Calum Chambers

AP88

New Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2017
Messages
978
Location
Manchester
Supports
Man City
Starting for Arsenal tonight - the best young British central defender, who’s development has naturally been Wenger’d, but was quality for Boro on loan last season.

Reminds me of Alderweireld in style, and would be an ideal long-term partner for Bailly.
 

Damien

Self-Aware RedCafe Database (and Admin)
Staff
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
97,075
Location
Also won Best Gif/Photoshop 2021
Do not create threads for players unless you can provide a source. If there's no source then you're simply discussing a footballer, so go to the Football Forum instead
Moved to the Football Forum. This is his first PL start (in his actual position and not shunted out at RB) since last season. I think the only reason he's even playing is because of how bad they were defensively against Liverpool.
 

Theafonis

In love with @Eboue
Joined
Dec 13, 2013
Messages
7,702
Location
British Columbia
Supports
Chelsea
I feel like Wenger has his personal favorites in the Arsenal squad and Chambers isn’t in that list. Kind of sucks for him because he looked solid at Boro from the few matches I watched and seems to be composed on the ball, deserves to start regularly.

I realize he was out for 2 months with an injury this season but he hasn’t played much under Wenger.
 

ThierryHenry

wishes he could watch Arsenal games with KM
Joined
Feb 8, 2009
Messages
13,540
Location
London Town
We've really not helped his development, particularly playing him at right back when he clearly wasn't suited for it.

There's a lot to like though - he'll definitely be starting for a top half Prem team in two or three years time. I just feel like it's unlikely to be us.
 

Nick7

Full Member
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
19,231
Location
Ireland
Shouldn't have left Southampton. Shouldn't have joined Arsenal. Shouldn't have been played at right back. Shouldn't have played at centre mid. Arsenal really really fecked him up.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
Everytime I see him I just wonder where the hype about him actually came from.

He was supposed to be a decent RB at Southampton, he played in that position for Arsenal and got destroyed and they haven't risked him there since.

He is a very medicore CB, lacks pace so constantly has to tug back players when they run past him like tonight so he gets plenty of cheap yellows.
 

RooneyLegend

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
12,963
Everytime I see him I just wonder where the hype about him actually came from.

He was supposed to be a decent RB at Southampton, he played in that position for Arsenal and got destroyed and they haven't risked him there since.

He is a very medicore CB, lacks pace so constantly has to tug back players when they run past him like tonight so he gets plenty of cheap yellows.
Good on the ball syndrome.
 

NieThePiet

Full Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
2,214
Supports
Werder Bremen, Arsenal
He haven't played a game for a long time in the league and had to play next to Bellerin.

He was one of the best in the Europe League and in the Carabao Cup, but wasn't easy to deal with the pace of Zaha.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
He haven't played a game for a long time in the league and had to play next to Bellerin.

He was one of the best in the Europe League and in the Carabao Cup, but wasn't easy to deal with the pace of Zaha.
Arsenal don't play high calibre opponents in those competitions.

Rare occasions he plays against a decent team, he really struggles. He played CB against Crouch and Stoke a few years back and Arsenal lost 3-2. Just remembered he was actually sent off in that game aswell.
 

DannyCAFC

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
2,409
Supports
Charlton Athletic
Was absolutely nowhere near being the ‘best young British central defender’ at any point in his career. Bang average.
 

NieThePiet

Full Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2017
Messages
2,214
Supports
Werder Bremen, Arsenal
Arsenal don't play high calibre opponents in those competitions.

Rare occasions he plays against a decent team, he really struggles. He played CB against Crouch and Stoke a few years back and Arsenal lost 3-2. Just remembered he was actually sent off in that game aswell.
Of couse there are not the high calibre opponents, but Crystal Palace isn't one too for me.

It was year ago, he had a good year on loan for Middlesborough. After Monreal he could be the best CB with the ball, very calm and good passes. He needs play time, he surely isn't the fastest.
Merte retires after the season, Koscielny struggles, Mustafi is good and we will see, how Chambers will work after more games.
 

FootballHQ

Full Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2017
Messages
18,139
Supports
Aston Villa
TBH Boro played an ultra defensive game in the premier league, Karanka played for an 0-0 every game pretty much so it's easier in that situation when you have a deep defence to shine.

Ben Gibson was getting loads of praise this time last year. I see the talk of him moving to Chelsea has died down now he's back in the championship.

Another game I remember, start of last season when Liverpool won 4-3 at the Emirates. Chambers-Holding the combination that day.

Holding was great in the cup final. Less so this season but then he did come from Bolton for a couple of million. That's a player with some decent coaching could be a good find for Arsenal.
 

DannyCAFC

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
2,409
Supports
Charlton Athletic

Can we observe how the 'best young British defender' let's Morata in 1v1 three times...

Awful defender, and a classic example of how people over-rate penalty box campers. Put some of these players in situtations like the above where they have to be aware and track runners and defend a lot of space around and behind them and they're exposed for how little ability to defend they actually have.
 

haram

New Member
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
12,921

Can we observe how the 'best young British defender' let's Morata in 1v1 three times...

Awful defender, and a classic example of how people over-rate penalty box campers. Put some of these players in situtations like the above where they have to be aware and track runners and defend a lot of space around and behind them and they're exposed for how little ability to defend they actually have.
Tarkowski is the next one they’re hyping.
 

Rafateria

New Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,246
Location
Shanghai
He was awful. Never rated him, he always has a feck up in him. Last night I'm sure there was one time when Morata got between him and Mustafi and instead of chasing him down he stood there blaming Mustafi (until it was too late) whilst Morata went from 3-4 m away to 10 m away and bearing down on goal. I was like WTF !?
 

99 red balloons

Full Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
2,554
Location
WU203
I've known (and obviously been watching him play) since he was 16/17.

Steaks ahead of any defender he played with or against at youth level...real class act. Seems to get a hard time for making mistakes when he gets the odd game at Arsenal - but what defender, especially young ones, come in and immediately turn out immaculate displays. If a defender makes a mistake, it gets picked up a lot more as it usually leads to a chance/goal. He just needs games and a bit of backing, if he gets that he'll do very well...as seen last year at Boro.

Not sure Arsenal is the right place for him though. Limited chances at a run in the team and very twitchy fans, especially at home.

...he's a big United fan too.
 

haram

New Member
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
12,921
Noticed that alright. Doesn't take much to get hyped to bits these days.
Burnley are just waiting for idiots to bid £20 million+ for him so they can replace him with another championship CB who will do the same job.
 

meamth

New Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
5,946
Location
Malaysia
Martial ripped him off, at that moment i scrapped him from my list of exciting young players to watch.
 

sincher

"I will cry if Rooney leaves"
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Messages
25,587
Location
YSC
Chambers is one I never saw great promise in. There is no part of the game he is particularly good at. He should go back to right back, and find his level at a lower premiership club.
 

sincher

"I will cry if Rooney leaves"
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Messages
25,587
Location
YSC
He would do fine at the likes of Leicester, Stoke or Watford.
 

Cee90

Redcafe Fantasy Football Champion 2012/13
Joined
May 4, 2009
Messages
5,019
Location
N2402
I think there is a quality defender hiding in there somewhere personally.
 

Robbie Boy

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
27,694
Location
Dublin
Mee is the best defender they have IMO. Tarkowski has made mistakes when I've watched Burnley, but Mee frequently bails him out.
Yeah but Tarkowski is flavour of the month with the media at the minute so jump aboard the hype train.
 

sincher

"I will cry if Rooney leaves"
Joined
Sep 20, 2004
Messages
25,587
Location
YSC
Chambers is just Carl Jenkinson in a Chambers suit. Ever seen them together? Exactly.
 

100

binary bot
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
Messages
10,914
Location
HELLO
I think the effect of not playing regular first team football is underrated in terms of detriment to players.
 

UweBein

Creator of the Worst Analogy on the Internet.
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
3,729
Location
Köln
Supports
Chelsea
To be fair, I thought that Morata did excellent yesterday - apart from his finishing. So it may have been just a bad day in the office.
 

Robbie Boy

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
27,694
Location
Dublin
To be fair, I thought that Morata did excellent yesterday - apart from his finishing. So it may have been just a bad day in the office.
Kind of the important part. Welbeck used to do good things too....
 

UweBein

Creator of the Worst Analogy on the Internet.
Joined
Sep 20, 2014
Messages
3,729
Location
Köln
Supports
Chelsea
True, but my point was that the positional play and speed of Morata (and the very good passes he received) made things difficult for Chambers, and obviously playing as a defender for a Wenger team in a basically newly formed defence is already difficult. (I did not want to distract from Morata's poor finishing.)
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,518
True, but my point was that the positional play and speed of Morata (and the very good passes he received) made things difficult for Chambers, and obviously playing as a defender for a Wenger team in a basically newly formed defence is already difficult. (I did not want to distract from Morata's poor finishing.)
Yeah, defense shouldn't be ignored. 2 CBs who aren't first choice and a kid playing as LWB. So that's 3 out of 5 defenders missing the game.