Lee Dixon told Premier League Productions during their live coverage of Arsenal’s draw at Burnley on Saturday that he was ‘shocked’ Callum Chambers started.
Mikel Arteta opted to ring the changes from Arsenal’s previous game, with a number of first-team players returning after being rested, but also, those on the fringes getting a hit of the first-team action.
Chambers, who is normally deployed at the heart of the defence and a back-up player, started as a right-sided fullback by his manager.
The right-back spot is Dixon’s area of expertise after he mastered that position for years at Highbury, as he was asked to share his thoughts on Chambers playing in that position ahead of Hector Bellerin.
“I am a little bit shocked,” said Dixon. “You look at the games coming up for Arsenal, he is maybe looking at the league and going ‘what are we playing for today?’
“We don’t know what’s going through Arteta’s mind in that respect. Callum Chambers was a shock to me in the sense that Bellerin was on the bench.
“Is he saving him for midweek? It’s a bit of a strange one, I have to say.”
Arsenal still harbour European ambitions but it’s pretty clear that their best chance will come via the Europa League itself.
So, with a big game coming up in midweek, and that North London derby, perhaps Arteta is putting his eggs in a certain basket.
In the end, Arsenal should have walked away from Turf Moor with all three points only for Granit Xhaka to do, well, Granit Xhaka things and make an absolute calamitous mistake.
As for Chambers, the £16 million Arsene Wenger signing (BBC Sport) actually did a steady job and didn’t standout for doing anything alarming for the wrong reasons.
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