How Arsenal Will Line Up Against Chelsea

Arsenal will face a very difficult test in the Capital One Cup against a Chelsea side whose reserve team could compete for a Champions League place.

This is certainly not the matchup that Arsene Wenger hoped for after Arsenal had the misfortune of being drawn against West Brom in the first round of the tournament. Wenger will not be able to play youth-teamers, as he usually does, if he wants to win the game.

Still, he must select some players who he has been reluctant to use so far, for key figures need a rest ahead of a massively difficult run of games in the Premier League and Champions League.

Let's look at whom Wenger might select.

Goalkeeper: Lukasz Fabianski

Though Wojciech Szczesny is in excellent form at the moment, he will almost certainly be rested. The Pole has played every minute of Arsenal's Premier League and Champions League campaigns thus far.

Arsene Wenger's decision will therefore be between Lukasz Fabianski and Emiliano Viviano, the goalkeeper Arsenal signed on loan on transfer deadline day and has not yet seen a minute of playing time.

Perhaps if the Gunners were fortunate enough to draw a lower-league opponent, Viviano would be given his debut. But the wiser choice would be Fabianski, who has experience playing against elite opponents and has already cultivated a relationship with the defenders with which he will be playing.

Right-Back: Carl Jenkinson

Playing against Chelsea will give Jenkinson invaluable experience against an elite opponent. Chelsea will not be employing their best squad, of course, but this is the sort of game time that Jenkinson is unlikely to get as long as Bacary Sagna keeps up his current form.

Sagna's contract expires at the end of the season, and Jenkinson needs to impress Arsene Wenger if he is to be given the reins if and when Sagna leaves.

If he can bring his characteristic energy and crucially maintain disciplined in defense, he will do well.

Center-Back: Per Mertesacker

Arsenal only have three center-backs, so one of the regular starters is going to have to step into the starting XI.

Normally, a healthy Per Mertesacker will almost always be included in Arsenal's lineup because there is simply no other player like him in the team.

He is the only one who is willing to stay back and play the role of calm distributor, letting his more pugnacious partner (whomever that may be) pursue the current attacking threat.

Mertesacker's presence has helped form the bedrock of Arsenal's defensive revival, and his inclusion in matchday squads is now not even a matter of debate.

Center-Back: Thomas Vermaelen

The performances of Mertesacker and especially Laurent Koscielny have frozen Vermaelen out of the team for months. More than any other player, the captain needs to deliver a sterling performance to win back his place in the regular starting XI.

His opponent affords him the chance to do so. If Vermaelen can show his worth against Chelsea—even a somewhat depleted Chelsea—he will do a long way toward unseating Koscielny.

Vermaelen mostly needs to show that he has cut the boneheaded mistakes out of his game and that he is not a defensive liability. If he can pair this with his usual attacking verve, he just might win his place back.

Left-Back: Nacho Monreal

Monreal is another who must seize the chance to impress Arsene Wenger, for the task of deposing Kieran Gibbs seems mighty at the moment.

The Spaniard does not have many faults in his game, but Gibbs has been the more dynamic and exciting player this season. Wenger has had no reason to bench Gibbs, so he has not done so.

Monreal will need to show that he is more than merely a solid defender—and that he can burst forward and support the attack with Gibbs' usual effect. A promising late-game display against Crystal Palace last weekend suggests he is capable of doing so.

Midfielder: Isaac Hayden

Hayden has gotten lucky because there are virtually no other midfielders that Wenger can play who are not senior players.

Still, the manager has touted the youngster's ability very highly. He told Arsenal Player:

"

I like his strengths in the duels I like his capacity of concentration and I believe as well that technically he is very focused to do well.

He is maybe not a creative player but everything he does is intelligent. I like his intelligence and all these qualities together makes me choose him.

"

So Hayden will be thrown into the fire, but if he can cope he will make a massive impression on Wenger.

Midfielder: Gedion Zelalem

Is it risky to start a 16-year-old in his professional debut against Chelsea? Sure! But Gedion Zelalem seems to have the innate talent that might make such a task manageable.

Plus, he is essentially the only fresh midfielder that Arsene Wenger can employ, with the exception of Emmanuel Frimpong, who has received zero attention this season that is not related to his Twitter account.

Zelalem will face opposition that is miles superior, both physically and technically, from anything he has seen during his short career. If Arsene Wenger really wants to give his starters a rest, Zelalem can hope for a nod.

Midfielder: Tomas Rosicky

Mesut Ozil will almost surely get a rest after running himself sick—literally—during Arsenal's clashes with Borussia Dortmund and Crystal Palace. Fit-again Tomas Rosicky is ready to fill the gap.

Whenever the Czech plays, he adds a unique element to the team. No other Arsenal player is as committed to pressing and chasing as he, and he marries this aggressiveness off the ball with fine skill on it.

Rosicky is well-rested and just the sort of experienced player needed to guide younger players in a game like this. If he has a particularly good game, he could catalyze Arsenal's attack all by himself.

Right-Winger: Serge Gnabry

In the absence of Theo Walcott or Lukas Podolski, Serge Gnabry is the best winger Arsenal have.

He has been quite a force since forcing his way into the first-team picture this season. A new contract just a year after inking his first professional deal with Arsenal is a sure sign that Arsene Wenger believes Gnabry is destined for greatness.

Gnabry is a player for whom playing time is utterly precious. He seems to be developing at a rapid pace and has already shown to be extremely motivated to make the most of his chance in the absence of more senior players.

Left-Winger: Ryo Miyaichi

Miyaichi is a player who appears to have some potential, but has been shut out by the quality of those above him.

Arsene Wenger has tended to use Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla on the wings recently in an effort to jam as much world-class midfield talent into the team as possible. Serge Gnabry's new contract indicates that he is favored over his fellow youngster.

Hopefully, Miyaichi receives his chance and maximizes it. It would make for a very interesting competition among the club's wingers and give fans an opportunity to see the talent that he clearly has.

Striker: Nicklas Bendtner

Bendtner is Arsenal's only ready-made replacement for Olivier Giroud. The latter needs a break after working so tirelessly in all of Arsenal's recent matches.

The Dane did not participate in Arsenal's preseason activities at all, but seems to be regarded as a viable backup by Arsene Wenger. Appearances late in games that Arsenal were chasing—by sometimes replacing Giroud—indicate that Wenger believes in Bendtner's ability.

The Gunners have lacked a good backup striker for years, and if Bendtner can score for the first time this season, he will be able to spur the side to victory and give Wenger confidence in a shallow area of the squad.

Follow @charliemelman