Good afternoon, Keyboard Warriors. Arsenal are smack-dab in the middle of an open window of contention for the Premier League title and the Champions League trophy, but as we’ve seen with plenty of teams in football and other sports, those windows can abruptly and unexpectedly close. Players get older and aren’t the difference-makers they once were, guys get just a little bit slower, start losing a few more duels here and there, and suddenly you’re on the outside of the CL places (or playoff picture
in U.S. sports) battling for a seat at the table.
We have the luxury of taking a much narrower look at Arsenal’s roster than the people running the club do. Yes, we’re aware of the general squad age and the young players coming through, but we don’t have to balance the now with the later. I’d bet that the football operations folks are constantly modeling decisions and evaluating the squad on a multi-year timeline. They probably have projected depth charts for each season at least five years into the future.
So today, we’re going to focus on some of what that future might look like.
Which young Arsenal player are you most excited about? Which has the highest ceiling? Which is the safest bet to be an Arsenal regular?
This will almost certainly be a question of Max Dowman vs. Ethan Nwaneri vs. Myles Lewis-Skelly for most of y’all. But if any of you keep a closer eye on the youth teams and think there might be some hidden gems that aren’t getting the press they should be, do share them with the class!
My answer: Myles Lewis-Skelly. He has the most substantial track record of senior play of the three. I’m pretty sure that Ethan Nwaneri will be good enough. Max Dowman certainly seems to have that level, too. But Myles Lewis-Skelly has already shown he can be a regular.
Last season demonstrated that MLS can not only hang at the highest level of the game but standout and make a difference. I think what is most exciting about him is that it’s not clear what his long-term position will be. Remember, Bukayo Saka broke through as right back. Lewis-Skelly was a midfielder for the academy sides but has been more than serviceable as a left back. Will he end up a holding player? A box-to-bot? A number 8?
The only “concern” with MLS is whether he winds up as a tweener, a guy that you’re happy to have as a backup and fill-in at several positions but would rather start someone else over him too, a jack of all trades, master of none. On the other hand, Mikel Merino has carved out a very nice niche for himself as a guy who can do a bunch things pretty well.
