Arsenal icon Perry Groves thinks Mikel Arteta could do England a favour ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
There is a lot of confidence heading into the summer tournament, as Thomas Tuchel is finally putting his stamp on the England squad.
The Three Lions are playing attractive football, something Bukayo Saka contributed to with a stunning goal against Wales.
Right now, there are as many as four Arsenal players on international duty in the England squad, but one player might feel the need to treasure this camp.
Perry Groves thinks Myles Lewis-Skelly can help England’s left-back dilemma
Myles Lewis-Skelly was called up to Tuchel’s squad for the October break, despite the fact that the teenager has played very little this season.
Tuchel has warned the Arsenal starlet that his previous form won’t guarantee him future spots in the squad, which is an unsettling warning to receive so close to the World Cup.
It’s no fault of the 19-year-old’s own, as Mikel Arteta hasn’t given Lewis-Skelly sufficient game time this season due to how good Riccardo Calafiori is.
The topic of England’s left-back situation was a talking point on talkSPORT, where Perry Groves explained why Lewis-Skelly needs to be included.
“I think Djed Spence, I think he’s now down one of the left backs or the right back because he can play both. I’d rather he played right back because I’d rather have a left-footed left back,” Groves said.
“I think it gives you better angles, so that will come down to whether Myles Lewis Skelly is getting regular games for Arsenal.
“Obviously, Calafiori is in instead of him at the minute. So he needs to play because I think he gives you that balance, and he can go and play in midfield. “
Groves put some pressure on Arteta to give Lewis-Skelly more minutes, as England have a bit of a dilemma to address on the left side of defence before the World Cup.
While Spence is currently ahead of Lewis-Skelly in the starting XI, the Tottenham defender is right-footed, with Groves believing a left-footer is needed.
Lewis-Skelly is that, but he’s not playing, which makes England’s situation worse, as fellow left-backs, Nico O’Reilly and Lewis Hall, have their own problems.
O’Reilly has yet to earn a senior cap, while Hall is injury-prone, making Lewis-Skelly one of the best to make the position his, but only if he’s able to prove himself for his club.
Lewis-Skelly’s bid to impress Mikel Arteta is out of his hands
The situation that Lewis-Skelly finds himself in is a strange one, as when looking at the position he’s in at just 19, the feeling of concern seems redundant.
That being said, with the World Cup coming next year, the defender will be desperate to make the cut, particularly given how he’s performed under Tuchel so far.
The idea of missing out on the World Cup squad due to a lack of game time at Arsenal would be difficult to digest, but the problem lies with Calafiori’s form.
Right now, there would be no justification for Arteta to drop Calafiori for Lewis-Skelly, with the matter largely out of the player’s and the manager’s hands.
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