I doubt that I was the only Arsenal fan to be surprised to see the name of our France international right back in the starting line-up instead of the young Spaniard Hector Bellerin at the weekend. But Arsene Wenger revealed after the game that Bellerin had been playing with some ankle problem and the boss took the chance to rest him.
It nearly backfired on the Gunners as Debuchy was running on empty in extra time, but the manager got away with it and now has a decision to make about whether to keep the Frenchman in the side for the Chelsea game. With Eden Hazard likely to be their most potent threat and operating down our right flank, perhaps the extra experience of Debuchy will swing the balance in his favour.
But the Gunners need to win the game and the Spanish international has been an excellent addition to the attacking side of our game this season. He is none too shabby defensively either as he has come on in leaps and bounds since Debuchy picked up that shoulder injury against Stoke City.
Lots of Arsenal players and the manager have heaped praise on the youngster for character and personality as well as his ability so I don´t think he will wilt under the pressure of this massive game, while his speed could help him to cope with Chelsea´s counter attacking tactics.
In this stats comparison on Squawka.com, Bellerin beats Debuchy in almost all attacking factors except shots attempted.
His overall score is better, as are the totals for defence, but Debuchy comes out on top in some key areas like tackles won, blocks, clearances and aerial duels. So, Gooners, which right back would you start with on Sunday?
debuchy and welbeck on right to neutralize hazard.monreal and alexis on left.
Agree Lola.
This is a MUST WIN game – but also a MUST NOT LOSE game for us!!
Hazard is their big threat, and he needs double-teaming, when Chelsea have the ball.
Our other issue will be if Moaninho plays Matic and Zouma as DMs as he did against ManUre this will put LeCoq under pressure and he may not be as effective.
We have the attacking weapons in Giroud and Alexis to beat Chelski, but would expect Josephine to instruct all his players to practise their sneaky little fouls and obstructions on Santi and Mesut
COYG Win for AW on Sunday
How about both?? Bellerin ahead of Debuchy, to neutralize Hazard as you said and keep the attacking threat.
@muda
Deadly…
Don’t be deceived…playing welbeck on the right is more like playing hm as second striker…he 4gets he’s a winger and confuses giroud upfront…..a combination of debuchy and walcott…or bellerin and santi
As much as u knw…walcott has a very good record against chelsea….his movement will be invaluable….I hope he gets his confidence back anyway….
@Lola, brilliantly said. (However, in the Looney Toons Show, you seem a big time dummy!!! BY the way, how’s Bugs Bunny, Porky and Daffy???)
Debuchys our best right back and if match fit he would be the starter for sure also i agree Welbecks defensive nous is favorable so dont get what if any point you tried making.
I would go with Bellerin only because of Debuchys last showing. I think mudas suggestion of playing Bellerin just ahead of Debuchy is an interesting one and in theory sounds solid but i wouldnt try it out against che simply because we have no idea how it might turn out, sounds good on paper all the same.
damn my nick sounds like a girl.
If MD has sharpened up in training, and only Wenger will know, then I agree. Hector is the future no doubt – Mathieu is for Sunday. On some levels we have to fight fire with fire when playing Chelski – MD offers physicality, experience and aerial presence. MD/GP/LK/NM/FC offers more physicality than we normally put on the field against Chelski and that gives me some encouragement.
BTW – Pleasant to be having this sort of “problem”/dilemma – very refreshing.
Bellerin is our first choice RB, so I’d rather start with our best team possible.
Bellerin…..if Debuchy was still injured, his inexperienced wouldn’t have been questioned.
Plus seem him cutting in to score as he did vs liverfool..
Debuchy for me. In Hazard and Azpilicueta Arsenal will face two of best in their position and while Bellerin has gone from strength to strength I fear his inexperience against this caliber of winger could leave him in for a tough afternoon. Debuchy’s heading ability will also be useful vs Chelsea’s aerially dominant backline.
Moreover, Bellerin being a modern day full back will want to get forward and overlap with Sanchez often which isn’t something overly necessary vs Chelsea as they’re good defending crosses.
Debuchy’s experience for me in this case.
We’re in a rich vein of form, but let’s not turn that into overconfidence. Players need to stay switched on and aware of the threat from counter attacks and set pieces.
Bellarin all the way for me for his fearless, fast, and steady game.
I don’t get it when people say play Debuchy to neutralize Hazard’s threat, I feel if Arsenal go into this game with an intention to keep Hazard quit that will be a big mistake and am sure Mou know that. Outscoring out opponent while keeping shape, disciplined defense, solid midfield and lethal attacking will win us this game.
Bellarin has done enough this season for me to rank him in the 10 best right backs in Europe.
@007
Sounds like the “fear factor” is still in play.
Debauchy could barely handle Reading. Bellerin is rested and ready to pocket who ever rolls at him. Play the Young Gun…
When Jack was 17 Wenger once said if you are good enough you are Old enough. Bellerini has shown that he can cut it with the big boys. If we plan on Playing Rambo out wide then u must play a pacey full back for the overlap.
Bellerini at the moment is fitter than Debuchy and base on form he should start the game ahead of Debuchy.
Bellerin. I’m sorry but after being out as long as Debuchy has been you get a little bit of rust around the edges and it was certainly there against Reading. Add to that – he was running on empty. He cannot do a full 90 against Hazard and he’d have trouble against him in full form, let alone completely out of match practice.
On the flip side Bellerin is in form and has progressively got stronger as the season goes on. I would personally want Alexis to do a job on Hazard and track him (as he’d likely switch sides), but more than likely Ramsay will play in front of Bellerin. If Theo wants to play from deep like he did when he came on against Reading then I’d give him the nod maybe.
Experience does not trump form.
inexperience? i bet you dont get experience by playing FIFA15 OR PES15. YOU GET IT WHEN YOU PLAY. BELLERIN IS THE MAN. FAST…INTELIGENT AND…FOR THOSE TALKING ABOUT HEADED DUELS WON
..I WONDER HOW HAZARD IS A TREAT IN THE AIR. OUR TWO CBs will be his main target not the FB
Right.. calm down calm down we can hear you fine.
bellrin has done great against other top teams, so i say stick with him! Chelsea play counter attacking football and bellrin has more than enough pace to keep up with any of the chelsea players!
Debucy struggle alot against Reading, he is not ready for a game this big!
Why not start both of them Debuchy is RB and Bellerin as RW. They can both defend will and Bellerin is dangerous with crosses. This should neutralise Eden Hazard. Le Coq can focus on Cesc.
Could work, but Walcott won’t like it. And Wenger, doesn’t really experiment like that.
Arsenal think that the game is already won and have started thier usual day dreaming scenario of beating Chelsea just like Monaco who thought gunners would rip into them where alexis will score a worldly by beating defensively frail Monaco, players who have left arsenal and played against the gunners have won 90% of the matches with Wenger the joker who sold them. Chelsea are a great side this season don’t try even an inch in assuring yourself it will happen cause it is mourinho and he has a perfect record.
He wouldn’t have drawn 5 out of the 12 games with a “perfect record”.
Chelsea are the cleverest, most pragmatic, most effective, most cynical and most obdurate team in the PL hands down. For that – they deserve to win the league. But “great side” don’t make me laugh. If they didn’t have their own supporters they would be playing in empty stadiums. People want to watch “great sides” and to paraphrase Bill Shankly you’d pull the curtains closed if they were playing in your backyard.
Two Spanish fullbacks, Two English wingers, is my key for Saturday 😉
This is a game where we have to balance carefully between attack and defence. Bellerin is good but sometimes he gets mesmerised by the opposition like the Burnley game when we almost conceded because somebody just outwitted him and almost scored. The good thing is that both players are available and fit. Chelsea is not a team you just go open chested about. It needs good and careful approach which Debuchy’s experience provides. After reviewing last weekend’s game between Chelsea and Man U I believe many of us agree that the better team lost as evidenced by the statistics. However Chelsea is not about good play. It is about utilising the few opportunities you get and that’s how they beat Man U. They will sit back and let you attack continuously and then utilise the one opportunity they get. Hence I expect us to attack as a team and equally defend as a team. It will require our defenders not to move forward unnecessarily and also to be ready to dig in especially against their danger man Hazard. We should also not forget our bogey man albeit an ageing one Drogba. We need to stand strong as we put them under sustained pressure. So who would I prefer, Debuchy or Bellerin? I would start with Debuchy so that we close them out and then if we needed addition defensive cover I would bring on Bellerin.
Well, Hazard could be hazardous on the ground save if the Gunners safeguarded their defending by the aerial prowess of Debuchy to first help neutralized the aerial threats of Azpillicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill and Terry incursions. Coquelin and Cazorla should take care of Matic and Zouma. While Sanchez, Ozil and Ramsey are expected to track back to help Coquelin and Cazorla against the midfield threats of Willian, Oscar and Fabrigas attemps to play on-side Costa, Drogba or Remy whichever of them. Bearing any changes by the boss to my starts. My starts: Ospina…Debuchy/de-AbreuKoscielnyMonreal…CoquelinCazorla…RamseyOzilSanchez…Giroud. My bench: BellerinGibbsChambersWelbeckWalcottWilshereSzczeny. These are the Super Gunners starters and benchers that will hammer the Blues at the Emirates Stadium on this Sunday evening. Now, Jose Mourinho’s App Game Data Plan is identify as: KEEPING LOCKED APP IRONCAST UNBEATEN RUNS ARSENAL GAMES BLUES STARTS. And the boss Unlocking Key to unlock that Mourinho’s App Game Data Plan is identify as: ASUNDERING LOCKED APP BLUES UNBEATEN RUNS GUNNERS STARTS. The boss MUST constitute his starting and bench Gunners as Unlocking App Game KeyTrojans to breakthrough Mourinho’s Installed Security App Ironcast Unbeaten Runs Arsenal Games. And infest it with Trojans Gunners to corrupt it and rendered it into obsolete state.
Debuchy is more experienced. Bellerin is not flawless. If he was I would want him to play. Debuchy is quality RB and started for France.
Bellerin. As we saw against Reading, he’s not not ready yet. The game will be tough and all players need to be aggressive. No wasting chances