Calum Chambers happy to play senior role with Under-21s

The Arsenal defender was asked by boss Gareth Southgate to join skipper James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Redmond in forming a leadership group to help bond together the new-look squad, having played alongside many of the newcomers to the group in his time as U19s captain.

And Chambers says he was pleased with the reaction during the squad’s first meet-up of the new campaign, with back-to-back victories against USA and Norway.

"Obviously the connection between the team, the bonding, is very important and we’ll try as hard as we can to get everyone together," revealed the former Southampton ace.

"But equally, everyone needs to believe in it and commit to the team.

"I think we are, the players are committed and we gelled together more as a team as the week went on.

"That’s good to see and the more time we spend together, the better we will gel together."

Southgate’s squad face their next Euro Qualifier on home soil when they take on Kazakhstan at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Tuesday 13 October.

The Three Lions know that another win to follow up from the hard-fought three points picked up from Norway in Drammen will be just as important in the group’s early stages.

Chambers played both games in central defence for the U21s in September

And the former England Under-19s captain believes that with the majority of the squad having emerged through the Three Lions development teams in previous years, it bodes well for when they meet up again.

"I think it’s good, we’ve got a great bunch of lads here and we all want to do well," he added.

"Some of the boys have come from the age group below last year and throughout the age groups, every England team is playing the same [style of] football now.

"It’s free-flowing football and everyone knows the way that we like to play, so it’s easier to come into the team and play the way that we want to play, because we’ve all been taught to play the same football throughout the age groups."

Tickets for the game at the Ricoh Arena are on sale now, priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions. Click here or call 024 7678 6411 to purchase tickets.