Holding or Chambers? Or should Arsenal play them as partners?

Much has been made of Arsenal’s glaring defensive shortcomings this season, but despite the continuing errors this season, Wenger has mostly persevered with the ageing Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal while only using Rob Holding and Calum Chambers when forced to by injuries to his first-choice defenders.

But in the Europa League and League Cup, the two younger members have been starting together and I think Wenger is hoping they can build up a partnership for the future, but who would you say should be the first of those to go to if we have an injury to our senior trio? In the Premier league Wenger has started Holding 6 times to Chambers 5, although Calum has also been played as a right back at times, so Wenger doesn’t seem to have a preference on paper and seems to treat them equally.

Holding has stated that he thinks he is improving under Jens Lehmann and is ready to step up when needed. He said: “I’d say the first half of the season was a bit in and out, with the cup competitions, and then since late January it’s been a real knuckle down, cracking on with it and doing what I need to do,”

“The manager’s noticing it and against Watford I felt like I had a really good, solid game. He knows that I’m there, pushing, and any little mistakes from Koscielny and Mustafi or slight injuries, I want to be the first one that he’s looking to.”

I must say I do agree that Holding has looked stronger lately, but I also have to say that Chambers has also been impressive in his last few games, so who should be first-choice out of those two. Or should Wenger always play them together to build up their relationship for the future?

Sam P

15 Comments

  1. Neither of them are ready yet
    They both need a solid season with regular football at a smaller club first
    Who knows one of them can replace kos in the future

    1. Chambers has been loaned to Middlesborough, but Holding not yet

      Chambers is more versatile because he can play as an RB or DM and he is also more experienced, so I prefer Chambers to get more game time to be a good CB (or DM) like Niles

    2. Chambers done well at Boro, he won their fans over and Boro had a def record of a top half team when they got relegated, it was their att that let them down, not Chambers.

  2. To be honest I don’t highly rate either of them. If forced to keep just one at the club, it would be Holding for sure. I do think he has much promise but as yet it is only promise. Chambers is too slow and just not good enough. I would add perspective by saying even Senderos, Djourou and God Forbid, even Schillachi occasionally had decent games. Even the awful Sanogo once scored four goals in a game. But ANY player is surely judged by his week in, week out ability. Ans we at Arsenal, when the new man soon takes over will urgently need much, MUCH, higher quaitly than both these two youngsters. I woukld sell Chambers this summer and keep Holding for one more season, to begin with but with an option to keep him, to see how he goes

  3. Bonaroca:- I would say comparisons are odious particularly when dealing with young footballers
    who look very promising in their first season but after a time their form start to decline. Now we
    have two defenders who from time to time have been shifted from one position to another when
    playing for the senior side, then I am sure any young player will be upset playing out of position.
    (Ex the OX). If a replacement for Mr Wenger is year marked, then I think all players even those in the academy should still be retained for the new manager and his assistants to assess the players of who will be retained to start the new season.

    1. bonaroca,
      What a sensible post if you don’t mind me saying.
      With these two players in particular, I see them blossoming under the coaching of Jens Lehman. Bouldy has certainly not imparted any of his skills from his own playing days.

  4. ok they are not ready yet, but to be ready they must play regularly. at this stage we are out of the top four and out of the champions league again, so in these last games i rather play them than kos and mon. i think that atletic club are better and they will win the europa league. gooner = forever

  5. majority of CB’s at Arsenal fail. Get better defense coaches, along with an actual CDM that doesn’t put all the pressure on CB’s chasing back towards goal every single time there is a counterattack. Holding had a bright start to his Arsenal career, then idk what happened, but he’s not the only player this has happened to.

  6. Holding has the potential to make the grade while Chambers has less quality.With nothing at stake in the remaining league matches why not test them together.Let’s face it Mustafi and Kocielney have not exactly set the Heather on fire this season and neither is likely to figure in the plans of any new Arsenal manager. Kocielney has been a fine player but Mustafi never will be and will join the list of inadequate centre backs signed by Arsene Wenger.

  7. Neither are ready for a club like Arsenal but Chambers has looked very promising this season and Holding looked it last season. With the right coaching these two could probably make a great pair of CB’s, not great as in Paoli Maldini but great as in very solid and tough to compete with.

  8. Here’s the better question. What exactly does steve bould do at arsenal? Like what’s his duty roster or job description or whatever its called coz i honestly haven’t a clue. Is it to hold venga’s hand when we’re losing or serving the tea at halftime or cleanup at the clock-end after the brawls..

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