Calum Chambers played 90 minutes as a defensive midfielder for Arsenal’s under-21s last night and his performance impressed manager Steve Gatting.
Desperately short of options in the centre of the park due to the absence of Mikel Arteta, Francis Coquelin, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere, Arsene Wenger appears to be grooming the 20-year-old for a potential run out in the position during December.
Speaking to Arsenal Player after the 2-1 win at the The Amex, Gatting played up Chambers’ versatility: “It was great for the lads to play with him [Chambers].
“I think it was good for Calum to get 90 minutes under his belt and for such a young lad he has got a lot of experience and tonight I thought he was excellent.
“The boss has seen him play several positions and it is handy for the first team to have a player like Calum. He can perhaps play in central defence, at right back and in midfield and he gives the boss options and that is good for Calum to play in different options.”
Arsenal face Sunderland on Saturday before trips to Olympiacos and Aston Villa. You suspect if the boss is serious about giving Chambers a run out in the DM role he’ll try it sooner rather than later, especially with tricky games against Manchester City and Southampton on the horizon.
If the opportunity is handed to him, it’ll be a huge test for a player who has struggled for game time since January having initially impressed on his arrival from Southampton 18 months ago.
Arseblog News isn’t wholly convinced we’ll tread this path just yet given Mathieu Flamini has two functioning legs and Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are back from injury…but we’ll see. It’s not like any of us expecting Francis Coquelin to do what he did either.
like a new signing, lads
Narrowly beat me to it
You can almost hear Arsene saying it now, the pre match press conference before the last day of the January transfer window.
‘We are open to any transfer deals, but errr, do not forget that we have Chambers, and errrr I believe that he has theee errr quality, errr, he will be like a new signing as well’
when does he ever say ‘err’!
Calum Chambers LANS?
I can’t be the only one titillated by the prospect of a midfield trio of Chambo, Rambo, and Chambo.
That’ll be cambo-rambo-chambo, mate
Great banter, lots of misplaced passes.
Laughed out loud played!
I’d certainly raise a glass of Umbongo to a Chambo – Rambo – Chambo Combo, started by Gibbo and finished by Theeeooooo!
should get Sanogo too
Even if he doesn’t get picked at DM, it is good to have him as a possible in case Flamini gets injured / sent off
that should be ‘possible substitute’
Interesting!
No need to buy in January then.
Let’s just hope for the best. I still believe in this team. COYG!
“Internal Solution”
Internal solution = Bellerin Coquelin No reason why Chambers cannot step up, he is very technical for an English player. He needs confidence though and it seems short supply at the moment as there is a bit of hesitancy to his game. Mostly bc he has been played sporadically out of natural position at Cback and his progress there has been stop start interrupted at best. Wenger is an expert of ‘converting’ players into new positions – think Henry, Walcott, Santi, Arteta, Toure to name a few. That said, I just wonder if playing at his more natural position in… Read more »
Or Rambo Cambo Falmbo Chambo?
Or Rambo Cambo Flambo Chambo
A deodorant company my see this as an excellent marketing opportunity…:-)
*may ffs!
The deodorant advert could go something like this:
“This season saving midfield quartet may have “bo” in their surnames but not under their arms”!
Off to bed….:-)
Should have been “nicknames” I know…goodnight :-/
We can’t carry four injury prone players season after season.
Jack, Theo, Aaron and Alex.
My point is that we need to lose two of the above OR replace Arteta, Campbell, Flamini and Rosicky with serious robust upgrades.
We’ve got the dosh haven’t we?
arteta, flamini, and rosicky all should’ve went in the summer and morgan schneiderlin (or equivalent) brought in. That would’ve solved 1/2 the crisis we’re currently going through.
i agree that jack can go, but the other 3 you mention have earned a stay…at least for the moment.
am i the only one that thinks 16M for chambers is going to look foolish in a couple years?
i don’t think “earning” comes into the equation, we can only afford to carry two injury prone players imo, unless as I said we go to plan B replacing the ones I mentioned with robustness.
I think there is no better game to test chambers as DM , as the home game vs Sunderalnd no game is easy but this one would be great opportunity. we will se I think he will start against Sunderland.