Arsenal Vs Newcastle United: 5 things we learned – Reaching the cliff

4. Calum Chambers is not a right-back

The team selection was a little odd when it was announced at 12:30 on Sunday afternoon. Both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette were to start. Rob Holding was in at centre-half. Sead Kolasinac was dropped at left-back. However, without a doubt, the most peculiar decision was to field Calum Chambers at right-back.

I understand why Wenger took this choice. He wanted to rest Bellerin. He wanted to provide Holding with playing time. He perhaps questioned whether Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who later replaced Chambers, was prepared after recently returning from injury. But Chambers is not a right-back. He has proven it time and time again. He compounded such proof here.

Chambers struggled greatly with Ayoze Perez, turned inside and out by the slaloming attacking on several occasions. He obviously did not contribute in an offensive manner all that well, but he did not make up for that with defensive security. Is it the case that Chambers just isn’t good enough? Quite possibly. But it could also be the case that he is simply being mis-used. The jury, for me, is still out on which one it is.