Calum Chambers being groomed for central spot

The Arsenal defender Calum Chambers arrived from Southampton as a right-back, but Arsene Wenger thinks he is more suited to being used in central defence. This certainly makes more sense considering that we already have Hector Bellerin and Matthieu Debuchy at right-back and the we will have Carl Jenkinson returning to the squad next summer.

Chambers already has Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Gabriel in front on him so he is not getting much game time while he’s learning, but he’s happy being taught by his more experienced seniors. He told the Mail: “I feel I have learned so much over the last two years and I am happy.”

“I don’t think it happened too quickly. It just happened very quickly. It was a whirlwind start but I took it game by game and I enjoyed it. At the moment, I have changed position to centre back. I’m not getting so much game time but I am still working in training and trying to fight for my place.

“I’m not down or anything. When you are not in the team, you have to prepare for games as if you are in. You have to do everything the same. In training, Per always gives me advice. Laurent is the same. I feel I can go up to them and ask them anything and learn from them. I watch them in games all the time, learning and it is helping me get better and better.”

In his early days at Arsenal, he was played on the right, and although he looked very assured, I didn’t think he had the speed to be a true wing-back so I reckon Wenger has got this right to have him trained up as our fourth centre-back. Per and Laurent are both getting on so he may not have to wait so long before he becomes a regular starter for the first team….