Roger Shannon

@LiquidAy Young players can be brilliant, but it takes time to build consistency. Arteta played Skelly to freshen up the team. Would be really knee-jerk to then start him again just over 48 hrs later. The positive is he has a confident MLS available to come from the bench if needed

🚨Darren Bent has urged Arsenal to leave out Myles Lewis-Skelly for the clash with Atlético Madrid, despite praising his recent display. The 19 year old impressed in midfield against Fulham, earning strong reviews and raising questions over his limited role this season. Bent, however, believes Martin Zubimendi should start, citing experience as crucial in a Champions League semi-final. Do you think MLS should start for Arsenal against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday? If he can do it against Real Madrid in his debut season, I want to believe he's mature enough to play against Atletico Madrid.

@AnythingArs_ They should put you in charge Captain Hindsight.

There's a conversation to be had about Mikel Arteta after yesterday and I want to have it properly. Not the reactionary "he's not a good coach" version. That's too easy and frankly too lazy. The man has built one of the most tactically disciplined sides in world football. You don't do that by accident. But something happened against Fulham that we need to talk about honestly. The moment Lewis-Skelly was put in midfield, his actual natural position, everything just opened up. You could feel it almost immediately. The passes had more intent. The game had more tempo. There was less hesitation on the ball. Things just made sense in a way they hadn't for a few weeks. But here is the part that really told the story. Look at Declan Rice. Actually look at him. Because yesterday he looked FREE. Not doing too much. Not covering for everyone around him. Not carrying the midfield on his back. Just playing. Stepping forward. Choosing his moments. Getting on the ball with purpose. That version of Rice is terrifying for any opponent. And that didn't come from nowhere. It came because the player beside him actually belonged in that space. Lewis-Skelly covered ground, won duels, broke lines, carried the ball forward and did it all with the confidence of someone who has finally been told "just be yourself." 97% pass accuracy. 79 touches. 6 ground duels won. 6 ball recoveries. 4 passes into the final third. At 19 years old. In a must-win Premier League game. Ian Wright was excited just seeing his name in the lineup before kickoff. And the boy delivered everything and more. Now here's where the frustration comes in and it's legitimate frustration. We've known this. This is not new information. Lewis-Skelly has been playing left back, learning, adapting, doing the job without complaining. But you can always tell when a player is not in their natural position. Certain things don't come instinctively. Put him in midfield and suddenly he carries the ball, takes risks, plays forward, doesn't hide. The difference is not subtle. It's obvious. And it's not even the first time we've seen this pattern with Arteta. Remember Zinchenko? A midfielder by trade forced into left back. Yes there were moments it worked beautifully in build-up. But you could also see the defensive gaps, the physical toll, the injuries that kept coming. And every time you'd find yourself asking the same question. Why force it when the player already has a position that suits them better? You could also see Zubimendi slowing down in recent weeks. The midfield wasn't always flowing. Things looked forced. And then this one adjustment comes against Fulham and everything clicks and you're sitting there thinking… so we had this all along? That is where the annoyance is coming from. Not anger. Not panic. Just that quiet, nagging feeling that this could have happened earlier. That we may have left something on the table in certain games this season. Because when Arteta gets it right, like yesterday, this team doesn't just look good. It looks COMPLETE. Balanced, confident, dangerous without forcing it. Clinical without being chaotic. The issue was never tactics. Never structure. It's trust. Trusting players in their real positions. Letting their natural strengths breathe instead of trying to manufacture solutions that the squad is already providing. And here's the thing. There are three Premier League games left. There is a Champions League semi-final second leg on Tuesday against Atletico Madrid at the Emirates with everything absolutely on the line. This is not the time for experiments. This is the time to back what you saw yesterday with everything you have. MLS in midfield on Tuesday Mikel. We've seen enough now. The answer is right in front of you. Trust the boy. Trust the process you built. And let this team show Europe what it's actually capable of. 🔴⚪

@DaleJohnsonBBC They would if Kai Havertz scored it, as they have done on multiple occasions

The VAR cannot use the ultra-zoom which Sky showed in the replay several minutes after the goal.

@SkySportsPL They make it up as they go along. Havertz had 2 goals disallowed against (both potentially match changing)for the slightest brush of the hand that needed 10 replays to see

"I don't think you want them goals getting cancelled" Roy Keane and Daniel Sturridge analyse Benjamin Šeško's goal against Liverpool 🔍

@DailyAFC @SamJDean He’s English, young, and a boyhood fan, who can play in more than one position. Really would be suicidal to sell him

🚨 There is a ‘big chance’ that Myles Lewis-Skelly leaves Arsenal this summer & serious doubts remain over his future in north London. The temptation to sell The Hale End graduate is real, not least because he would represent ‘pure profit’. ❌🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 [@SamJDean]

@Wanalyst007 The whole point of fielding Skelly was to ensure some freshness to the starting 11 against Atletico. Zubi 100% starts with Skelly now a very strong option from the bench

I'm starting the same midfield against Atleti at the Emirates Myles - Rice - Eze But knowing Arteta, he'll most likely go with Zubi

@arsenal_tickets BBC is based in Manchester and of late I get the impression that only Man U and City fans are being hired leading to massive bias against Arsenal.

What are the BBC on about with that stat?! It’s just completely made up! We’ve had 7 games in the league this season where we’ve had a 3 goal lead! It’s such a weird thing to just make up.

@AFCAMDEN Hopefully this ends any possibility of the club considering selling him to Man U

Taking the ball on the half-turn, resisting the press, line breaking passes, driving into open space. Everything you want from your LCM.

Look at Arsenal’s best wins in last 2 yrs: City 5-1, Atletico 4-0, Bayern 2-0 and Lewis-Skelly is playing. Coincidence or is he massively under used? #Arsenal #ARSFUL

@15thdimensional @ArtetaEra

@RogerShannonAFC @ArtetaEra aye mate karma got him when he slapped arsenal about the pitch twice this season

This was where all of Ødegaard's injury issues started.... I'll never forgive Rodri, this was a just friendly fgs💔🤦‍♂️

@MiguelDelaney Atletico were the ones that weakened in the last 10 mins. Their best period was the first 10-15 mins of the second half

Simeone: "As the game went on, we noticed their fatigue, and the weight of going for the Premier League, trying to win the Champions League. All of that accumulated, and we picked up."

@SamJDean If Declan Rice can perform at that level as a 6, it really opens up possibilities for Arsenal to be much more pleasing on the eye. Eze and Odegaard either side would be a lot more aggressive. Hope to see it! #COYG!

Declan Rice as the six, Martin Zubimendi as the eight. Mikel Arteta flipped the Arsenal midfield last night and it brought the best out of Rice. He was defensively dominant and the best passer on the pitch. A one-off plan or the new reality for #AFC? telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/…

@DailyAFC @DaleJohnsonBBC If the shot is on target then harsh but understandable. But when the shot is miles off target, I don’t see how that is worthy of a pen. They need to review that rule

🚨 Ben White’s handball was correctly given as a penalty per UEFA’s rules, as the deflection off his shin is made negligible by the fact the arm moves out from the body before it is struck by the ball. ✅ [@DaleJohnsonBBC]

Not seeing any comment on this, but Rice played as a ball playing 6 in a Champion’s League semi final away from home and was so comfortable. That represents another step up in his game. His biggest attribute might be his willingness to improve his game.

Reflecting on the game and it’s frustrating that Arsenal are consistently held to a higher bar when it comes to receiving penalties or having red cards given to the opposition. #Arsenal

Are Arsenal banned from DOGSO?? How does the ref give the pen and not send off the defender? Crazy decision.

@MeechSomto Shit fan. Probably supports Chelsea or Man U. Blocked you absolute cretin.

Eberechi Eze has single-handedly won more games for Arsenal in one season than captain Martin Ødegaard has managed in over five years at the club.

The jump from Madueke to Saka is massive. Also, really hope Eze is ok because he’s one of only players who has ability to score in this team. Big win 💪#COYG

@from_hackney Money money money

Why do people think that Arsenal hasn't won a European trophy? I'm genuinely interested to know where that mindset comes from.