Tuchel's Squad Selection: Performance Over Reputation
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has publicly explained his reasoning for omitting Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly from his latest squad announcement. The decision was made ahead of England's upcoming fixtures against Serbia on November 13 and Albania on November 16.
Tuchel was candid in his assessment, stating that Lewis-Skelly, along with several other players, was 'outperformed' by Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly. The coach emphasised that selection is solely based on current performance levels and consistent game time, areas where the Arsenal youngster has struggled this season.
Game Time Crucial for International Selection
The central issue for Lewis-Skelly is his lack of minutes at club level. He has not started a single Premier League game for Arsenal this term, with manager Mikel Arteta consistently preferring Riccardo Calafiori in the left-back position.
'Myles simply needs more starts and more minutes,' Tuchel stated on Friday. 'We selected him last camp despite his position at Arsenal. It is about competition and performance. The door is always open for guys who perform on a regular and high level.'
Tuchel grouped Lewis-Skelly's omission with other experienced players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Morgan Gibbs-White, noting they were all outperformed by the likes of Nico O'Reilly, Alex Scott, Nick Pope, and Jude Bellingham.
Arteta's Support and Bellingham's Return
In response to the snub, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has come out in strong support of his player. Arteta described the 18-year-old as a 'remarkable' talent and urged perspective on the situation.
'We are here to support and help each other and to give a good perspective of the situation,' Arteta explained. 'In the case of Myles, when you look at his age, what he's already done, he's just remarkable. So don't look at the one moment what is happening for you because maybe it happens for the right reason and today you cannot see it.'
The squad news also featured significant returns, most notably that of Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. Bellingham had been dropped for the October internationals following his return from shoulder surgery, a decision that sparked considerable debate given his status as one of England's key players.
Tuchel expressed his delight at having both Bellingham and Phil Foden back in the fold, highlighting their recent decisive contributions for their clubs. He specifically outlined his plans to utilise Bellingham in the number 10 role, describing it as his best position and praising his ability to score goals from advanced areas.
Despite rumours of a potential recall, Brighton striker Danny Welbeck was not included in the squad, despite scoring six goals in his last five Premier League games. The squad did see new faces, however, with AFC Bournemouth's Alex Scott receiving his first senior call-up and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton returning after missing the previous break through injury.
