The entire arsenal staffs going head over heels for just a single player despite playing out of position. He has become everyone’s new hero; everyone wants him now
Every single day, the buzz is ringing louder at Arsenal for this kid – Myles Lewis-Skelly, the one who begins to impress in the senior team himself. It is no wonder you’re beginning to see some surprisingly cool-headed performances from Lewis-Skelly, as he has already proven himself to be mature and even versatile in his football intelligence relative to what might be expected from a typical fifteen-or-thereabouts-year-old.
Interestingly, the spotlight has been on Ethan Nwaneri, an even more high-profile young player from the Arsenal academy. Nwaneri’s journey has been widely documented in the media, and this has probably overshadowed whatever progress Lewis-Skelly has made to an extent. But as it stands, this could actually be a huge advantage for Lewis-Skelly because it meant that he can develop himself and make the transition to first-team football without being under extreme public pressure.
What one cannot fail to notice is the manner in which Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta have been putting Lewis-Skelly through his first-team initiation. Unlike Nwaneri, still not able to have such development, it is Lewis-Skelly who has already been trusted to kick off games in both the Champions League and the Premier League. Just that fact is indicative of what weight Arteta and his coaching team attach to him. For not only his technical skills and athleticism can be credited for putting him on these stages, but also his ability to absorb information and to adjust himself to new challenges and to play under pressure like a man much older than him.
Mental prowess-the mental acumen of Lewis-Skelly, is the major factor for the speed with which he has developed. Arsenal staff has been specifically impressed by how calm and collected he is, more so by how he thinks when it comes to the game. He is that type of person who listens well and learns fast but applies their instructions very well. It is very crucial for a young emerging player to the senior setup. All those features are evident in the manner that he shows that on the field, where he exhibits a maturity and wisdom beyond his age when it comes to his decision-making.
Quite striking in the development process of Lewis-Skelly has been his adaptability to a new position. He has moved from his former role as a midfielder in the academy to recently being deployed as an inverted left-back-in Arteta’s system. This unique tactical role requires a delicate blend of defensive awareness and technical ability, as well as positional versatility. It is not an easy switch for any player, leave alone someone of Lewis-Skelly’s tender age; however, he has adapted to it excellently well.
Arteta regards him highly as J. Lewis-Skelly’s suitability in this position. The inverted full-back is a central part of the overall tactical approach Arsenal is trying to take in the defense and the attack. It usually drifts into centre areas to help with possession and control within the game. A unique challenge, that has been for a player whose formative years have been purely as a central midfielder. Yet, Lewis-Skelly’s actions represent a player that reads well in that respect.
The fact that Arteta has put him on the lineup for very important matches already shows how much he believes in the Arsenal boss star. It is not just ability because it means stepping up to a moment and shining as bright as possible when it is just about the performance. It speaks too of Lewis-Skelly’s hard work and flexibility-these things he has done in impressing, the coaches realizing the hunger to take on more stuff and the endurance in putting his new role’s required tactics into effect.
This said, Lewis-Skelly is most likely going to be in this role this season, as he has been adjusting quite well to it. His performances as an inverted left-back have added a fresh dimension to Arsenal’s play and are exciting for the club because of the potential to expand even further in this position. Although he will be going back to midfield eventually at some point in his career, this latest position obviously seems to be the one that Arteta sees him fitting in best at this moment.
What is very exciting about Lewis-Skelly is that he remains at a point very early on in his career yet is already starting to establish himself as a player who can be counted on at some point to become a very important member of Arsenal’s squad.
The man plays in so many positions and has such dazzling technical and mental attributes that he is practically an asset to the team. What makes him truly unique and really stands out from the crowd is having qualities that are hard to teach-how calm he is in front of a pressured situation, how quickly he decides and thinks, and his tactical knowledge.
Previously, the sheer concentration was on other youth, and Lewis-Skelly is stealthily starting to be the new hero for Arsenal. He can keep low while doing solid, steady performances; perhaps that would work to his advantage and allow him to carry on developing at his own speed and without being overly driven or worried about the media. The coaching staff at Arsenal are very high on this talent, and the decision to put him in for very meaningful matches is a testament to that.
In that sense, Myles Lewis-Skelly is fast becoming one of the finest and most promising young prospects at Arsenal. His versatility, football intelligence, and maturity have all contributed to his rise, and he has shown that he can prosper in a high-pressure tactical function. For the moment, other academy graduates may still tend to get more attention from the public; Myles Lewis-Skelly, however, does have the trust of Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal staff. If he keeps on this track, he can potentially be a decisive factor at the club in the future.
