Despite a drop in game time after finding himself in the deep end of a title challenge at just 18 last year, it is not all negative for Lewis-Skelly.<\/p>\n
He started 26 times in 42 games last season as Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney all had injury issues.<\/p>\n
That may have led many, including Lewis-Skelly, to expect more time on the pitch this season. However, while he has started 12 games in 26 appearances, just one start has come in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
The talk of being a starting England left-back came ahead of schedule for the plan that Lewis-Skelly had in his career and he will still have played enough to receive a Premier League medal if Arsenal<\/a> are able to make the step to becoming champions in May.<\/p>\n He has started six of Arsenal<\/a>‘s nine Champions League games, which included impressive wins over Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid – during which he produced a line-breaking run and assist – and he also played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal<\/a>‘s victory over Inter Milan in the San Siro.<\/p>\n “Every season is different,” Arteta said when asked about Lewis-Skelly’s game time this season.<\/p>\n “He had very good moments in this season. He had other moments when he hasn’t played in that much.<\/p>\n “Obviously, a few days ago, in the FA Cup, he was suspended and he could not play.<\/p>\n “So, there are various reasons. Sometimes, as well, the good form of your team-mates. There’s a lot of factors that contribute to that. But he’s doing well.”<\/p>\n Arteta is not adverse to giving young players a chance, with six youngsters making their debut this season, but there is a difference between getting a taste of first-team football and playing in crunch games.<\/p>\n Lewis-Skelly has excelled when playing as a full-back and inverting into midfield with the ball, but with a tweak on the requirements on Arsenal<\/a>‘s full-backs this season, those attributes are not so obviously needed in build-up play.<\/p>\n