Arsenal's Title Defense Challenge: Arteta's Demands and Lewis-Skelly's Future
Mikel Arteta has thrown down an early-season challenge to his Arsenal squad, demanding they prove they have the hunger to defend their Premier League crown – and he has shut the door on any exit for Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Arsenal open their title defence at home to Coventry on Friday night, chasing a piece of history. They have not successfully retained the league since the 1930s, yet arrive at the new campaign with momentum, confidence and a formidable record against newly promoted sides.
They have won 17 of their last 18 league games against promoted clubs. At the Emirates, that dominance stretches back nearly 14 years: no promoted team has left with three points since November 2010, a run of 45 matches.
Arteta knows those numbers. He also knows they mean nothing if his side lose their edge.
“We need to breathe and we need to take this organically because it’s going to be a long marathon,” he said on the eve of the season.
The message was clear: enjoy the Community Shield win over Manchester City, then move on. “What we need to show is that desire and ambition to be better than what we were last season, a month ago, or a week ago when we played Man City. We have the ability to improve, to evolve, and that’s what I sense and I feel around the club and especially around the players.”
The champions arrive with a target on their backs. Arteta doesn’t mind that. In fact, he welcomes it.
“Today, no, because we start from scratch and we’re going to have to prove we have the level to go back to that position again,” he said when asked if Arsenal begin as the team everyone wants to beat.
He quickly broadened the picture. “But I think that happened in the last three seasons – at some point we were first, at some point we were chasing it, and you never know what’s better. You give me the choice, I want to be first, I want to be hunted, and I want to be in control of our future, rather than depending on somebody else.”
That desire for control extends to his squad building.
Arsenal’s summer has already included a major outlay, with the £75m signing of Bruno Guimarães from Newcastle. To balance that, the club have explored ways to raise funds, and it is understood that Myles Lewis-Skelly was offered to Manchester United and Chelsea earlier in the window.
The 19-year-old, though, has forced his way to the centre of the conversation for footballing reasons rather than financial ones. An academy graduate with deep roots at the club, he impressed in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain last season and was outstanding in midfield against City in Cardiff on Sunday.
Arteta is not prepared to lose him now. Asked if Lewis-Skelly would stay, he was unequivocal: he is “100%” confident the youngster will remain an Arsenal player this window.
“The players that have been raised in our system, and they feel generally that love and that connection with the club, bring something else, there’s no question about that,” Arteta said. “We need to look after them in a really special way because they bring value that is very difficult to find. That’s why, when we can, we want to protect those assets as much as possible, develop them and make them extremely important for the club.”
A title to defend, a marathon to run, and a homegrown talent ring-fenced for the journey. Arsenal know exactly what – and who – they are betting on as the new season kicks off.
