Arsenal have several speedsters in their squad.
Gabriel Martinelli is viewed by many as the fastest player at the club, while new signing Noni Madueke has also been hailed as the quickest.
Who is Arsenal’s fastest player right now – Gabriel Martinelli or Noni Madueke?
On the flip side, nobody has really talked about a slow Arsenal player since Per Mertesacker was at the club, but stats show there is another one who isn’t very quick – Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is the third-slowest player in the Premier League
Lewis-Skelly is one of the most talented young players in the world.
The teenager was absolutely brilliant in his breakthrough season at Arsenal last term, but his game time has reduced significantly in this campaign.
The Hale End star has played just over 1200 minutes of football this season after falling behind Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie in the pecking order.
One of the reasons behind his demotion could be his lack of pace.
ESPN have revealed that Lewis-Skelly’s top speed this season is 28.65 km/h, which makes him the third-slowest outfield player in the entire Premier League. That is a big surprise.
If you only consider players under the age of 28, no one has been slower than the Arsenal left-back since the start of this campaign.
That is not ideal at all, as Lewis-Skelly plays in a position where he comes up against rapid wingers who can easily exploit his weakness.
Arteta may have identified that, which may well be why other players have been preferred in his role.
Mikel Arteta needs to change Myles Lewis-Skelly’s position at Arsenal
Being a slow full-back is never good in the modern game, as almost every team in the world deploys their quicker players on the wings.
Lewis-Skelly has a clear limitation in that department, but there is an easy fix – Arteta should move the youngster to his natural position, which is central midfield.
Agree or disagree: Myles Lewis-Skelly should get chances in midfield after Mikel Merino’s injury
The Arsenal academy graduate made a name for himself at youth level while playing in the middle of the park, and that is where we think his future lies.
With Mikel Merino ruled out for the rest of this season, there is an opportunity for the Arsenal manager to give him a go in that role.
The FA Cup clash against Wigan Athletic is the perfect time for Arteta to try Lewis-Skelly in midfield.
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