The Post published an article talking about Skellie and Calafiori's competition at Arsenal's left-back position. Last winter, when Arsenal's defense suffered an injury crisis, Skelly was pushed to the start of the left-back. The player q...
The Post published an article talking about Skellie and Calafiori's competition at Arsenal's left-back position.
Last winter, when Arsenal's defense suffered an injury crisis, Skelly was pushed to the start of the left-back. The player quickly seized the opportunity to become Arteta's main player and was called by the England national team. Since then, Skelly seems to have a bright future. After all, he is not afraid of Real Madrid stars Vinicius and Rodrigo in the quarter-time knockout match of the Champions League, helping the team eliminate their opponents.
But now, Skel returns to Arsenal's bench. Although Tuchel still trusts him in the England national team, the players only got 44 minutes of playing time in the club's two games, and the away game lost to Liverpool was completely unavailable. What happened to him at Arsenal?
The main reason is not Skelli's decline in form, but the rise of Calafiori. Arteta believes that the latter is more experienced, especially in defense. Arsenal insiders said that Calafiori's performance after returning from injury left a deep impression on the staff. After joining, the players only played 19 times in the Premier League due to injury restrictions.
Although Skelli is more comfortable in the midfield and is a fairly versatile midfielder, Calafiori's contribution on the offensive end is equally outstanding. Last season, Calafiori averaged more passes per league per game than Skelli and made more passes per open area. In addition, the total number of shots, positive numbers and forward passes per game are also higher.
Calafiori's position on the court is getting higher and higher, and he scored a winning header in the away game against Manchester United 1-0. In the subsequent 5-0 victory over Leeds United, Calafiori helped the team open the pass channel in the midfield and gave York a precise pass for a goal.
However, Skelly's progress in this position is also significant, and assistant coach Heinze has been working hard to help him improve the quality of crosses and optimize offensive efficiency. Now, players will face the first real test of their careers, and it is crucial to maintain a tenacious spirit. The club believes that during the team's injury wave, Skelly's progress far exceeded expectations and was unexpectedly expected to quickly move into the starting lineup. With the World Cup approaching next summer, Tuchel is obviously also paying attention to Skelli's situation, and players need to regain their position in Arsenal as soon as possible.
