Thomas Tuchel has provided insight into his decision to exclude Myles Lewis-Skelly from the latest England squad, emphasizing that the Arsenal starlet “needed more starts and more minutes” and had been “outperformed” by Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly in recent weeks.
The Arsenal prospect has struggled for playing time under Mikel Arteta this season, with only two starts and three appearances from the bench since the last international break. Despite featuring in both the Champions League and Carabao Cup, he has yet to start a Premier League match this season, having made 15 league starts the previous year.
Tuchel was straightforward in his evaluation, stating that Lewis-Skelly “needs more starts and more minutes” and highlighted how he had been “outperformed” by Nico O’Reilly, who has been in excellent form for Manchester City lately.
“Myles was a valuable teammate and participated in the last camp during the World Cup qualifiers in Riga, along with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Morgan Gibbs-White, and James Trafford,” Tuchel explained.
“But as I stated before, competition and performance are key factors, and the door is always open for players who consistently perform at a high level,” Tuchel reiterated.
“Myles, Ruben, and Morgan have been outperformed by Nico O’Reilly, Alex Scott, Nick Pope, and Jude in their respective positions. Myles simply requires more starts and more minutes. At this point, Nico O’Reilly has had more opportunities in that role, putting him slightly ahead for this camp.” O’Reilly has played just 90 more minutes than Lewis-Skelly since the match against Latvia, but he has accumulated double the playing time this season and made six league starts for City.
Lewis-Skelly started England’s 5-0 victory in Latvia in October, a game that confirmed their qualification for the 2026 World Cup. However, his limited club involvement since that match has made it difficult for Tuchel to include him in the squad. Despite gathering 463 minutes this season, only 86 of those minutes have come in the Premier League.
Currently valued at €45 million and under contract until 2030, the 19-year-old still holds a place in England’s long-term plans. However, for the time being, Tuchel has opted for players who are more regularly involved in their clubs.
Consequently, Lewis-Skelly’s absence from the squad reflects circumstances rather than a lack of ability. His talent is undeniable; however, Tuchel’s message is clear: consistent playing time, not just potential, drives selection at this stage of England’s preparations for the World Cup.
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