There have been some Arsenal transfer rumours recently that have suggested that the Arsenal and England under 21 star Calum Chambers could be set to join Premier League club Watford, probably on loan, due to his lack of playing opportunities in the Arsenal first team.
There is no doubt that the former Southampton star is firmly behind Hector Bellerin for the fight back role, but Chambers is a much more versatile sort of player and it is already looking like centre back will become his best position. And in that position things are much less clear cut for Arsenal.
The Brazil international Gabriel was brought in to strengthen the Gunners in that area and despite some good showings and some encouraging performances, the former Villarreal man has not yet proven he can be a top Premier League player. So that leaves us with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker and while the Frenchman seems to be getting better with age like a good red wine, the German is not and his struggles to cope appear to be getting harder.
In a Sky Sports report Arsene Wenger was talking about the way that defences and offences have changed and are still changing and with an increasing importance being placed on pace, was the boss admitting that the lack of pace our German giant possesses is becoming a real problem?
Wenger said, “”Football progresses always. The offence creates a new problem, the defence responds. What has happened in the last 10 years is that the strikers have become quicker and quicker.
“What’s happened? The defence have responded by creating quicker and quicker defenders.”
Well a lot of them may have but with Mertesacker at the heart of the Arsenal defence you cannot say that we are blessed with pace. In fact he must be one of the slowest and least agile centre backs in the EPL. Our BFG has always been able to compensate for this with his other attributes but as pace becomes king, how long can Arsenal stick with Mertesacker?
And if our manager is thinking this way, are we set to see the end of the German as a first choice Gunner? Would that leave a place open for Chambers or do Arsenal need some transfer action to sort this problem, out?