Danny Murphy has revealed that he’s surprised that Mikel Arteta is opting not to start one Arsenal star.
Andrea Berta added eight players to Arteta’s squad over the summer, spending £250 million in the process.
This has drastically increased the competitiveness within the Gunners’ ensemble, with many players fighting for different positions.
Arteta now has several options and remarkable squad depth, which has inevitably led to certain individuals not receiving the minutes they’d hope for or expect.
Danny Murphy says he’s surprised that Myles Lewis-Skelly isn’t starting for Arsenal right now
Myles Lewis-Skelly burst onto the scene for Arsenal last season.
Emerging from the Hale End academy, the teenager made 39 appearances across all competitions, fending off competition from Riccardo Calafiori as the Gunners reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.
However, Calafiori has reclaimed his place as the starting left-back at the start of this season, and Lewis-Skelly has subsequently been left on the sidelines for most of the campaign.
Thomas Tuchel has warned the 19-year-old that this lack of minutes at Arsenal could cost him his place in England’s World Cup squad, which will certainly frustrate the youngster.
Speaking on talkSPORT, former Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy heaped praise on Lewis-Skelly, although he expressed that he’s surprised about his recent exclusion from Arteta’s starting line-ups.
“He’s shown so often that he’s absolutely more than capable of dealing with huge pressure in big games, on his debut for England, for example,” Murphy said.
“Games against Real Madrid for Arsenal, PSG. You know what? This kid is absolutely phenomenal. I’m actually surprised he’s not starting for Arsenal, but I understand why. He has a lot of time on his hands and Calafiori is good.”
Myles Lewis-Skelly’s lack of minutes shouldn’t be a cause for concern
As Murphy stated, Lewis-Skelly taking a slight backseat this season is understandable.
Calafiori has been excellent and has added an element of unpredictability to Arsenal’s attack with his ability to appear in advanced areas.
However, the Italian’s form aside, Lewis-Skelly’s minutes need to be carefully managed. Too often, promising young players’ careers are derailed by overburdening them too early.
The starlet played a lot of minutes in his debut season, so reducing them this term makes sense.
Additionally, he’s only just turned 19 and is still many years away from his peak. His current squad role in a team competing for major honours is more prominent than that of most players his age. There is no rush.
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