against Arsenal. So, he will be a big miss this weekend.
Marc Cucurella is also one of Chelsea’s most consistent and important players. In his absence, the left-back spot is significantly weakened.
Jorrel Hato was brought in this summer but has not impressed yet. He has put in a few good performances here and there, but that’s about it. On the other hand, Malo Gusto was heavily criticised coming out of his last outing as a left-back. So, Cucurella looks set to be another miss.
Gittens is the one out of the three who cannot be called a starter. He has struggled since his big-money move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. It looks like the recruitment team got it wrong with him. That being said, Alejandro Garnacho has not been brilliant either. So, he could have been an option on the day.
All things considered, this is a weakened Chelsea team going into the Arsenal game. Even at their best, one would expect them to have a tough time. It will be interesting to see what kind of lineup Rosenior opts for. The result could have major implications for both the title and the Champions League qualification race.
