Line-up Lessons – Gameweek 22 – Part One

Roberto Firmino revels in a central attacking role as Philippe Coutinho returns to the Liverpool XI. The fit-again Diego Costa makes an immediate return to Chelsea’s starting line-up, while Hector Bellerin is named amongst the subs as Gabriel retains his start at right-back for Arsenal.

Here’s Part One of our teamsheet summary, as we assess the tactical tweaks and personnel changes from last weekend, with one eye already looking ahead to Gameweek 23.

Arsenal

Starting XI: Cech; Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Xhaka, Ramsey; Iwobi (Coquelin 68), Ozil (Bellerin 89), Sanchez; Giroud (Welbeck 86).

• Arsene Wenger named an unchanged starting XI from the one that beat Swansea City 4-0 for the home clash against Burnley.
• He kept faith with Gabriel at right-back, then, despite the return to fitness of Hector Bellerin, who was named among the substitutes.
• Shortly after the sending off of Granit Xhaka, Wenger brought on Francis Coquelin in place of Alex Iwobi. That change saw Arsenal switch to more of a 4-4-1 formation, with Mesut Ozil moving out to the right, while Coquelin joined Aaron Ramsey in central midfield. Late on, Danny Welbeck provided fresh legs in place of Olivier Giroud in a straight swap, while Bellerin did likewise on the right side of midfield, replacing Ozil.
• Bellerin will be expected to return at right-back for the Gameweek 23 clash at home to Watford, with Gabriel set to drop to the bench. Coquelin should replace the suspended Xhaka in central midfield, with the Swiss international now unavailable until Gameweek 25 due to his four-match ban. The option to switch Alexis Sanchez to the lone striker role in place of Giroud remains, but the Frenchman looks to have that position locked down for the time being. Theo Walcott offers an option on the right in place of Alex Iwobi, should he shrug off a calf complaint to return to contention.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Midfield, Right Flank

Bournemouth

Starting XI: Boruc; A Smith, Cook, Mings, Daniels; Stanislas (Afobe 74), Surman, Wilshere, King (Ibe 74), Fraser (Pugh 81); Wilson.

• Eddie Howe made two alterations for the visit of Watford to the Vitality Stadium, with Josh King and Callum Wilson recalled in place of Harry Arter and Benik Afobe.
• King was stationed in the No 10 role for the Cherries, with Jack Wilshere dropping back into the double-pivot alongside holding midfielder Andrew Surman in the 4-2-3-1 formation. Wilson operated as the lone striker, with Ryan Fraser (left) and Junior Stanislas (right) starting out wide.
• With his side trailing 2-1, Howe turned to Jordon Ibe and Afobe off the bench, with King and Stanislas making way with 16 minutes remaining. Those changes saw Bournemouth switch to a 4-4-2, with Afobe joining Wilson up front, while Ibe played on the right wing. Marc Pugh was introduced for Fraser on the left flank for the final nine minutes.
• Simon Francis will be available to face Crystal Palace in Gameweek 23 after completing his suspension, so he is expected to replace Tyrone Mings in central defence. Arter was a surprise omission on Saturday, but he may well be handed a recall alongside Surman against the Eagles. If Howe sticks with a 4-2-3-1, King could make way, unless he’s moved to one of the wide positions, allowing Wilshere to return to the No 10 role. After scoring off the bench, Afobe may again push for a start in the lone striker position in place of Wilson.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks, Lone Striker

Burnley

Starting XI: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Ward; Boyd, Marney (Tarkowsksi 74), Defour (Vokes 76), Hendrick (Barton 71); Barnes; Gray.

• Sean Dyche named the same side that beat Southampton 1-0 for the trip to the Emirates.
• The formation did switch from a 4-4-2 to more of a 4-4-1-1, though, with forward Ashley Barnes dropping into a more defensive position to help out his midfield.
• Dyche’s first change saw Joey Barton enter the fray in place of Jeff Hendrick in a straight swap. Shortly after, Dean Marney was forced off with a knee injury, with James Tarkowski brought on in his place. Trailing 1-0, Dyche turned to Sam Vokes in search of an equaliser, with Steven Defour making way, seeing the Clarets finish the match in more of a 4-3-3, with the Wales international joining Barnes and Andre Gray in attack.
• If Marney is ruled out, then Defour, who has been playing on the left side of midfield of late, or Barton could earn a start in central midfield. The Belgian is perhaps the more likely option, given that wide players Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Scott Arfield could both return against Leicester City in Gameweek 23 following hamstring injuries.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks

Chelsea

Starting XI: Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso, Pedro (Willian 71), Costa (Batshuayi 87), Hazard (Fabregas 71).

• Antonio Conte made one adjustment from the side that beat Leicester City 3-0 for the home encounter against Hull City, with Diego Costa returning in place of Willian.
• Costa took up his usual position as the central striker in the 3-4-3 formation, flanked by Pedro (right) and Eden Hazard (left) in the front three.
• Conte made a double substitution with just under 20 minutes remaining, with Willian and Cesc Fabregas replacing Hazard and Pedro in straight swaps. Michy Batshuayi was handed a brief run-out late on in place of Costa.
• Conte’s side continues to appear very settled, with Willian and Fabregas the only players really pushing for a place in the starting XI. Willian is unlikely to usurp Pedro on the right wing, though, while Fabregas will struggle to earn the nod for difficult matches such as the trip to Anfield in Gameweek 23, with the defensive-minded Nemanja Matic more likely be preferred.

Current Status: Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Right Wing

Crystal Palace

Starting XI: Hennessey; Tomkins, Dann, Delaney; Ward, Cabaye (Ledley 71), McArthur, Puncheon, Schlupp (Townsend 88); Remy (Lee Chung-yong 62), Benteke.

• Sam Allardyce made two changes for the home fixture against Everton, with Jeffrey Schlupp and Loic Remy replacing Joe Ledley and Andros Townsend.
• Those changes saw Big Sam switch to a 3-5-2, with Remy joining Christian Benteke in attack, while Schlupp and Joel Ward operated as wing-backs for the Eagles.
• Allardyce’s first change saw Lee Chung-yong come on in place of Remy shortly after the hour mark. That saw Palace switch to more of a 3-5-1-1, with Lee joining Yohan Cabaye and Jason Puncheon in central midfield. Cabaye made way for Ledley in a straight swap shortly after, while Townsend replaced Schlupp late on, after the new signing picked up a knock before Everton took the lead at Selhurst Park.
• Given that Palace don’t play again until January 31, we could well see some new faces in the squad by then. But if Big Sam sticks with a three-man backline against Bournemouth in Gameweek 23, he looks to have limited options looking at his current squad. Ledley provides a more defensive option in the middle of the park, while Lee and Townsend are options if he considers moving to a 3-4-3. But he may well hand Remy more minutes in the hope he can return to his best form. Allardyce could potentially have Wilfried Zaha and Bakary Sako in contention if their respective nations exit the Africa Cup of Nations at the group stages – both Ivory Coast and Mali currently sit in the bottom two of their groups with one fixture remaining.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Forwards

Everton

Starting XI: Robles; Holgate, Williams, Funes Mori; Coleman, Barry (Schneiderlin 60), Davies, Barkley (Jagielka 90), Baines; Mirallas (Lookman 72), Lukaku.

• Ronald Koeman unsurprisingly named the same side that defeated Manchester City 4-0 for the trip to Selhurst Park.
• The Toffees did line up in a more defined 3-5-2, though, with Kevin Mirallas playing alongside Romelu Lukaku in attack.
• Koeman’s first substitution saw Morgan Schneiderlin replace Gareth Barry in a straight swap on the hour-mark. Ademola Lookman then came on in place of Mirallas in the 72nd minute, seeing Everton move to more of a 3-3-3-1 system, with Lookman, Ross Barley and Tom Davies all playing in advanced midfield roles. After taking the lead, Koeman turned to Phil Jagielka to help protect the 1-0 advantage, with Barkley making way as the Toffees looked to see out the match.
• After registering another win, it’s unlikely Koeman will look to alter his starting XI for the trip to Stoke City. Schneiderlin could push for a start in midfield, but other than that, changes appear unlikely. The fit-again Maarten Stekelenburg was only named on the bench on Saturday, with Joel Robles now appearing to be the first-choice option.

Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield

Hull City

Starting XI: Jakupovic, Maguire, Dawson, Davies (Niasse 59), Elabdellaoui, Mason (Meyler 21), Huddlestone, Clucas, Robertson, Evandro, Hernandez (Diomande 75).

• Tigers head coach Marco Silva made two changes from the side that beat Bournemouth 3-1 for the trip to Stamford Bridge, with Omar Elabdellaoui and Evandro handed their first Premier League starts in place of Robert Snodgrass and Adama Diomande.
• Hull lined up in more of a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Elabdellaoui starting at right wing-back, while Evandro operated alongside Sam Clucas in the attacking midfield positions behind lone striker Abel Hernandez.
• Silva was forced into making an early substitution, though, with Ryan Mason involved in a nasty head collision with Chelsea’s Gary Cahill. He was replaced by David Meyler in a straight swap. Oumar Niasse then entered the fray in place of the injured Curtis Davies, seeing Hull switch to more of a 4-2-3-1, with Niasse playing on the right of the attacking midfield trio. The final change saw Diomande take over from Hernandez in the lone striker role for the final 15 minutes.
• It’s been confirmed that Mason has suffered a fractured skull and is likely to face an extended spell on the sidelines. Meyler could be in line for a recall against Manchester United in Gameweek 23, or if Silva changes formation, he could include a more attacking player such as Snodgrass, who missed out yesterday due to a muscle problem. A change in system may be more likely if Davies’ knock rules him out, with Hull lacking options in central defence. Ahmed Elmohamady and Dieumerci Mbokani could also be in contention if Egypt and DR Congo fail to qualify from the AFCON group stages over the next couple of days.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks

Leicester City

Starting XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Ndidi, Mendy (Albrighton 46), Drinkwater; Okazaki (Musa 63); Vardy, Gray.

• Claudio Ranieri made three alterations for the trip to St Mary’s, with Danny Simpson, Demarai Gray and Shinji Okazaki coming in for Ben Chilwell, Marc Albrighton and Ahmed Musa.
• Ranieri opted for a midfield diamond, with Wilfred Ndidi at the base, leaving Danny Drinkwater and Nampalys Mendy on the flanks. Okazaki played behind the front two of Gray and Jamie Vardy. Simpson slotted into his usual position at right-back for the Foxes.
• After heading into half-time 2-0 down, Ranieri made a change, with Albrighton introduced in place of Mendy. That saw Leicester switch to a 4-2-3-1, with Albrighton and Gray operating out wide, while Drinkwater and Ndidi combined in the middle of the park. Ranieri then brought on Musa for Okazaki, seeing the Foxes finish in a 4-4-2, with the Nigerian joining Vardy in attack.
• After another unconvincing performance, Fuchs may come under pressure from Chilwell for the starting spot at left-back. Ranieri has plenty of options to choose from in midfield, so much will depend on his formation against Burnley. Albrighton and Musa may push for recalls, with Vardy appearing the only attacker who looks assured of a starting place. Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani could also be available should Algeria fail to qualify from their AFCON group, with their final match taking place later this evening.

Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Forwards

Liverpool

Starting XI: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Klavan, Milner; Henderson, Emre Can (Origi 70), Wijnaldum (Matip 90); Lallana, Firmino, Coutinho (Sturridge 57).

• Jurgen Klopp made two changes for the visit of Swansea City to Anfield, with the fit-again Nathaniel Clyne replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Philippe Coutinho started for the first time in the league since Gameweek 13 to replace Divock Origi.
• Clyne slotted into his usual position at right-back, while Coutinho started on the left of the front three. Lallana played on the opposite flank, with Roberto Firmino stationed in the “false 9” role.
• Coutinho’s return only lasted 57 minutes, though, before being replaced by Daniel Sturridge. That change saw Liverpool change to a midfield diamond, with Sturridge joining Firmino in attack, with Lallana playing just behind the front two. Origi then replaced Emre Can in another attacking move by Klopp, seeing the home side change back to a 4-3-3. Origi joined Firmino and Sturridge up front, while Lallana dropped back into the three-man midfield. As a final roll of the dice, Klopp turned to Joel Matip as a makeshift centre-forward, with Georginio Wijnaldum making way.
• With his dispute with the Cameroon FA and FIFA now appearing to be over, Matip should return in central defence against Chelsea in place of Ragnar Klavan. Lallana once again struggled to make an impact out wide on the right, so he may return to the three-man midfield against the leaders, with Can or Wijnaldum likely to drop to the bench. That would allow one of Origi or Sturridge to start on the right flank in the continued absence of Sadio Mane at AFCON.

Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Central Midfield, Right Wing

Manchester City

Starting XI: Bravo; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Kolarov, Clichy (Stones 84); Toure, Silva (Delph 90); De Bruyne, Sane, Sterling (Gabriel Jesus 82), Aguero.

• Pep Guardiola made two alterations for the visit of Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad, with Aleksandar Kolarov and Leroy Sane recalled in place of Bacary Sagna and John Stones.
• Kolarov started alongside Nicolas Otamendi in central defence, while Sane was stationed on the left side of midfield in the 4-1-4-1 formation. Yaya Toure took up the defensive midfield role for City.
• All three of Guardiola’s substitutions were made during the final 10 minutes, with Gabriel Jesus firstly handed his Premier League debut in place of Raheem Sterling. The Brazilian operated on the left wing, with Sane shifting over to the opposite flank. Stones then came on for Gael Clichy, with Kolarov moving over to left-back, while Fabian Delph was brought on for Silva in the dying minutes to provide some fresh legs in midfield.
• Rotation remains a constant issue in the City ranks, particularly in defence, with Sagna, Stones and perhaps even Vincent Kompany, who was an unused substitute at the weekend, all players who could push for a start against West Ham United. Jesus now looks a viable option to play out wide or as the lone striker, so there could be a further squeeze for the wide roles, with Sane impressing in Saturday’s 2-2 draw.

Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Defence, Central Midfield, Flanks

Part Two of Line-up Lessons, detailing the remaining ten teams from Gameweek 22, will be rolled out tomorrow.