Lewis Skelly celebrating v Man City

Where does Myles Lewis-Skelly think his best position is long-term?

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Myles Lewis-Skelly spent much of his time in the Arsenal academy as a midfielder, but upon breaking into the first team, he was converted into a left-back. Despite the positional shift, the youngster has impressed in the role, making it increasingly difficult for Oleksandr Zinchenko to secure regular game time. The Ukrainian international may even find himself forced to leave the club due to Lewis-Skelly’s emergence.

As one of the standout talents to have progressed from Arsenal’s academy into the senior squad, Lewis-Skelly has been widely tipped for a bright future. His performances at left-back have caught the eye, particularly in the inverted role that Mikel Arteta favours. His versatility and tactical intelligence have allowed him to adapt seamlessly, showcasing his ability to influence games from deep positions.

However, despite his success in the role, questions remain over where he will ultimately play in the long term. Given his background as a midfielder, there is a possibility that he could be shifted back into a more central role as his development progresses. The teenager himself has remained coy about his long-term position, instead choosing to focus on helping the team in any way he can.

Myles Lewis-Skelly
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Speaking to Arsenal Media, he said:

“Long term, in my head, I know where I want to go, but right now I’m looking at what I can do to help the team, and wherever I’m effective in a team role, I’ll take it.

“I still need to establish myself, of course, but I’m really enjoying playing at left-back: the challenge of coming up against different wingers, their different qualities and what I need to do against them. I enjoy the analysis side of it and the different approaches. Also, the way we play, and in football now generally, a left-back and midfielder can be quite similar. The education I’ve had as a midfielder is definitely helping me now.”

Lewis-Skelly is undoubtedly a special talent, and given that he is still a teenager, he has plenty of room to grow and refine his game. Arsenal must continue to nurture his potential carefully, ensuring he is given the right opportunities while not placing too much responsibility on his shoulders too soon. His development will be crucial, and if handled correctly, he could become a key player for the club in the years to come.

Tags Myles Lewis-Skelly

14 Comments

Add a Comment
  1. Saka played left back before being moved to the right wing so he might still move to central midfield in the near future when/if we get another left back in the summer.

  2. Play him until he stumbles, then see how he learns and recovers.

    So far he is dealing with success quite well. Need to see how he deals with adversity and failure. That is the real test, how he learns, recovers, and improves.

    Great talent, sublime LB, nothing wrong playing LB.

    Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, MLS, are a magnificent back 4, and can continue for years. Think I would happily take that for the future.

    1. If we can keep calafiori fit, he’s probably a better fit for LB imo, and he’s also young. Not sure how big of an if that is, though. Plus, I’d say Lewis’s composure and ability to keep the ball under pressure is extremely rare and extremely valuable in the position partey currently occupies. It makes sense to consider playing him there in the future imo.

      1. Personally I think Calafiori’s talents are better suited to CB. Inverted LB requires a passer just like the Partey role and the ability to receive the ball from deep and evade the press. These things come more naturally to MLS than Calafiori who prefers to run in straight lines. On the other hand,I think Calafiori is better than MLS in playing as a traditional LB.

  3. I like that we have two good options in both the left-back and right-back areas. When White returns I was imagining that Timber would move to the left but am not sure about that now

      1. Timber is a CB playing at RB, played over 3x games at CB then he has at RB in his career.

        So why are you happy for him to play at RB and not LB when neither are his preferred position?

  4. For players that age,I think playing in multiple positions aids their development. Wenger used to play young midfielders on the wings sometimes,for this reason.I think Myles has the potential to be excellent in two roles- the inverted LB and the left Centre midfielder. He also seems to have the kind of energy and personality to back his obvious talents. Might be a future Arsenal captain if he becomes a mainstay in the team.

  5. What amazes me about this kid, he seems not bothered by the opposition and afraid losing the ball.

    Only forwards bears down on their opponents with such conviction

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top Blog Sponsors