Myles Lewis-Skelly may not be playing regularly for Arsenal right now, but his response to that situation is exactly what England want to see.
The teenager has found minutes harder to come by this season and has also been left out of the senior England setup by Thomas Tuchel.
That combination could easily affect a young player, but Lewis-Skelly’s behaviour with the England U21s has been the complete opposite, if his manager, Lee Carsley, is to be believed.
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Lee Carsley praises Myles Lewis-Skelly’s behaviour despite difficult period at Arsenal and England
England U21s manager Carsley has made it clear that Myles Lewis-Skelly’s attitude has not changed despite his recent setbacks.
Speaking about the Arsenal youngster, Carsley praised his behaviour and highlighted how he has handled the situation.
When asked why Lewis-Skelly is with the U21s and not the seniors, he said, as quoted by Henry Winter on X: “I think the chance for him to get some minutes, some game-time. It puts him in a stronger position going back to Arsenal.
“I noticed how enthusiastic he is. That’s always in the back of your mind, when you go from the seniors back to the U21s that the motivation may not be there.
“But we’ve never had that from any player since I’ve been doing the U21s, so that’s a real positive. He’s been really good around the group, showing his qualities.”
That assessment is important because Lewis-Skelly has been dealing with reduced game time at Arsenal while also dropping out of the senior England squad.
The 19-year-old has already shown his quality on the international stage after scoring on his England debut. He was outstanding in his breakthrough 2024/25 campaign at Arsenal as well, but his current situation reflects how quickly things can change at this level.
Carsley’s comments show that, behind the scenes, Lewis-Skelly is responding in exactly the right way, and that is fantastic to hear.
Looking at this, can you believe that Lewis-Skelly isn’t playing for Arsenal right now?
Myles Lewis-Skelly is handling setbacks exactly as he should
Young players are often judged as much on their reaction to setbacks as their performances, and Lewis-Skelly is passing that test.
Not playing regularly and being left out of the England squad ahead of the World Cup could easily lead to frustration, but there is no sign of that in his behaviour.
That matters because development is not just about minutes on the pitch, but about how players deal with periods where things do not go their way.
Lewis-Skelly is still at the beginning of his career, and situations like this are part of that process rather than a setback that defines him.
Carsley’s praise confirms that the Arsenal academy graduate is handling that process properly, which is ultimately more important than short-term selection decisions.
If anything, this period will benefit him in the long run because it is shaping the mentality required to succeed at the highest level.
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