LONDON — Myles Lewis-Skelly is the latest teenager to make a name for himself at Arsenal and the robust 18-year-old is definitely here to stay.
The home fans lauded him throughout the north London derby win against Tottenham and he didn’t put a foot wrong in such a huge game.
Lewis-Skelly, who is not even a full back, excelled at left back as he shut down Tottenham’s player of the season Dejan Kulusevski, and then Brenann Johnson, as the Arsenal teenager put in a supreme defensive display in their derby win.
The Arsenal academy product is following in the footsteps of Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri in their current squad and has looked the part whenever he’s featured this season and is clearly now their first-choice left back, ahead of big-money summer signing Riccardo Calafiori.
The way MLS tracks runners, makes tackles, keep his position and then keeps the ball and makes the right decision when he has it is very impressive. Speaking after the game, Mikel Arteta raved about Lewis-Skelly as the Arsenal manager has played a big role on his journey into the first team.
“It’s very rare to see, 18 years old, playing against Kulusevski and Johnson in a big London derby for the first time, perform with that composure, with that attitude, control emotionally. Very rare to see,” Arteta raved. “He makes everybody at the club very proud. He has been in our system for a long time, we know the kind of education that the academy is giving to our boys to get prepared. We have to pick them in the moment they are ready. With him he was ready very early and in a different position. He has never played as a full back before. He responds in the manner he has done, which is a joy to watch.”
“I feel like a million dollars!”
Arsenal fans love that Lewis-Skelly is a bit fiery. He got booked as he was subbed off late on amid a scuffle. As he walked off with a huge smile on his face, he whipped up the home fans who loved every single second of it. ‘Lewis-Skelly, he’s one of our own!’ sang the Arsenal faithful.
“Never afraid of no one,” Lewis-Skelly told Optus Sport afterwards. “I want to go against the best. I want to be the best... My mum, my grandma, my friends [were at the game]. I had to put on a show for my grandma, make sure that I did not look soft in front of her! I had to make sure I was winning my tackles for her and hopefully she is proud of me.”
It seemed like Lewis-Skelly couldn’t quite believe that he had just been a huge part of an Arsenal team winning the derby.
“It (the derby) was amazing, it was everything that lived up to my dreams. I couldn’t believe it. I just had to take in every moment of every second of the game. Honestly, it was amazing,” Lewis-Skelly added. “As a team, we feel pressure but this is what we live for. Moments like this, we live for. It’s a derby and we needed to win - and that’s what we did today.”
Lewis-Skelly looks so ready physically but he was also asked how he feels at such a young age playing senior football.
“I feel amazing. I feel like a million dollars! I am not complaining!” Lewis-Skelly said. “First obviously it is hard, getting used to it - but I feel like my body is adjusting now. I feel great, I want to carry on doing it.”
What’s the next step for Arsenal academy product?
And his teammates believe he can keep being a key part of their title push too.
Speaking after the game David Raya echoed Declan Rice’s recent sentiments that Lewis-Skelly was ‘built in a lab’ due to his physic and how ready he looks for senior football at such a young age.
“You have seen him. He’s incredible. He doesn’t look 18, he doesn’t feel 18 because of the character that he has on the pitch,” Raya smiled. “He showed today, it’s not an easy fixture to play at such a young age, the character he showed, the balls he played, the drive, everything he has done is magnificent. It’s so good to have him on board.”
The next step for Lewis-Skelly? Just keep playing like this.
Right now he’s a starter for Arsenal, which is clearly a dream come true. And if he keeps this up it won’t be long before the England national team, who have very few left back options, will come calling.
Lewis-Skelly also has the perfect role model right next to him. Bukayo Saka started off as a full back as a teenager in the Arsenal first team and things turned out pretty well for him. It’s a big ask to follow Saka but MLS is definitely up for the challenge.
