Calum Chambers hasn’t played for Arsenal for a long long time, but since the summer UEFA Under-21 Euros where he relegated Rob Holding to the England bench, it looks like he has now supplanted Holding in the pecking order at Arsenal. The 22 year-old went on loan to Middlesbrough last season and was very highly rated despite seeing the team relegated, but came back to the Gunners and signed a new contract before this season began.
But injuries have restricted his performances to a couple of matches in each of the League Cup and Europa League sides as he regained match fitness, and yesterday he was given his first League outing replacing the injured Monreal in the back three. Wenger thinks he is now ready to compete for a first team place. “He’s come back.” Le Prof said. “He’s been injured and now he’s back to full fitness. It’s a really good opportunity for him.”
It would appear that many Arsenal fans were not impressed with Calum, but to be fair it was never going to be easy to cope with players like Zaha and Benteke after coming back from injury and without being match fit, and there was little surprise that Palace scored two goals as they have in their last six home games.
Although he has been on the books at Arsenal for three years he is still very young at 22 and can only improve and get stronger with the right guidance. With Koscielny, Monreal and Mertesacker getting on a bit surely Wenger thinks that Chambers and Holding are the future of the Arsenal defence.
Do you think he could be good enough?
Sam P