BBC Sport journalist Nizar Kinsella has raised concerns over Chelsea's squad depth, even after a staggering £349 million outlay this summer.
In the closing stages of their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal, Chelsea fielded both Reece James and Malo Gusto in central midfield — both of whom originally started their careers as right-backs.
Kinsella pointed out that it was James who lost track of Martin Odegaard in the lead-up to Arsenal's winning goal. Nonetheless, the Chelsea captain had an overall solid performance, and playing in midfield is no longer novel for him, having spent nearly half of last season in a similar role.
Before the derby, Xabi Alonso expressed his belief that James is capable of becoming one of the world's best midfielders. However, Kinsella is left questioning the depth available for Alonso at this position. In the second half, Alonso replaced Romeo Lavia with Gusto, finishing the match with two natural right-backs in midfield.
The BBC journalist also noted the lack of options off the bench to bolster the attack, contrasting it with Mikel Arteta's substitutions that helped Arsenal maintain their lead and secure the win.
Former England defender Ashley Young commented to BBC Sport:
This season, Chelsea don't have European competition, so there will be fewer matches, allowing the team to focus on the Premier League. However, it is concerning to finish a match against the champions with two right-backs in central midfield.
Look at Lavia, who missed a lot of the previous season due to injuries. Chelsea's attacking line will instil fear across the league, but behind that, we see a midfield that's having to make do with right-backs.
