Arsenal: 6 biggest player surprises this season

5. Calum Chambers Being Unable to Build on Last Season

Assessing the squad over the summer to determine the areas of most pressing need, as much as an upgrade at right-back was desired from all quarters, in terms of priority it was a position Arsenal could have kept as it was for six to 12 months.

Given the urgency to strengthening at left-back, in goal, at centre-back, in central midfield and at No. 10, with finite money those positions came top of the pile, ahead of right full-back.

After the 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City, Arteta knew he had to act.

It was that game, and that performance from Calum Chambers, that prompted Arsenal to act fast for a right-back, with the finances handed to the manager to go out and secure his favoured target, Tomiyasu.

Having impressively usurped Cedric and Hector Bellerin in the starting lineup last season after returning from a long-term injury, the performances of Chambers drew widespread praise. His crossing looked threatening, and he found some comfort in the inverted right-back role.

Still hopelessly slow and therefore poor at tracking runners, it was still felt he could do just enough to keep his place in the team. That seemed to be the case with starts against Brentford and Man City, but he looked out of shape and way out of place playing Premier League football for Arsenal.

Somewhat similarly to Mari, while he was never exceptional, the boost in quality from new arrivals has made him look like a fish out of water. This was his chance to kick on.

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