Calum Chambers hasn’t had the best career so far at Arsenal.

Injuries followed by lapses in form have seen him edge in and out of the squad and it’s rare that he gets a chance in the starting XI. However, when the defender has appeared in matches more recently, he’s shown clear signs of improvement. In fact, in our recent FA Cup match against Burnley, which we won 2-1, not only did he score a stunner of a goal, he had a generally solid game defensively.

The 21-year-old believes this is mainly down to improving his mindset and his desire to improve. He studies his performances and analyses where he went wrong.

“You’ve got to have a good attitude,” Chambers revealed to Arsenal Player.

“I think that is one of the most important things for me growing up at Southampton. It is all about attitude and the willingness to learn and learn off others.

“You have to try to go into every session wanting to learn more and try to improve. You can either coast through it or give it the mindset that you want to learn and improve in that session.

“Stepping into a professional environment and playing first-team football, I think the most important thing I learnt is that you have to be confident enough to express yourself on the pitch in front of a big crowd.”

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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 30: Calum Chambers of Arsenal and Scott Arfield of Burnley compete for the ball during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Arsenal and Burnley at Emirates Stadium on January 30, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

What’s also important, which Chambers also brought up, is his enjoyment of the game. Obviously I’m not a footballer (shocking, I know), but I can imagine it’s pretty disheartening when you know you’re not at your best and barely getting a run out each match. To remain focused and retain a love of the game must be hugely beneficial.

“You always have to enjoy training, enjoying playing,” he continued.

“That is one of the most important things for me. You don’t go through games perfectly. You can watch it back and there will be things you have done wrong. I think you can learn from every game, every decision and every touch – just analysing yourself.

“I have to keep striving to want more, wanting to improve. The level of the games now means you have to keep at your game every week. My mindset is on improving massively. You have to want to be a better player so I think from a young age you have to have a good attitude and want to learn and improve.

“You could say that separates the greats from the ordinary – that willingness to go the extra step. I’m sure all the best players want to learn and get the best information from people as possible. I think that is very important.”

It’s this motivation that Chambers possesses that could propel the former Southampton man into the first team. He’s experimenting with new positions, including defensive midfield, and now that he’s fending off the injuries, he appears hungrier than ever.