The Arsenal change that could take Myles Lewis-Skelly's game to another level | OneFootball

Teenager has been one of the breakout stars of the season at left-back but his future could lie in a different position

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When Myles Lewis-Skelly was called up by England this month, he was at home and screamed so loudly that his mum Marcia rushed into his bedroom assuming he had hurt himself.

Even though Lewis-Skelly is only 18, Arsenal were not worried about him going away with England.

They suspected Lewis-Skelly would relish the chance to test himself at an even higher level and predicted he would thrive.

Lewis-Skelly scored on his England debut against Albania last week and impressed at left-back

REUTERS

After two strong showings against Albania and Latvia, they have been proved right.

Arsenal clearly have a huge talent on their hands - one they want to tie down to a new contract - but it feels like the surface has barely been scratched.

Lewis-Skelly’s remarkable rise this season has come at left-back, despite him coming through Arsenal’s academy as a midfielder.

It begs the question, how good could he be when given the chance to shine in his natural position?

Midfield is where Jack Wilshere, who coached Lewis-Skelly at Under-18 level, always predicted he would end up.

Wilshere and Arsenal’s youth coaches helped Lewis-Skelly learn how to tuck in from left-back during the 2022-23 season, when it was clear the style of Arsenal’s first team was going that way following the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Lewis-Skelly continued to predominantly play as a midfielder, but he was given the odd game at Under-21 level at left-back as part of the learning process.

Wilshere, however, still thought the teenager would end up in midfield given the talent he had.

Lewis-Skelly came through the Arsenal academy as a midfielder

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“You see certain moments that are not coachable,” he said in 2023. “I don’t think he will be a left-back, he will be a midfielder.”

Wilshere is not the only youth coach at Arsenal to be convinced Lewis-Skelly would end up starring in midfield.

Much of that was down to the way he carried the ball, even from an early age.

There is a famous clip from Arsenal’s ‘Inside Hale End’ documentary, where a 15-year-old Lewis-Skelly is playing up an age-group in an Under-16s game against Chelsea.

Picking the ball up in his own half, he brushes off a few defenders and surges forward.

The microphones catch one of the coaches saying: “It’s like Jonah Lomu, isn’t it?”

That ability to drive with the ball has been on show this season - even from left-back - and Declan Rice has compared Lewis-Skelly to former Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele.

The plan around Lewis-Skelly shifted last summer during Arsenal’s pre-season tour to the US.

Arteta believed the youngster would get more minutes at a left-back.

The Arsenal boss also thought the role would suit Lewis-Skelly as he could tuck into midfield and get plenty of the ball.

Mikel Arteta is opening to moving Lewis-Skelly into midfield

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

It has worked well and England over the past two games have also become beneficiaries of the switch.

Lewis-Skelly, however, spoke last year about how his best position is as a No6 or No8 and, long term, it is easy to see him returning there.

Ever since he has been training with the first team, the teenager has studied Rice - who has in turn become a mentor both on and off the pitch.

Lewis-Skelly has stressed how he is happy at left-back now, but he has hinted how a return to midfield could be on the cards one day.

“Long term, in my head, I know where I want to go,” he said during an interview with Arsenal’s website earlier this season.

“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.”

Arteta is open to the move and during the final stages of Arsenal’s routine win over PSV Eindhoven earlier this month, Lewis-Skelly played in midfield.

Those chances could easily increase next season given the Gunners midfield is set to undergo a revamp.

Jorginho and Thomas Partey - who are both over 30 - are out of contract at the end of season and could leave for free.

Arsenal want to bring in Martin Zubimendi to play at the base of midfield, but even so the scope for Lewis-Skelly to get minutes in midfield will increase.

“He can do as a No6 and an No8,” said Arteta. “It will depend a lot on the relationships and the chemistry with other players, how this evolves within the team.

“And football, which direction it goes, what demands of certain positions as well. He is certainly a player that can play in lots of positions.”

For now, Lewis-Skelly’s versatility is proving a big weapon and has enabled him to accelerate his development.

He believes the “sky is the limit” if he keeps his head down. Many at Arsenal, including Arteta, share that view and the most exciting thing is that his journey has only just begun.