Where has Myles Lewis-Skelly gone?

[Tourbillion]

I am really frustrated by his limited game time tbf but the main reason is he isnt a left back but he has Rice infront of him at left midfield. But we should play him more often tbf. quality player and his future will be in midfield.

Rice isn't infallible. He's been lousy as has his partner for a while now.

 

[#254]

Development is rarely linear. Getting rid of a academy graduate who broke into the England team in his first season at senior level is beyond foolish.

That said he was never a traditional FB. Loan him out to get a full season at midfield

He's too useful to be loaned out imo. Reminds me of that left footed United player during Fergie's time.
I think Tet's should be the one getting loaned out.

 

[North5]

It's been really stupid that he hasn't been played as a CM in domestic cup games. The handling of him and Nwaneri has been absolutely awful this season.

 

[Gooner Zig]

It's been really stupid that he hasn't been played as a CM in domestic cup games. The handling of him and Nwaneri has been absolutely awful this season.

Tbf he got himself suspended for Mansfield and then Cala broke a nail in the warm up. He surely would have played MF minutes in the FA Cup by now. I'm hoping he can slot in at CM vs Southampton.

 

[GDeep™]

Might get sold in the summer but what would his value be after not kicking a ball for 1 year?

 

[2Smokeyy]

It’s clearly against Arteta’s philosophy as his idea is control and not losing the ball centrally. You can tell when even playing through the middle has become barely minimal. MLS’ game is being press resistant and those small % whereby he’ll be looking like he’s on the back foot or losing the ball (too risky for Arteta imo) but somehow come out on top more times than not and carry the ball further up the pitch.

 

[HollandGooner]

Might get sold in the summer but what would his value be after not kicking a ball for 1 year?

Horrendous decision tbf. he has more then enough quality to make it here.

 

[Geofranco]

Horrendous decision tbf. he has more then enough quality to make it here.

Him and Nwaneri, I have no doubts in their talent.

 

[Melquiades]

Might get sold in the summer but what would his value be after not kicking a ball for 1 year?

We’d get 50 million without trying but there’s pretty much a 0% chance he’s sold.

He’s also played 1200 minutes in all comps this year. He’s hasn’t started much in the PL but he started pretty much all of the UCL group stage games plus cup games until he was suspended for the last one.

 

[dashsnow17]

Have people forgotten that he was playing more regularly at the beginning of the season and he just wasn’t playing very well. Was bad defensively and a liability on the ball.

Idk, i feel like he had his breakthrough season and he came into this one with some complacency, as if he’d made it already.

 

[boonthegoon]

he hasn't been great this season whenever he has had opportunities except very few appearances.. But that is to be expected with young players. Still has played a lot for a teenager. He will still get chances by end of season if we seal the title early. I don't see much issue here.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

He ran out of opportunities because he played like a **** in most of the games. And no its not Arteta or the lb positionin because he played at elite level as left back last season.

One of my favorite talent but he clearly needed a reset and Arteta also wanted to try him in midfield in the cup so its not manager trying to butcher his career here like people are making out. Still 18 year old and long way to go for him.

 

[Dokaka]

He just hit a bit of slump after bursting onto the scene in insane form. It's worth remembering form also applies to young guys breaking through.

I thought he had some really shaky - if not downright bad - moments defensively earlier in the season, which is to be expected from such a young player playing out of position. But it also makes it more understandable why a manager like Arteta who is feeling all the pressure in the world and is generally extremely risk-averse maybe isn't favouring him right now.

If you win the league this year I think he'll feature much more next season, in midfield too. If you don't, I reckon he's going out on loan if Arteta stays.

 

[Bloodbather]

Let's not act like Arteta cut him off for no reason. He's been complete crap when given opportunities this season. Some of his strengths from last season did a complete 180. He looked very composed and focused last season, in this one he frequently seemed lackadaisical and disinterested. He looked very adept at taking positions last season, in this one he frequently seemed lost out there. That one game where he came on and was wandering around aimlessly and not tracking back probably was the last straw for Arteta as far as featuring him in the rotation this season.

I've always thought his future is in midfield and while I'm disappointed that he hasn't been given opportunities there, it's no mystery why he doesn't feature in the team as an LB unlike last season. He's taken a massive step back for reasons that allude me.

Hopefully it's a temporary thing and he bounces back, because he's a huge talent.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Still a fantastic young talent. Hope he gets some midfield minutes against Southampton. I haven’t forgotten his performance at home to Atleti earlier this season, he was excellent.

Seems a model pro too. He appreciates his position and is happy to bide his time. Every top club needs players of this ilk.

 

[Melquiades]

It's weird because I feel like this was basically their exact plan, or close to it.

He wasn't supposed to start 15 games in the league last year - that only happened because Calafiori and Tomiyasu were injured so much and because the manager completely lost confidence in Zinchenko. And part of the reason we fell off so badly in our title challenge was that MLS and Nwaneri (promising players though they may be) started so many games and are simply not a finished product defensively and off the ball.

They pretty clearly came into this season with a plan to limit his EPL minutes (where every mistake and loss can be crippling) and instead to start him regularly in the UCL and Cups to get minutes and experience in lower pressure/lower consequence situations. And he's still started 12 games and played 1200 minutes this year, and you'll have to look pretty hard to find many teenagers for EPL teams that have more starts/minutes this year without going out on loan.

Even if you only look at his limited EPL minutes, still the only younger player to play more is Mateus Mane at last-place Wolves. Very few players play regularly in this league at this age and the amount he was forced to play last season really warped expectations. Same goes for Nwaneri.

 

[Clrnc]

Have people forgotten that he was playing more regularly at the beginning of the season and he just wasn’t playing very well. Was bad defensively and a liability on the ball.

Idk, i feel like he had his breakthrough season and he came into this one with some complacency, as if he’d made it already.

I think he just got found out at LB. He was an unknown quantity last year so teams didn't know how to exploit his weaknesses, but this year almost every game he played he got a yellow card for being slow on the turn and pulling people down.

Last year we already got a glimpse of those when he got those harsh red cards, but those were clear weakness in his game where he keep getting caught flat footed. He can't play in defence, but I am surprised we didn't give him much chances as a rotation option for midfield.

 

[Rasmi]

I think he just got found out at LB. He was an unknown quantity last year so teams didn't know how to exploit his weaknesses, but this year almost every game he played he got a yellow card for being slow on the turn and pulling people down.

Last year we already got a glimpse of those when he got those harsh red cards, but those were clear weakness in his game where he keep getting caught flat footed. He can't play in defence, but I am surprised we didn't give him much chances as a rotation option for midfield.

He got away with a lot of close calls last season being slow on the ball and being fouled after being closed on. It was bad sign as left back he was constantly being closed on as he was too slow

 

[Steps]

I think we'd all like to see him get more minutes, but he needs to show he can do something with them when given the chance. I know it sounds harsh, but the Prem (and especially a club like Arsenal) has the highest standards in the world. Look at the number of games that have been decided by the closest of margins - not only for us but across the league.

There is an argument to be made that he cannot improve without gametime, and I completely agree. That said, his cameos this year have not instilled a good amount of confidence. Compare that with Dowman, or even Salmon to a lesser degree.

He has to step up, it's as simple as that. Hopefully he can get a loan like Nwaneri and blood himself a bit more. Even if we were to ship someone like Calafiori in the summer, I don't see him as a backup LB, even if that were the position he is training for (and I think we all agree it shouldn't be).

Should Mikel rotate the youth more? Maybe. Is it his fault Miles hasn't made the most of his opportunities? Not in the slightest. Many of you have called for the club to be more ruthless over the years. This is it.

 

[Geofranco]

I think we'd all like to see him get more minutes, but he needs to show he can do something with them when given the chance. I know it sounds harsh, but the Prem (and especially a club like Arsenal) has the highest standards in the world. Look at the number of games that have been decided by the closest of margins - not only for us but across the league.

There is an argument to be made that he cannot improve without gametime, and I completely agree. That said, his cameos this year have not instilled a good amount of confidence. Compare that with Dowman, or even Salmon to a lesser degree.

He has to step up, it's as simple as that. Hopefully he can get a loan like Nwaneri and blood himself a bit more. Even if we were to ship someone like Calafiori in the summer, I don't see him as a backup LB, even if that were the position he is training for (and I think we all agree it shouldn't be).

Should Mikel rotate the youth more? Maybe. Is it his fault Miles hasn't made the most of his opportunities? Not in the slightest. Many of you have called for the club to be more ruthless over the years. This is it.

Just play him in midfield or sell him. He is clearly not a fullback. He did well there for a teenager last season, but it limits his effectiveness. He shouldn't have to defend one v ones all game.