Chelsea and Arsenal will be pleased with how things are going so far this season with both teams playing some brilliant stuff under Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery.
The two managers have been able to quickly implement their vision of football at their new sides with the attacking talent at each club benefiting in particular.
For all the quality Chelsea and Arsenal have in that department, though, they also have individuals elsewhere on the pitch who bring a lot to the starting XI, including Cesar Azpilicueta and Hector Bellerin.
Cesar Azpilicueta
After two seasons of playing in central defence under former boss Antonio Conte, Azpilicueta has since returned to his more familiar position at right-back where he has struggled at times this campaign.
Nevertheless, Azpilicueta is still a superb defender and has shown signs of improvement when going forward in recent weeks.
His defensive capabilities have never come into question with the Spaniard being arguably the best 1v1 defender in the Premier League. Rather, where there have been doubts is when it comes to his quality on the ball and what he can offer in attack as a full-back — important factors in a Sarri team.
The 29-year-old, however, does look to be adapting while, all in all, he has been an amazing addition to Chelsea’s squad since joining from Marseille back in 2012.
TT Grade: A-
Hector Bellerin
While his compatriot Azpilicueta is stronger in his own half and less effective going forward, Bellerin is the opposite.
The Arsenal man comes in for criticism for time to time for his defending, but in attack he often offers his side another dimension out wide on the right.
Bellerin has the pace to breeze past any player in the division and the ability to pick out a team-mate at the edge of the box with a pull back.
His crossing, though, and overall defending, could do with some work. However, the Spain international’s promotion from the youth team to the first team was one of the wiser moves ex-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger made during the latter part of his tenure at the club.
TT Grade: B
TT Verdict:
Azpilicueta and Bellerin are two very different players with their own strengths and weaknesses.
But in this moment of the time, the former is by far the superior full-back out of the two.
While he is not as competent as Bellerin going forward, Azpilicueta is the better defender and probably the more well-rounded right-back overall.
