Arsenal: Figure out Calum Chambers now or regret it later
By Josh Sippie
Calum Chambers is yet again making a name for himself at Arsenal, but they sorely need to solve his conundrum or massively regret it later on.
Arsenal‘s defense is the biggest problem on the pitch. It’s really bad. And to make matters worse, Unai Emery continues to ignore potential solutions like Calum Chambers and start David Luiz and Sokratis, who continue to surrender poor mistakes.
Before sending Chambers out on loan to Fulham last summer, Emery said that he had big plans for Chambers, and that the Englishman was going to be a huge part of the future of the club. And then, out of nowhere, he was loaned out.
It really put Chambers’ continued presence in question. Did Emery actually have big plans for him, or was he just blowing smoke?
If there were any doubts, which there shouldn’t have been, winning player of the season with Fulham should have assuaged them with room to spare.
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And it looked like it did, with Chambers starting at centerback in the away opener against Newcastle. He was instrumental in keeping the first away clean sheet in over a year, yet he was unceremoniously dumped the following week for the mistake maven David Luiz.
Now, Chambers is subbing in at right back, scoring and assisting like a thoroughbred winger, and putting on razzle-dazzle displays that you’d never expect from him.
But Chambers is too good to be a fill-in, and Emery continues to look unwilling to start him in his primary position—centerback. The position that Chambers wants to play, but he is just as apt at defensive midfield, which is another position that Emery looks even less willing to start him at. Or play him at at all.
Here’s the thing—it’s nice to have a guy like Chambers floating around the formation, but he knows he’s better than what he’s being allowed to be, and that being the case, we have to sort out where his future lies or regret it later. Because wherever he ends up, he is going to be a stalwart. It would be such a waste to see that happen anywhere but at the Emirates. A complete waste. But that’s where this seems to be going.
We have all year to sort this out. But when William Saliba shows up, Chambers will have to know his place or it will be lost entirely. Gotta figure this out!