Chambers range of passing and calmness on the ball has improved massively. He is still dodgy 1v1 defending but if we are playing 3 ATB he is perfect there.

Anzac wrote:

I'd take him over Mustafi as CBR in a back3.

Same here.

I think we should give him another season. He's had a good loan, we need to see how Holding recovers and he'd be good to rotate with him while he's returning too. He's a decent option in midfield if we need him too and he's a better right back than Lichsteiner has been this season.

What’s the upside to keeping him? Do you see him as becoming a key starter or only ever bring depth? If depth, and he can command an English premium, why not take advantage now and invest in the Emery project with starters immediately?

If we're playing three at the back next year it seems like Chambers will fall between depth and a starter.

Monreal / ??? ---- Papi / Kos ---- Mustafi / ????

I'd assume Holding can step in for Monreal once he's fit, where as Chambers could either replace Mustafi or be the backup there. Ideally we ship Mustafi, sign someone and then let Chambers play across the back line (as needed) until Holding comes good.

If we're playing a back four with proper fullbacks, then I think we should keep Chambers until Holding comes back/Christmas.

Kola/Monreal --- Papi (Chambers) --- Kos (new signing/Chambers) --- Bellerin/AMN

Plenty of need for Chambers with Holding hurt and Mustafi shipped.

Claudius wrote:

What’s the upside to keeping him? Do you see him as becoming a key starter or only ever bring depth? If depth, and he can command an English premium, why not take advantage now and invest in the Emery project with starters immediately?

Thing is he's a ball playing defender which is what we need, and his time in midfield will have improved his decision making and passing.

TBH I wouldn't be surprised if we sold Mustafi and didn't replace him immediately until we see how all 4 of Chambers, Holding,  Mavropanos & Bielik shape up.

Claudius wrote:

why not take advantage now and invest in the Emery project with starters immediately?

Because we still need a squad. Sell Mustafi instead, he'd go for a similar figure if not more and he's on higher wages.

Agreed with that. I'd like to see Calum in pre-season.

I think Chambers suits the 3 at the back. But anything north of £20m I’d consider. Didn’t realise Fulham have already been relegated, wouldn’t mind Sessegnon.

Mustafi and Chambers should go, IMO. Let's fund one top quality CB and play Medley or Mavropanos in Chambers' place. If we are playing 4 ATB, CBs should be Sok/Kos/Holding/new CB with Mav on loan. If we are playing 3 ATB, bring in a top CB and a good prospect like Malang Sarr / Mancini. No to Chambers - his ceiling is low just given his physical attributes that will never change - slow and poor in the air.

BWoolley wrote:

Mustafi and Chambers should go, IMO. Let's fund one top quality CB and play Medley or Mavropanos in Chambers' place. If we are playing 4 ATB, CBs should be Sok/Kos/Holding/new CB with Mav on loan. If we are playing 3 ATB, bring in a top CB and a good prospect like Malang Sarr / Mancini. No to Chambers - his ceiling is low just given his physical attributes that will never change - slow and poor in the air.

Something like this. We have Holding returning at some point and he was fabulous. I want to give him a chance. Koscielny is still much better than I expected and Sokratis is a rock. Now is the time to get a premier central defender who we are certain will be there for 5 or 6 years, and then that gives us optionality around the 1-2 spots depending on what the formation is. 

Claudius wrote:

BWoolley wrote:

Mustafi and Chambers should go, IMO. Let's fund one top quality CB and play Medley or Mavropanos in Chambers' place. If we are playing 4 ATB, CBs should be Sok/Kos/Holding/new CB with Mav on loan. If we are playing 3 ATB, bring in a top CB and a good prospect like Malang Sarr / Mancini. No to Chambers - his ceiling is low just given his physical attributes that will never change - slow and poor in the air.

Koscielny is still much better than I expected and Sokratis is a rock.

This has been a massive surprise to me. To be honest I thought he was done at top level after his last big injury.

Under the old regime I doubt Kos would have come back this good.

Right. All forgotten how terminal kos looked. Never imagined he'd last this long.

Type of player the likes of Liverpool and Spurs would punt for £20m.

We'll sell for £10m if we're lucky.

Fulham are already down. Can't we get Chambers back for next week?

Watching Mustafi, Sokratis and Monreal get bullied by a really average striker yesterday vs Everton got me thinking. How shit can Chambers and Mavraponos be in training? I mean if Chambers needed a loan beacuse he would not be able to get games in a 3 man defense that contains a left back, an aging Koscienly and Mustafi....how bad can he be?
The same for Mavraponos, the guy can't get a sniff, I mean he can't get one minute of footbal over a season in front of them lot . What level is his on right now? Championship? Not even that?

We really need to burn the defence, sell them all if posible and get new ones in. I would only keep Sokratis out of them all and even him is average.

IIRC Mav has missed most of the season with a season ending injury suffered in pre-season.

As for players going on season long loans it's not the death sentence as it appeared under AW - it could simply be that the loan affords them the game time that we could not provide to enable them to progress, or not as the case may be.

Yet another Arsenal youngster ruined by injuries before we can even put his nappy on. It's boring now.

HomeSteak wrote:

The same for Mavraponos, the guy can't get a sniff, I mean he can't get one minute of footbal over a season in front of them lot . What level is his on right now? Championship? Not even that?

I think Mav is a dud too. Injured all the time at such a crucial age, and plays on a position where experience means everything. You'd have some time for him if he were 18 but the bloke is turning 22 in december. I remember Wenger was angry when he asked for defensive reinforcements and got Mavropanos instead, and it seems like Emery doesn't think much of him either or he would have played a bit during our defensive crisis. The groin injury kept him out in 2018, but we're almost halfway through April now. He's been back for over three months. I'd be shocked if he's part of any kind of plans we have for next season.