Liverpool 0-0 Arsenal: 4 positives from heroic Carabao Cup draw

3. Chambers Performance Shows Suitability to System

Putting the record straight, neither Cedric nor Calum Chambers are at the standard required to play for this club. They just aren’t, and events at Anfield don’t change that.

Why, though, has Arteta’s calling card when Takehiro Tomiyasu hasn’t been available been to field Cedric? Ignoring the quality aspect, from a profile perspective the 30-year-old is the least akin to Tomiyasu than any of the other right-back options at the club.

When he went off injured after ten minutes and Chambers went on, the fact that Arsenal went down to ten men meant it was actually beneficial that the forced change was made. Cedric is better in the opposition half than he is in his own.

To his credit, Chambers put a real shift in.

There were the obvious moments where he lacked in quality, like a few wayward crosses, but that can also partly be down to him being rusty on account of the mere 296 minutes of football he’d played all season long. What he did do, was read the game superbly and defend his box manfully, something he’s not been best known for.

Winning seven ground duels and making eight clearances, the shift he put in might have been 80% commitment more than anything. It still did the job, and showed his suitability to this system over his much-maligned teammate.

Fingers, and toes, are still firmly crossed that Tomiyasu can be back for Spurs. If he isn’t there will be panic. Yet, for Chambers’ sake as much as Arsenal’s, a display like that will do him the world of good should be be given the nod in the derby.

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