After three successive defeats, Arsenal have a massive mountain to climb with regard to the top-four race and hopes of ending this dismal run don't get any easier with a clash against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
Whilst the Gunners have handed Tottenham Hotspur the upper hand in the battle for Champions League football over the past three weeks, Mikel Arteta will be well aware that victory at Stamford Bridge will see his side move level on points with their north London rivals with six games to play.
In terms of team news, Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney are the only first-team players definitely unavailable for selection, although Alexandre Lacazette and Takehiro Tomiyasu are in contention to return. So with a near full-strength squad at his disposal, Arteta is facing somewhat of a selection headache when it comes to naming his line-up to face the Blues.
READ MORE: Every word Mikel Arteta said on Lacazette's interview, Nketiah's future, Marcelo Flores and Chelsea
Luckily for the Spaniard, football.london's Arsenal writers Kaya Kaynak, Tashan Deniran-Alleyne, Tom Canton, Bailey Keogh and Chris Davison are on hand to provide their say on who should start at Stamford Bridge.
Chris Davison - The Arsenal Way Writer
Following three consecutive defeats, I think it's about time Arteta changed things up. Not only has the backline been all over the place, but we haven't looked like scoring at all which is a huge concern.
With recent results in mind as well as current absentees, a 4-3-3 formation away at Chelsea is asking for trouble. The Blues are more often than not defensively sound and they always control games so well in midfield, so I believe a switch to a back three would provide us with much-needed stability.
As Kaya mentions below, the performance at Stamford Bridge last season may not have been the greatest, but it got the job done and ensured all three points returned to north London. Whether or not it has the same impact this time around remains to be seen, but a win is desperately needed in order to get a push for Champions League football back on track.
The setup unfortunately means Martin Odegaard makes way, with Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka adding a healthy balance between defensive and attacking qualities in midfield. Going forward, I've again decided to opt for Gabriel Martinelli in the centre forward role after Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah's recent struggles in front of goal. Emile Smith Rowe joins the Brazilian on the left flank while Bukayo Saka operates on the right.
Davison's Arsenal XI vs Chelsea; Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares; Lokonga, Xhaka; Saka, Martinelli, Smith Rowe.
Kaya Kaynak - Arsenal Writer
At this point, I think we're already approaching the damaged limitation stages of the season for Arsenal. Arsene Wenger had a mantra of not letting one loss snowball into a crisis and I think Mikel Arteta could do with learning a thing or two from his former boss at this point.
For me, if Arsenal go to Chelsea and play their 4-3-3 with their current personnel, they will be annihilated. Thomas Tuchel's side are too good in the midfield and too solid at the back to be caused any problems by a team that look as strung out as the Gunners right now. Last season for the trip to Stamford Bridge Arteta parked the bus, and while it wasn't pretty I would look to do the same thing again. Rob Holding coming into the middle of a defensive three with Ben White and Gabriel on either side of him.
For the wing-back roles, I would have Nuno Tavares and Cedric to provide further defensive instincts while also potentially covering for the pair's more attack-minded instincts. In midfield, I'd again play it safe and go for a defensive screen of Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga protecting the backline.
For the front three, I'd look to give Arsenal's young Guns a chance to let loose. Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli all have the pace in transition to ensure that Chelsea wouldn't throw themselves forward entirely without fear of giving up some sort of counter-attacking chances. Those kinds of opportunities have helped Arsenal get good results at Stamford Bridge in their past two visits and I would hope for the same this time around.
Kaynak's Arsenal XI vs Chelsea; Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Holding, Gabriel, Tavares; Lokonga, Xhaka; Saka, Martinelli, Smith Rowe.
Tom Canton - The Arsenal Way Writer
It is a genuine nightmare scenario for Arsenal to recover from three back-to-back defeats by facing the European champions. My desired line-up can only fill me with more frustration as I have so little faith that despite the sense in its construction, it most likely will not be mirrored in what Mikel Arteta chooses.
I wish to return to a back three. There is a glimmer of hope for me because this exact formation returned a win at Stamford Bridge last season. Rob Holding, Pablo Mari and Gabriel Magalhaes held the Blues at bay. With a better selection in Ben White over Mari, Arteta can field an even stronger defence too. It is a no-brainer in my view with seven cup finals to play to go for the industrious selection for this particular tussle.
Offensively it gets tricky. Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, despite calls from Arteta for their focus to be fully on Arsenal, have their minds split. It is our own fault; we allowed this situation to transpire and did little to address it.
For me, we need to give the opportunity to those who will be here next season and who are motivated to achieve a future for this club. That is why the selection includes a side who I expect will all be here next year with, hopefully, plenty of reinforcement.
Canton's XI: Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Cedric, Lokonga, Xhaka, Tavares; Saka, Martinelli, Smith Rowe
Tashan Deniran-Alleyne - Arsenal Writer
The big decision Mikel Arteta has to make going into the Chelsea game is the system rather than the personnel. I do get the shouts of reverting to a back three formation as it worked wonders last season and it has caused Thomas Tuchel's side problems in recent weeks.
But it's time for the Spaniard to take some risks. Whilst a defeat won't end the Gunners' hopes of winning the top-four battle, I shudder to think what another bad result at the hands of the Blues would do to the confidence of the squad, so my feeling is the visitors have to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Against Southampton, Arsenal weren't terrible, they just lacked a cutting edge in attack. As the 4-3-3 formation is working, I'd be bold and stick with it, while also keeping the same back four in front of Aaron Ramsdale that started at St Mary's.
The midfield three picks itself. Albert Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka must win the battle in the engine room and that can hopefully allow Martin Odegaard to rediscover his connection with Bukayo Saka down the right-hand side as pushing Marcos Alonso back could be key to getting a positive result.
In attack, Eddie Nketiah has been talking about wanting more opportunities to prove he can lead the line for Arsenal and I'd give him another chance regardless of Lacazette's situation with Gabriel Martinelli getting the nod over Emile Smith Rowe on the left-wing once again.
Deniran-Alleyne's XI: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tavares; Lokonga, Odegaard, Xhaka; Saka, Nketiah, Martinelli
Bailey Keogh - The Arsenal Way Writer
Arsenal need a change of formation and I have been against reverting to five defenders, but it is now time to do that to improve the attacking intent. For that reason, I believe that Mikel Arteta should opt for a 5-2-1-2 system.
With three centre-backs needed in this formation, it means that Rob Holding should make a return to the side. Bukayo Saka should be deployed at left-wing-back as he can cause problems for Reece James, and nullify his attacking threat by forcing him to defend. Cedric Soares would be at right-wing back to give Arsenal more defensive reassurance.
Albert Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka should remain as the two holding midfielders in the team, as that is Arteta’s best option. Martin Odegaard will play at the top of this triangle to link play between the midfield and the attack.
And in the striker positions, I would like to see both Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli together. It is risky only playing one of these options upfront, as we already saw earlier in the season that Martinelli struggled to lead the line against Chelsea when the Gunners lost 2-0 in August. Having Martinelli and Pepe interchanging will lead to a fluid attack, and will also provide great pace on the counter-attack.
Keogh’s XI: Ramsdale; Cedric, White, Holding, Gabriel, Saka; Lokonga, Xhaka; Odegaard; Pepe, Martinelli
