Calum Chambers Still Has Massive Role To Play At Arsenal

Arsenal may or may not be loaning Calum Chambers to his former home, Southampton. But let’s not downplay the future he still has at Arsenal.

There is a lot of talk going around that Arsenal plan to loan Calum Chambers back to Southampton in January in order to get him some more playing time. Chambers was a favorite at St. Mary’s and no doubt they would provide him plenty of opportunities where Arsenal has been unable to. While the midfield is rather thin as is, Chambers never figured to be a midfielder in the first place. Opportunities at center back are lacking, even for Gabriel Paulista. So loan him out, problem solved.

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However, many are looking at this potential loan as a disappointment. They are citing it as proof that Calum Chambers has not made it and that he is bordering on being a flop. First of all, Chambers is just 20 years of age. He was never going to go straight into the first team. Not with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny there.

Then, even with Chambers on the squad, Wenger bought Gabriel Paulista. This was a fantastic signing and one that proved that Wenger will indeed make the right purchase if the guy is there. But the signing did not hurt Calum Chambers either. It may have pushed him further down the pecking order but it toughened his resolve as well. Chambers played a lot in his first season with the club and he looked promising at times. But right back was never going to be his natural position either. He is too slow, plain and simple. So he fell off the table and into obscurity.

Since that time, his appearances have actually looked rather promising yet again. For 20 years old, he is a very brave player who does not back down from challenges. He shows great defensive promise and in all likelihood, he will grow into a fantastic center back. The fact that he is not there, at 20 years old, and not exactly threatening Arsenal’s age-old duo, is no cause for concern. He is still on track.

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This is Arsene Wenger’s oldest trick. Buy a guy young and raise him as your own. That is the plan. This may be a small deviation in the plan but it is no cause for panic. There is a good chance the loan doesn’t even happen. Granted, that doesn’t change the grand scheme. The fact that it is even being considered is the perceived problem. Calum Chambers is going to be a great center back at Arsenal. Just give it some time.