Myles Lewis-Skelly has been put on notice by Thomas Tuchel, who warned that "being a good citizen isn't enough" as the Arsenal star was told his England spot is at risk. Despite his potential, the teen sensation has found himself on the back foot, facing fierce competition for a spot in Arsenal's starting XI. And now, Tuchel has made it clear he needs more first-team minutes..
Tuchel makes feelings clear on Lewis-Skelly
Named in Tuchel's squad for the upcoming England games against Wales and Latvia, Lewis-Skelly is still in the mix for a spot in next year’s World Cup. However, Tuchel was blunt in his assessment of the Arsenal star’s situation and pointed to his lack of starts for Arsenal and made it clear that "performing at club level regularly" is now the only path to retaining his England place.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLewis-Skelly's challenge: Calafiori thriving at Arsenal
Italian star Riccardo Calafiori has emerged as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice left-back, relegating Lewis-Skelly to the bench. With no Premier League starts this season, the pressure is mounting for the 19-year-old to prove his worth. If the Arsenal academy product can’t force his way into Arteta's starting lineup, it will be harder for Tuchel to justify his continued inclusion in future England squads.
Tuchel remains committed, but how long?
Tuchel stressed that Lewis-Skelly’s "attitude and training" have been top-notch, even when left out of the matchday squad for England’s clash in Serbia. However, the England boss made it clear that future involvement with the squad hinges on club performances.
"To just be a good citizen in camp will not be enough over the course of a year," Tuchel said. "He was a very good player in camp, a very good team-mate in camp [last month]. But being a good team-mate in camp may not be good enough to stay the whole year with us. You have to perform at club level on a regular basis. In the last camp he got the credit, that I was convinced we have to take care of him and nominate him because we accelerated his career. It was our responsibility after we called him last season. So we stick to this. He was now part of a very successful camp so he gets the reward for that. But if you remember he was not part of the 20-man squad in the match in Serbia.
"Still, his behaviour was outstanding, even if he was not part of the squad. His training, his attitude, his attitude to push and support the guys on the pitch was outstanding and of the highest level. He is one of the players who benefits from this decision, from sticking with the same squad, but the performances [for Arsenal] will be a key factor in the next month. He benefits also from the proximity of the camps and that [the last one] was three weeks ago."
Getty Images SportNext challenge: Getting a start at Arsenal
Lewis-Skelly’s immediate focus will be to secure his first league start of the season when Arsenal host West Ham on Saturday. If he can finally break into the first team and deliver a strong performance, it could be the boost he needs for both his club and England aspirations.
