Rio Ferdinand couldn’t believe Myles Lewis-Skelly was left out by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
Youngster’s rise to the spotlight
Myles Lewis-Skelly was Arsenal’s breakout story last season. He stepped up from a academy talent to one of the most talked-about names in English football. At just 19 years he showed no fear playing either at left-back or central midfield more than once.
The player’s best display came in the quarter-final of the UCL against Real Madrid. There, his calmness and workrate caught everyone’s eye. He also got the shouts for ‘Young Player of the Season’ after his first call up for England during the season.
For a player who had only made his debut the last year, the rise was nothing short of remarkable.
Ferdinand questions Arteta’s choice on Lewis-Skelly
This season, though, Lewis-Skelly has barely got any minutes. Despite the hype, he’s been limited to cameo roles off the bench, with Riccardo Calafiori used at left-back. He is a player who is expected to build on such momentum. But, the lack of game time in Arsenal’s first six league games has raised eyebrows.
One of the loudest voices has been Rio Ferdinand. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he admitted he “can’t believe” Arteta has sidelined a player with that much energy and promise. In addition, the teenager only got few minutes during the Newcastle game.
This has left the fans and analysts baffled. This has led to discussions about whether Arteta is making the right decisions.
Author’s Opinion:
Lewis-Skelly’s absence from the starting XI feels like a risk by head coach Mikel Arteta. Though managing young players carefully makes sense. But, benching one of last season’s brightest sparks could backfire if it dents his confidence. Arsenal’s fans will be hoping this is just a brief pause before he’s given more game time again.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
