As Arsenal prepared to take on Leicester City last Saturday, one young Gunner must have feared for his future – Calum Chambers.
A typically Arsenal injury crisis compelled Le Prof to field the 21-year-old next to the even less experienced Rob Holding on the opening day of the season, a makeshift centre-back pairing that undoubtedly contributed to the Gunners taking a four-goal battering in the defensive third.
Laurent Koscielny, who watched from the sidelines as Liverpool claimed a 4-3 win, returned to action to face the reigning Premier League champions last Saturday and Arsenal improved at the back almost exponentially, claiming a clean sheet away from home.
But the concern for Chambers is that he wasn’t the man selected alongside the France international for the King Power Stadium visit despite finding the net against the Reds; summer signing Holding got the nod instead.
It proved the correct call on Wenger’s part as Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and co. were kept at bay. But nonetheless, it was a call that casts doubts over Chambers’ long-term future in north London, especially when put into the context of the limited development he’s shown since arriving from Southampton in 2014.
Indeed, experience is vital for any defence and there’s no question Chambers is more experienced than Holding. He’s six months older, has already made 58 appearances in the Premier League and even picked up three senior caps for England – after representing the Three Lions 38 times at youth level.
Compare that to Holding; pretty much his entire senior career thus far has consisted of getting relegated from the Championship with Bolton Wanderers. He was also a part of the England squad that won the Toulon Tournament in France earlier this summer, but has just two U21 caps to date.
That’s a cataclysmic difference – the Leicester outing was Holding’s second ever top-flight appearance – and you have to wonder why Wenger didn’t turn to the most proven and established option at his disposal when facing reigning Premier League champions blessed with a striker famed for his ability to run defences ragged.
Of course, it could be more the case of Holding performing that well in training since signing in July rather than Wenger losing his faith in Chambers. The 4-3 defeat to Liverpool wasn’t exactly a fair test of the 20-year-old’s abilities considering the surrounding circumstances but he looked very solid against Leicester with Koscielny alongside.
Nonetheless, the consequences for Chambers are essentially the same; with all of Arsenal’s squad present and correct, he’s fifth-choice at centre-back and second-choice at right-back this season – probably third once Carl Jenkinson returns from injury later this year.
Most 21-year-olds would be more than happy with that role at a club as big as Arsenal. But for a fully-capped England international who has already plied his trade with two Premier League clubs, been nominated for Europe’s prestigious Golden Boy award and commanded a £16million transfer fee (including add-ons), it represents a worrying fall from grace.
Chambers’ appearances for Arsenal tell a story too; 23 Premier League outings in his first season compared to just twelve last term. Rather than offering the youngster more responsibility, Wenger turned to Bellerin and Gabriel during 2015/16.
It appears a loan move is required to prevent Chambers regressing from the enormous potential he one showed. Perhaps that was Wenger’s plan for the season – but with Arsenal’s defensive injury crisis ongoing, he certainly won’t be leaving the Emirates before the summer window closes.
It suggests a frustrating campaign on the bench for the defender, who as a teenager was tipped for greatness at club and international level. That seems a long time ago now and most worryingly for Chambers, Holding is quickly establishing himself as younger and more promising alternative.
