Myles Lewis Skelly – The 68th Gunner to play for England? | OneFootball

In a significant reflection of the excellent work being done at our Hale End Academy, Myles Lewis-Skelly has been called up to England’s senior team. At just 18 years old, having represented the Three Lions at various age groups, his development has been fast-tracked, bypassing the Under-21 setup.

While his manager and peers celebrated with him on the training pitch as the news became official, one might wonder what Ethan Nwaneri must have been thinking. The 17-year-old has had an even more consistent run in our first team, whereas Skelley started on the bench last Sunday after Mikel Arteta had to remind him about his discipline, following his fortunate avoidance of a second yellow card at PSV. So fortunate, in fact, that Arteta immediately substituted him.

The fact that we are talking about two teenagers—one selected as his country’s best 26 players—while the notion that someone so young might feel disappointed to be lining up with Lee Carsley’s group U21 squad, speaks volumes about how far both have progressed so quickly.

It is worth noting that, at the start of the season, neither would have called left-back (Skelley) or a position in a front three (Nwaneri) their preferred role. This speaks to the credit due to their manager for recognising their potential and encouraging them to learn new positions.

(Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

While time will tell if, once Bukayo Saka is fit, Nwaneri returns to midfield, asking Skelley to be a defender has always been a deliberate choice. The coach discussed with the youngster over the summer that he possessed the attributes to be a fullback, and that would be his quickest route to the first team.

Arsenal is certainly not short of left-backs, meaning Skelley has been keeping out three established internationals. Like Gareth Southgate at the Euros, Tuchel does not have as many current options at left-back, which could explain why the German might be willing to put faith in someone so young for the upcoming Wembley fixtures against Albania and Latvia in the next two weeks.

It seems that our Gunner will compete with Livramento, Dan Burn, Levi Colwill, or Konsa for a starting position in the qualifiers. The irony is that all of these players are versatile and would rather be elsewhere on the pitch.

England’s new boss did attempt to temper expectations surrounding Skelley’s chances of a cap, clearly wary of putting too much pressure on such youthful shoulders, suggesting he might have delayed calling him up had Lewis Hall not been injured. Yet, Tuchel’s contract only extends until after the World Cup, and while neither he nor the FA have confirmed this, he is considered a short-term appointment to guide the team through the tournament.

In other words, if the coach knows he will be leaving after one competition (assuming qualification), he does not need to concern himself with the long-term. Hence, he is not inviting Skelley to be involved because he is planning for the future, but because he believes the player can help him now.

Many in the sport were keen to see the 51-year-old’s first squad announcement to gauge how England might line up over the next 18 months. Yet, some of his choices seem inconsistent, leaving one to wonder if they might be by design. Henderson returns, but Gallagher does not. Rashford is back at the expense of Gibbs-White. Walker retains his place, but Maguire does not. Quansah is preferred over Branthwaite.

At Bayern Munich, Tuchel favoured a 4-2-3-1 system, where he encouraged quick distribution to the wingers. Tactically, he asked his full-backs not to bomb forward—similar to what Skelley does at his club.

At Chelsea, however, Tuchel won the Champions League with a 3-4-2-1 formation, which might explain why Reece James has returned. Skelley is less likely to feature in this setup, but he certainly possesses the talent to do so.

Tuchel’s formation at Stamford Bridge was more a testament to his ability to step in midway through a campaign, address immediate concerns, and identify strengths and weaknesses in the resources at his disposal. This, however, is not the case here. He has officially been in the role since January but was employed by the FA in October. He has had ample time to shortlist talent and make plans, and it is believed that he made 55 phone calls to build connections with potential players.

One of those players is one of our own.

There is a heartwarming video circulating on YouTube of Skelley’s mother in the stands at the Emirates, visibly shocked when her son played for Arsenal for the first time. Imagine her pride upon hearing this news—that her son could be the 68th Gunner to play for England!

On behalf of the JustArsenal family, well done, Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Dan Smith

ADMIN COMMENT

So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….

You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.

More Stories / Latest News

Myles Lewis Skelly – The 68th Gunner to play for England?

15 March 2025, 13:00

Enzo Maresca is not thinking about finishing above Arsenal

15 March 2025, 12:00

Arteta discusses the return of Martinelli and what happens next

15 March 2025, 11:00