Arsène Wenger fears that Calum Chambers has “hit the wall,” having had too much responsibility forced on to his young shoulders during his fledgling Arsenal career.
The Arsenal manager admitted that he moved Chambers from centre-half to right-back for Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Liverpool in an attempt to ease the pressure on him. And Wenger suggested that the 19-year-old could need a rest in order to recharge and refocus.
“For a 19-year-old player, he has played too many games,” Wenger said. “They all hit the wall after 15, 17 games. You have to give them a breather, refresh and get them back again. At the moment, to have that responsibility in every single game is a lot on a player of that age.”
Chambers joined from Southampton in the summer and he has appeared in 24 matches so far, starting 13 times in the Premier League and seven in the Champions League. Wenger has had to use him regularly, as injuries have shone an inevitably harsh light on his decision to exit the summer transfer window with only five senior defenders in his squad. Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny have each missed large chunks of the season.
Wenger has converted Chambers into a central defender, although he has also played him in what was previously his usual position of right-back. Prior to signing for Arsenal, Chambers had never played at centre-half.
He started in the role in the disastrous defensive performance at Stoke City on 6 December, when Arsenal lost 3-2 and he was sent off towards the end for a second bookable offence. Wenger pressed Debuchy, the right-back, into emergency service in central defence for the 4-1 home win over Newcastle United, as Chambers served his one-match ban, and he kept Debuchy in the position at Liverpool, with Chambers returning at right-back.
Wenger must decide whether to persist with Chambers at home to Queens Park Rangers on Boxing Day or give him a breather. Nacho Monreal is fit and available after ankle trouble, while Héctor Bellerín faces a fitness test on his ankle. Koscielny is still injured.
Wenger was asked whether he had deemed it to be too much for Chambers to play in central defence at Liverpool. “Yes,” he replied. “I put Debuchy in, first of all, because he is good in the air. At Stoke, we suffered in the air. He is a defender of experience and the experience, sometimes in just one movement, can make a difference. And the defensive responsibility is a bit less on the flank.”
Wenger caused eyebrows to be raised when he said that “no one talks” as he dissected the injury-time equaliser that his team conceded against Liverpool. Martin Skrtel’s header seemed to stem from a defensive communication lapse, which featured Per Mertesacker turning his back on the ball.
“Maybe they do talk but it doesn’t look like that when you look at the pictures,” Wenger said. “It’s important to have someone organising. You want somebody to take the leadership there.”