There is some player in Lewis-Skelly who knows just how to get up and running, but at the expense of energy, drive, and most of all, tackling. Having already got two red cards since January, the left-back’s disciplinary record is almost as eventful as his game play. That moment of concern was most recently against PSV Eindhoven, where Mikel Arteta had to withdraw him early after a rash challenge.
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That line is really thin, Arteta says, and Lewis-Skelly simply has to stay on the right side of it. To be fair, every great defender was once a young man overegging for a tackle one time or another. They’d all got a ‘red card phase’, Patrick Vieira, Sergio Ramos, even Roy Keane…but I’m being passionate.” The question is if Lewis-Skelly adapts because Arsenal has a chance to lose valuable points.
Learning the Art of Controlled Aggression
In modern times, VAR watches over every step as a protective father, which means there are many fine margins to decisions in football. Arteta explained that Lewis-Skelly must balance betting on a win on a tackle against the associated risk. In short, if your opponent is about to go to orbit from your challenge, perhaps you should rethink that.
Discipline doesn’t mean to lose aggression, it is just about channeling it properly. What have we got? Virgil van Dijk, Paolo Maldini. By the time they learned the art of defending without any inclination to fly into challenges like a missile without a guidance system, they had developed the ability to build without dropping below the goals. If Lewis-Skelly can learn a lesson from their mistakes, he could very easily become a top-class left-back rather than a player who falls victim to the walk out for playing too many games.
The Talent of Lewis-Skelly Is Undeniable
Lewis-Skelly, who has had his disciplinary hiccups already, has already done enough to excite Arsenal fans about him. His attacking prowess was on show as he scored a stunning solo goal against Manchester City. He has all-out energy, pace, and skill, which is a joy to watch.
But where a great player differs from a great talent is not in the ability to make the right decision. He will waste more time watching than playing matches if he keeps being sent off. Arsenal needs him on the pitch, not warming the bench after being sent off early.
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