I have long discussed an issue within our fanbase of thinking some of our players are better than they are without actually achieving anything.
That’s why you currently find the only Gooners suddenly worried about the title race are the ones who predicted after just ten fixtures that Arsenal would easily be lifting the Premiership.
Blame the internet, where you can get football content 24 hours a day and spread your opinion around the world within seconds, no matter the credibility of the statement. Others think the definition of a supporter is to never critique anything about the club you love.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has been a classic example of this. Most fans love the romantic idea of “one of their own” graduating from the academy to the first team. It has not even been a year since the youngster made his first senior start, yet he’s already been compared to Ashley Cole!
You know, like Maitland-Niles was better than Kante! Or Eddie Nketiah was a better option than Mbappe!
Some say it because they wish it were true. Others because they feel it would make them less of a fan to admit the facts in front of them. It wasn’t until both left the club that some accepted they were not at the required level.
It’s worth remembering the level we are told the club is aiming for – to be the very best in England and Europe. So it’s no disgrace if someone doesn’t quite make that grade.
Skelly’s form and the left-back pecking order
The truth is that the teenager did not start in the league until last December. Five months later, his manager had seen enough to decide that the 19-year-old was not ready to be our first-choice left-back. The player’s strengths were reading when to step into midfield, controlling the ball in tight spaces, and stealing back possession.
Defensively though, a lot of individual mistakes were made in a very short amount of time. It was Mikel Arteta who convinced the then-midfielder in the youth setup that he had the skills to learn the left-back role. Yet the Spaniard has shown before that he will not hesitate to move on from a talent the moment they do not suit his ethos.
Not only is Calafiori ahead of Skelly in the pecking order, but Hincapié started last week in the Champions League, and when defending a lead, the Ecuadorian has started to get the nod to come off the bench.
Like his club boss, Skelly’s international coach is not the sentimental type and therefore is not afraid to upset egos if he believes it is best for the team.
England omission and lessons in perspective
Thomas Tuchel has been hired by the FA to get England over the line at the World Cup, so he does not need to worry about the long-term development of any English players. The German has not always been consistent in his selection process but did warn that places in the squad would be at risk if you were not featuring regularly.
That is why Skelly will not play for the Three Lions in their final World Cup qualifiers, because those he is competing with are simply playing more. It is a shame because nothing is at stake for England against Serbia or Albania, so they were perfect fixtures to give the likes of Skelly minutes.
It is management’s job at the Emirates to put his disappointment into perspective, to remind him how much progress he has made for someone so young. Part of his development will also be how he responds when things do not go his way.
Mikel Arteta hinted that Tuchel’s decision might be protecting our defender, suggesting he is doing the same by not putting too much pressure on young shoulders. None of this should be seen as a knock on the player.
For someone with so little experience, being asked to learn a new position while under the spotlight on such a huge stage, he has done well.
Yet when Ashley Cole was asked to play for Arsenal and England, he never looked back.
Dan Smith
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1) at the beginning of the season I said we would not win the title
2) I still think City will mainly due to Haarland and Peps experience
3) Skelly will become a midfielder
maybe this is where he will Excel
By your comment1&2 u must be expecting some backlash like u is not a patriotic or true fan blah blah but u won’t get it from me
What bothers me is yo comnent3, like how can u seriously think Lewis will be cm when we only have clafiori and him as LB
Plus who will u have him usurp in the current midfield ? To me he’s a better LB than a CM or DM. Instead we should be rooting for more game time for nwaneri (a promising AM)
Skelly just need to be patient ( he’s got time to develop) coz presently I’ll pick calafiori over him too
And Hincapie
With the 25 players we have. If ever all of them are available, fit and ready then these are the 5 players that I think will not make a premier league match day 11 and substitution.
Jesus, Norgaard, Skelly, Nwaneri and Downman.
Gyokeres.
Eze. Odegaard. Saka.
Rice. Zubimendi.
Calafiori. Gabriel. Saliba. Timber.
Raya.
Subs –
Havertz
Martinelli
Madueke
Trossard
Merino
Hincapie
Mosquera
White
Kepa
In as much as I like Skelly and Nwaneri especially Skelly their young age might make them not feature as much as they want, except injuries happen to a lot of players then that’s when they can have a chance.
I don’t think anything is ‘going on’ with Lewis-Skelly, he’s great going forward but has defensive lapses and Calafiori has proved to be excellent in defence and going forward. Unfortunately for L-S, Hincapie is also now in the frame but I’m sure he’ll come good, for both Arsenal and England, possibly albeit as a very good standby.
Totally agree. Calafiori and Hincapie are more experienced, provide high-level ability going forward, and are better defensively so are naturally ahead of MLS right now. There will be periods or moments where MLS is asked to step in for Calafiori – Hincapie is also a Gabriel rotation/sub. His time will come.
Some people are obsessed with the idea of young players breaking into the team, so much that they forget these are still teenagers who only made their full debuts last seasons.
I do think Skelly is a better left back than Calafiori and a better defensive midfielder than Zubimendi: that is if allowed to get a long run.