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Arsenal vs. Chelsea: FA Cup final combined XI

By Ty Finch

Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 3, 2016. / AFP / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard celebrates scoring his team's third goal during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 3, 2016. / AFP / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal and Chelsea will battle for the FA Cup on Saturday, May 27. Here’s the best combined XI from the two squads.

Arsenal and Chelsea are accustomed to being in the FA Cup final. For the fourth time in the past six seasons, at least one of the clubs will be playing in this fixture. Arsenal won two straight in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and Chelsea won in 2011-12. The Gunners will be aiming for a record-setting 13th win in the competition, and will set the all time appearance mark with 20. The Blues will be looking to win their eighth Cup final.

The two Premier League matches between the clubs this season led to vastly different results. Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 victory at the Emirates in September in the match that led Chelsea manager Antonio Conte switch to a back three. The Blues eased past the Gunners 3-1 in the return fixture.

In the buildup to the FA Cup, here’s the Arsenal-Chelsea combined XI. This XI has been selected only from those players who will be fit and available for selection come Saturday, and we’re going with a 3-4-3 formation, which both teams are likely to use.

GK: Petr Cech

Cech and Thibaut Courtois are two of the best keepers the Premier League has to offer, even if they’ve not been at their absolute best this past season.

Cech gets the nod. While Courtois kept more clean sheets this season, he also faced the fewest shots on target in the league (minimum 30 starts). Cech, on the other hand, has faced the most shots on target of any keeper at the top six clubs. His save percentage against shots on target (76 percent) is also better than that of Courtois (69 percent).

Chelsea have been the superior defensive team for most, if not all, of the season, and especially so since their switch to a back three. The kindest word to describe Arsenal’s defense in 2016-17 is interesting. That’s why Cech comes out, ever so slightly, on top.

CBs: Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill

Laurent Koscielny isn’t available for selection after picking up a straight red card in the Gunners’ final Premier League match against Everton last weekend. That means there’s no real debate over who to start in the back three.

Chelsea’s center-backs are better than any Arsenal have fit and available. Rob Holding and Shkodran Mustafi could perhaps have challenged Cahill, but the former has only been starting for a few months and the latter has been too inconsistent (he’s also an injury doubt).

Luiz and, in particular, Azpilicueta have no real competition.

WBs: Hector Bellerin, Marcos Alonso

Bellerin may have only played the past few matches for Arsenal at right wing back, but the position suits him perfectly. Not only is he a natural right back, but his outstanding pace on the wing can terrorize opponents going forward.

While Victor Moses has been a revelation for Chelsea since Conte switched his position, Bellerin’s more natural defensive instincts give him the edge. The Arsenal man has the edge in a few stats as well. He has a better passing percentage (85) than Moses (79), wins more aerial duels per game and is dribbled past less often.

There’s not much of a competition at left wing-back. Alonso has had his best year as a professional in his first season with Chelsea. The Italian has made his mark going forward this season, with six goals and three assists in the league. His size and strength have also made him a valuable asset in defense.

CMs: N’Golo Kante, Mesut Ozil

This isn’t the most traditional pairing of midfielders, but it contains two of the best midfielders in the England. Kante won the PFA Player of the year award for his performances this season, and Ozil continued to pull the strings in the Arsenal attack.

Kante was the easier choice of the two. Watch any Chelsea match and you will see the number seven jersey all over the pitch for 90 minutes. He finished second in the league in tackles won, and was a big reason Chelsea ended up with one of the best defenses in the league.

Ozil is somewhat the opposite of Kante. He operates in space, sifting through the defense to find openings and cracks in the opposition. He will rarely pick the wrong pass, and can dominate a match when on form.

LM, RM: Alexis Sanchez, Eden Hazard

These two were the easiest to pick out of the entire XI. Sanchez has carried Arsenal through matches more than once this season. His 24 goals and 10 assists are both career highs, and he’s a threat to score from almost anywhere on the pitch.

Hazard, FanSided’s Player of the Season for the 2016-17, finished with 16 goals and five assists, and was the essential piece in nearly every Chelsea attack. His ability to dribble past anyone at anytime is what makes him so fun to watch, but his link-up ability in the midfield is what makes Chelsea run.

Pedro has quietly been an integral part of the Chelsea attack as well. He had nine goals and a career high nine assists for the Blues, but missed the cut.

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ST: Diego Costa

Costa is the leading scorer for Chelsea, and Chelsea won the league. That alone is worth a spot in the combined XI. He ended with 20 goals, and his seven assists tied a career best. Costa’s capacity to score is matched by his hold-up play and ability to get into a defender’s head.

Arsene Wenger tinkered with his formations throughout the season too much to give Oliver Giroud a chance here. He did end up second on the team to Alexis with 12 goals, even though his starts were inconsistent. Still, Costa gets the nod.

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