Although they didn’t have a great deal to do during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over West Ham, Arsene Wenger says both Rob Holding and Calum Chambers put in assured performances as the Gunners made the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
The England U21 duo started together for only the second time, but even when the Hammers introduced Andy Carroll – a man who has caused us problems in the past – the young centre-halves coped with him well.
Speaking after the game, Wenger said their quality on the ball in particular augurs well for the future.
“It’s very good when you have that quality at that age,” he said.
“When you give them this kind of opposition and it gives them credit and makes everybody think there is something there that you can work with to reinforce that quality.
“Chambers is very comfortable, he is calm on the ball, he wants the ball and Rob as well.
“Both of them have done that very well, when you look the ball is played out from the back and they both have that quality.”
Between them they made 12 clearances, 6 interceptions, and 2 tackles and their pass completion rates were 93% (Chambers) and 88% Holding.
As Arsenal look as if they’re shifting to a back four, depth at centre-half will be important so it’s good to see the younger guys do well when given the chance.
For more on last night’s game, check out today’s Arseblog: Welbeck wonder-strike gives Gunners a semi
Great potential we need to give them more games together.
wenger talking bullshit again, if he thinks they are that good, why don’t he play them more, but no we wont see them for a while now
Sounds to me like he wants to play then more. Think Wenger would get a lot of heat if he used both of them in a pl match and lost
lol, he gets stick anyway, and he don’t care about what the fans think, so that blows that argument out of the water
Maybe Friday is too soon for both of them to start. One of them should be given a chance alongside Kos
OT sad news from my friend, who’s a sport reporter here in Czech Rep: in hour or so, Tomas Rosicky gonna announce retirement 🙁
It’s official now. 🙁
At last an answer to our perennially elusive “English Core and Grit”! Up the Gunners!
I thought they were fuckin’ excellent. Great to see them play with such clever anticipation and calmness. For young centre backs, that bodes very well. Holding loves the one on one battles (like against Costa) and manages to find a few mini personal vendettas every game. Love it.
They are young yet as composed and calm as mature professionals. Calmer than our Gabriel. Really deserve first team opportunities. I think they can help us to win our first EFL cup without the needs to call our first choice defenders.
by next week our stupid manager would have forgotton all about them
“stupid”
“forgotton”
?
Spelling, you know, it’s better than canavarro.
wow, andy the sheep are giving you a lot of thumbs up
I wonder who is more cunty: the real Ronaldo, or you?
Please…you mean Cristiano!
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grammOtical errers shuold bee tallerated. 🙂
Chambers is probably the best ball playing CB we have. He should’ve gotten more chances to play in a back 3. I really hope he fulfills his potential.
Unfortunately he spent the first few months of the season recovering from both the U21 Euros and an injury.
I was actually surprised by how aggressive chambers was especially when Andy C came on. good to see.
After a fine game and praise from the manager will he now give chambers a game if we’re short at cb? Probably not as he prefers the bfg or even our left back.
Cheers and holding just need time to learn. The more spend they time training with the bfg the better.
wow, you think so, you don’t know wenger
Life is shit, the world is shit, everything is shit. Geez dude…
They did well, but I also thought the pressing was excellent. (Especially compared to the last 30 against Newcastle)
Yet he will still play a left back and a one-legged CB instead of them?? These lads deserve more game time.
I thought Chambers looked the more composed of the two. I think the loan spell at Borough helped him mature. Perhaps a loan for holding to give him more playing time might be the next logical step in his development.