Myles Lewis-skelly Wins Seven Duels in Arsenal Midfield Start
Myles Lewis-skelly was handed a central midfield start for Arsenal against Atletico Madrid and won seven duels, more than anyone in red and white. The 19-year-old said he was buzzing after Mikel Arteta finally gave him the role he had been waiting for, and the decision may shape how he fits into the side after a season in which his minutes dropped.
Arteta’s late call
Arteta told Lewis-Skelly he would start only when the players arrived at the Emirates. That left the midfielder preparing for a major European match with little advance notice, but he handled the switch by replacing Martin Zubimendi in the middle of the pitch.
Lewis-Skelly had come through Hale End as a midfielder, yet he had fallen down the left-back pecking order this season. He made 31 appearances and played around 1,000 fewer minutes than in his breakthrough campaign, when he rose from academy prospect to full England international and made the left-back position his own.
Lewis-skelly’s seven duels
Seven duels was the clearest sign of how active he was in the role. Arteta said Lewis-Skelly had been tough on himself this season, adding, “He had a spectacular season last year when he jumped into the first team, but he had some difficult moments after that,” and, “He stayed very humble, very focused, very aligned with what we wanted to do, and I knew he was ready.”
The manager also said, “He’s been showing in training every day the opportunities that he had to play. He’s done it, and today he really stepped up, and I thought he had an incredible performance.” He even admitted, “Because probably I don’t have a clue, and maybe I should have done it earlier, I don’t know.”
Arsenal and Thomas Tuchel
Lewis-Skelly said after the match, “That’s the boss, I’m grateful for him” and “Inside I was buzzing, but I was just glad the manager put his trust in me [to play in midfield].” The reduced minutes this campaign had already fuelled talk that he could leave Arsenal in the summer, and the midfield display gives Arteta a clearer option if he wants to keep using him there rather than only at left-back.
It also matters beyond Arsenal’s bench. Lewis-Skelly’s role has become part of the argument over how he fits into Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad plans, and a start in central midfield against Atletico Madrid gives that case a very different shape from a season spent mostly watching his minutes fall.
