Is it time for Calum Chambers to return to Arsenal as a centre-back?

Arsenal bought Calum Chambers from Southampton for a large sum of money for a 19 year-old, but despite his enormous reputation he never really impressed Arsene Wenger enough to get him a long run in the Gunners first team. Last season Le Prof decided to send him out on loan at Middlesbrough and it seems to have done wonders for his confidence and he could now be ready to come back to the Emirates.

Chambers is currently with the England U21s in Poland and has helped them to get to the semifinals so far, while keeping Rob Holding on the bench. The Young Lions have so far kept two clean sheets out of three games with Chambers being very impressive at the centre of defence, and he is looking forward to returning to Arsenal to fight for his place in the first team.

“This season has been so important for me, playing games as a centre-back,” he said. “The experience I have gained in that position just from playing is so valuable to me. I just feel it’s just pushed me on another level.

“I want to have a good tournament anyway and I’m focusing on here. If I have a good tournament it’s great and I’ll be going back to Arsenal for pre-season and doing the best I can and seeing what happens.

“It’s been a very good season for me. I gave absolutely everything to try to get results and keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League. Unfortunately I couldn’t do that and I was gutted.

“We have to see what happens. I’m an Arsenal player and I’ll be going back in for pre-season and concentrating on that but at the moment my focus is on England and beating Germany.”

Strangely enough Chambers credits our very own German defender for his improvement as a centre-back. “The one player who has helped me a lot would be Per,” Chambers continued. “Being in the same position, he was almost like my mentor for a couple of years. I have never seen a player so professional and dedicated.

“Every little thing he could do he did. There were times when he would be looking at me and saying ‘you could do this’ and that’s rubbed off.

“That’s helped me realise the little things you do, the tiny little one or two per cents, get you where you want to be.”

Now that Mertesacker has basically said that he is ready to retire from the playing side at Arsenal, maybe Chambers has learned enough from the BFG to take his place in the Arsenal back line. Also Laurent Koscielny is not getting any younger and has continuing Achilles problems, so perhaps next season we could see both Holding and Chambers playing alongside each other in the Arsenal defence.

Do you think he is now ready to do the job?

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14 Comments

  1. I say that Chambers is ready but the real question is whether Wenger is ready to include him into the squad? It would be foolish to sell or loan him out. We need the fringe players to participate in the Europa league to enhance or chances of challenging for the PL crown.

    1. A starting back three of Mustafi, Holding/Chambers and Monreal would be be ideal, with Koscielny, Mertersacker breathing down their necks if they slack up. Kolasinac can play as a DM or LWB in the meantime.

  2. A fairly reliable source has tweeted this.

    Pablo
    Thomas Lemar is ‘close to signing for Arsenal’. Club has held talks with the player who has now indicated he favours #afc over Spurs.
    6:24 PM – 26 Jun 2017

    At the end of the day, it was highly reported that Wenger’s 3 main targets were ? Mbappe, Lacazette and Lemar.

    1. Let’s hope so Mbappe Lacazzette and Lamar
      Or Aguero Laccazzette and Lamar would be amazing

    2. I just said this tow posts before.
      The deals are DONE. Lacazette and Lemar are gunners
      Why did so many people dislike?
      Re-member Re-source
      #LacaLemar

      1. U stole ur info from afc Pablo
        U fraud cut it out
        Was tweeting tbis a while back

        1. Who is that ass -O? ?? Is it Leo in disguise ??
          Lacazette is nowhere near done, their president wants £57 million and Arsenal have only offered £44 million ?

  3. If Arsenal are going to play with 3-4-2-1, they would need more central defender that has vision to see good chances, can create accurate passes, able to possess the ball well and has high anticipation. Arsenal defenders should be the first attackers, like what Barcelona, Manchester City and Tottenham have.

    For example, defenders like Mascherano in Barcelona or Eric Dier in Tottenham. I believe Chambers can be as good and creative like them.

    Regarding Mertesacker, he has very good anticipation and very good at playing offside traps. But because he is slow, the spectators always blame him for mistakes that were actually not really his faults. He would be a good mentor for young defenders like Holding and Chambers.

  4. Yes, I would be fine with that. He and Holding can push each other.
    Holding is 21 and Chambers is 22 so have plenty of time to improve

    We have Koscielny, Holding, Mustafi, Mertsacker, Bellerin, Gabriel, Monreal, Sead And maybe Gibbs
    So we have plenty of defenders for 3 at the back formation or 4.

    Chambers won’t have as many opportunities to play as he would if he were loaned out though.

  5. Chambers should get plenty of game time if Wenger continues with three at the back, and what with the extra games the Europa League will bring. He’s really improved at Middlesbrough because he was played in his natural position. I really like Chambers, and along with Holding, we could possibly have a future England CB pairing.

    I am really annoyed at Wenger’s treatment of Chambers. Chambers started at CB (which is his natural position), played well, and then Wenger tried his best to completely destroy the poor kid, whilst at the same time losing us points, by shoving him out at RB, and keeping him there even though he was getting destroyed by almost every winger. Chambers confidence must have been shot. One look at his stature, and movement, tells you he’s a CB, not a RB. Yes he had played there before at Southampton, but so many youngsters often start out wide to gain experience, even if they’re not wide players.

    I am fed up of Wenger constantly putting players in the wrong positions, and hopefully he’ll use Chambers at CB from now on, but I am not counting on it.

  6. I wonder why i get so many dislikes.
    Like I said lacazette deal done. Lemar deal done.
    You guys will start asking me transfer news in a couple of weeks..
    Re-member Re-source
    #LacaLemar

  7. Great. Now skysports reporting the about lacazette.
    Knew about lacazette three weeks ago.
    Lacazette Lemar deals are DONE.
    All of the justarsenal.com readers and members can rejoice in happiness.
    Before you ask. Ive got no news on the alexis deal. Player will decide once hes back. Arsenal have offered him a mega contract worth close to 300k a week.
    Aguero sanchez swap rumour is COMPLETELY FALSE.
    COYG
    Re-member Re-source
    #LACALEMAR

  8. I live in California now and a friend here told me that one of his associates was with Griezman and Lacazette in LA, aparently Lacazette had to cut his holiday short to fly back to London for Medicals/contract signing with us.
    This guy isn’t a footie fan (socialite) so no need to make it up. Hoping it’s true…

    COYG!
    Wenger out!

  9. If it’s true that Lacazette and Lemar are done then we are in for a great season#Wenger stay

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