In a week where people have been highlighting the lack of young English talent in the Premier League , it ’ s good to see three youngsters playing in my old position have really caught the eye this season . Calum Chambers , Eric Dier and John Stones have all enjoyed excellent Premier League campaigns . Defence is not the easiest area for a young player to make an impression — managers can be reluctant to trust youth in a position of responsibility — but these three have done just that . What sets them apart is their self-belief . Chambers and Stones are still 20 and Dier is 21 , but there are no signs of fear in their games . Arsenal defender Calum Chambers ( left ) has impressed in his first season at the club . Everton defender John Stones ( right ) puts in a challenge against Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge . Tottenham defender Eric Dier ( left ) has grown in stature as the season has progressed at White Hart Lane . In a way , we shouldn ’ t really be surprised . Between them they have cost £19million , so they are not exactly surprise packages . What has been surprising is the way they have come on this season . They are by no means the finished article , but their progress is encouraging . It helps that all three have had a taste of playing at full back . I think they are all destined to become top central defenders , but if you are mobile enough , you are often asked to do a job at full back . At this stage it certainly does no harm to your development . I remember playing at right back before moving to the middle . You need pace and stamina to bomb up and down but when it comes to playing at centre half , that agility can be of huge benefit . I first saw Dier playing for the England Under 20s and he still looked raw . He was a powerful , quick right back who charged up and down , but he needed more control . I felt his body type made him ideally suited to centre half and he has made that position his own at Tottenham . Dier ( left ) stood up strongly against Chelsea striker Diego Costa in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley . Stones has moved across from right back into the centre of defence for Everton and has flourished . His rise has been quite spectacular . He has gone from a promising squad player to a first-team regular alongside Jan Vertonghen . He moves the ball well , is technically very good and he is a fighter — he stood up well to Diego Costa in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley . The next step for him is to become a vocal leader . The best central defenders demand so much from those around them and if that mentality is drilled into him , Dier could improve Tottenham ’ s rather soft underbelly . Stones has spent time at right back but now finds himself at the heart of the Everton defence . He is very comfortable on the ball , has good speed and reads the game well so is rarely beaten one on one . He can tackle with either foot and his timing is excellent — just when you think he is beaten , he nicks the ball . He is comfortable playing out of defence but he has to be careful not to overplay . He is good in the air but can improve , especially from wide crosses and set-pieces . Experience will help him become more wily . With Chambers , I never doubted he was going to the right club , but I did wonder how many games he would play at Arsenal . With lots of competition for places , he has a real fight on his hands but he has already made 35 appearances this season . Of the three he is the best on the ball and if he makes a mistake , there is no drop in confidence — he still wants to make forward passes . That passing ability means there could be value in trying him in midfield , though that would require careful planning to bed him in . Chambers ( right ) has played at right back , centre-back and midfield for Arsenal during the season . England manager Roy Hodgson could be tempted to field the trio in a back three for the Three Lions . In one on ones , sometimes he doesn ’ t look set . He likes to put an arm on the attacker to slow them down and that ’ s partly why he has picked up eight bookings this season and been sent off . He tries to win the ball in the first few strides and can be prone to gambling . All three have taken huge steps forward this season , and with England using two centre-back partnerships in the last two games , those positions could be up for grabs . And if Roy Hodgson wants to fit more attacking players into his England side in the future , there ’ s no reason why this trio , with their experiences at full back , couldn ’ t play together in a back three . It would certainly be a useful option .
Calum Chambers has played half times already for Arsenal this season . Eric Dier has become an important first-team player at Tottenham . John Stones has impressed for Everton after being moved to the middle .