Myles Lewis-Skelly: Spooky Scary Skelly

[pure profit FC]

Reminds me of Phillip Lahm a little bit, looks like he can play anywhere.

 

[Geofranco]

At their current levels, I feel MLS is better than nwaneri. Excited to see how he develops.

Don't get the point of even comparing the two. Play different positions and actually complement each other pretty well when they play together. I remember when people would compare Wilshere and Ramsey. Saka and ESR/Martinelli lol.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1852304585085350296

The boys have a death wish apparently

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

I think we should try him in the midfield with Rice as 6.

 

[MutableEarth]

I think we should try him in the midfield with Rice as 6.

Yeah, said it earlier in the thread. He's a perfect foil for Rice because he plays with a similar intensity but he actually can play creatively and carry the ball as well. I think there's still little intangibles he can learn to get the role even better for us but I think we need a little rawness.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Yeah, said it earlier in the thread. He's a perfect foil for Rice because he plays with a similar intensity but he actually can play creatively and carry the ball as well. I think there's still little intangibles he can learn to get the role even better for us but I think we need a little rawness.

I also think with MLS type of player, Rice can just enjoy being a pure 6, no need to overcomplicate it for Rice in that situation. MLS will also enjoy having someone mobile to sweep up behind him. I think there could be a chemistry there, more so than any other of Merino, Partey, Rice pairings, even with MLS lack of experience.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Yeah, said it earlier in the thread. He's a perfect foil for Rice because he plays with a similar intensity but he actually can play creatively and carry the ball as well. I think there's still little intangibles he can learn to get the role even better for us but I think we need a little rawness.

Rice and MLS remind me of Caicedo and Lavia. I like it a lot more than Rice and Merino. We need a central dribbling threat and whilst I prefer Nwaneri to get games in midfield, I can't deny that MLS is simply physically superior to Nwaneri.

Ødegaard
MLS-Rice

Who says no?

 

[MutableEarth]

Rice and MLS remind me of Caicedo and Lavia. I like it a lot more than Rice and Merino. We need a central dribbling threat and whilst I prefer Nwaneri to get games in midfield, I can't deny that MLS is simply physically superior to Nwaneri.

Ødegaard
MLS-Rice

Who says no?

If you go back through my posts during that transfer window, I wanted both Caicedo and Lavia instead of Rice . Now to be fair, I think at this point I'm very happy with Rice but I would still have taken a Lavia-type player. That said, we have the opportunity to soft launch a proper dynamic midfield if we really want to do it. Lewis-Skelly was always someone I earmarked as a potential fit for the profile of midfielder I wanted to see.

I don't see it happening right now though. MLS seems pretty locked in for that inverted LB role - it's disappointing because it's such an obvious solution to a particular gap we've had in midfield since Arteta became manager. ESR is the closest we've come to replicating it but he just didn't have the fitness or the defensive application. Willock could have done it quite well too. Lewis-Skelly is the unicorn - maybe not as much of a goalscorer but has the passing ability, the dribbling ability and the defensive ability. I think Nwaneri works as an alternative aswell, he's much more attacker-coded but there's more goals in Nwaneri.

 

[RunTheTrap]

If you go back through my posts during that transfer window, I wanted both Caicedo and Lavia instead of Rice . Now to be fair, I think at this point I'm very happy with Rice but I would still have taken a Lavia-type player. That said, we have the opportunity to soft launch a proper dynamic midfield if we really want to do it. Lewis-Skelly was always someone I earmarked as a potential fit for the profile of midfielder I wanted to see.

I don't see it happening right now though. MLS seems pretty locked in for that inverted LB role - it's disappointing because it's such an obvious solution to a particular gap we've had in midfield since Arteta became manager. ESR is the closest we've come to replicating it but he just didn't have the fitness or the defensive application. Willock could have done it quite well too. Lewis-Skelly is the unicorn - maybe not as much of a goalscorer but has the passing ability, the dribbling ability and the defensive ability. I think Nwaneri works as an alternative aswell, he's much more attacker-coded but there's more goals in Nwaneri.

It's funny because MLS profiles similarly to Partey and Caicedo, except he's left-footed. He has the qualities to be a standout 6. 8 or LB if given enough game time. In the years that I've watched Rice, he's played his best football with a sleek and tidy midfielder - like Paqueta, Mainoo, Jorginho and Angel Gomes. Funnily enough, Rice looks half as effective when he is paired with someone who plays like him. As I've said numerous times, Arteta can't run from Nwaneri and MLS. Especially with the current situation of the squad that he built, he needs to be brave with the options he has.

 

[RunTheTrap]

@MutableEarth

Only Partey and MLS can move like this. Twinkle toes, agile, supple and positions himself to evade pressure with the swivel of the hips. But no, the racist Arteta would rather persist with Merino in midfield.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1853205573073768793

 

[fute]

What was his position in the academy?

Why is he being made/converted to LB? Will that stunt his development or help it?

 

[Geofranco]

What was his position in the academy?

Why is he being made/converted to LB? Will that stunt his development or help it?

He has been a midfielder his whole life, both for Arsenal and England, but they recently started playing him in the LB position cause that's where Arteta sees him as having the most potential. The guy is obsessed with left footed defenders lol. Or maybe he is playing him there to give him experience before he transitions into the midfield role, who knows. The only red flag I can see with MLS is his height, but he is very strong for his size and pretty agile with amazing balance like Saka.

 

[MutableEarth]

What was his position in the academy?

Why is he being made/converted to LB? Will that stunt his development or help it?

@Geofranco basically said almost everything I want to say. I don't know if it will stunt his development but I don't think it necessarily helps either. I'd much rather he was getting midfield minutes at this stage of his career. A midfielder who has the potential to dominate matches should not be playing LB if I'm keeping it really real. Leave that for the Zinchenkos and the like.

Also I'll add - he's not tall but he's really not short either. He's even slightly taller than Nwaneri . That's a good enough height for a midfielder IMO. It's not the 6 foot beast Arteta seems to be looking for but he's just as powerful and has enough of an acceleration burst to be a top player.

 

[Batman]

@Geofranco basically said almost everything I want to say. I don't know if it will stunt his development but I don't think it necessarily helps either. I'd much rather he was getting midfield minutes at this stage of his career. A midfielder who has the potential to dominate matches should not be playing LB if I'm keeping it really real. Leave that for the Zinchenkos and the like.

Also I'll add - he's not tall but he's really not short either. He's even slightly taller than Nwaneri . That's a good enough height for a midfielder IMO. It's not the 6 foot beast Arteta seems to be looking for but he's just as powerful and has enough of an acceleration burst to be a top player.

Yeah you definitely don't need to be super tall. Kante is the most impactful midfielder of the last decade at 5'6. MLS is more than capable of standing up to the physical demands of the PL.

 

[MutableEarth]

Yeah you definitely don't need to be super tall. Kante is the most impactful midfielder of the last decade at 5'6. MLS is more than capable of standing up to the physical demands of the PL.

I've talked about it before but I watched him play games against slightly older and bigger players as a 15/16 year old and literally become Vieira. (That one Newcastle game in the Youth Cup comes to mind) Players were bouncing off him left and right, and he fought and won every duel, dribbled past players like they weren't there and had the right passes at the end of it more often than not. He is special. Raw in some respects, but special. I knew that physicality wasn't going to be a problem for him at all. Only thing he needs is experience.

 

[Tourbillion]

I've talked about it before but I watched him play games against slightly older and bigger players as a 15/16 year old and literally become Vieira. (That one Newcastle game in the Youth Cup comes to mind) Players were bouncing off him left and right, and he fought and won every duel, dribbled past players like they weren't there and had the right passes at the end of it more often than not. He is special. Raw in some respects, but special. I knew that physicality wasn't going to be a problem for him at all. Only thing he needs is experience.

I just don't trust Arteta with him.

 

[MutableEarth]

 

[Riou]

Him and Ethan are two outstanding young talents...

...just a shame they won't be starting Prem games here until they look as old as this.

 

[boonthegoon]

Feels like he's ready. Should start at lb during this injury crisis.

 

[GDeep™]

Got our new LB.