Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly’s secret weapon saw him compared to rugby icon Jonah Lomu by academy coach
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY is emerging as one of the top talents in English football, but his secret weapon would have made him a top rugby player too.
Lewis-Skelly, 18, has gone from unknown by the majority to a regular Arsenal starter and England’s youngest-ever debutant scorer in the space of one season.
There’s no doubt that there’s a plethora of skills in his arsenal, but it’s one in particular that has earned him comparisons to rugby legend Jonah Lomu.
That’s his ability to replicate rugby’s hand-off, a skill mastered by Lomu during his career.
The comparisons are so much so that, as first reported by The Telegraph, an academy coach once said: “It’s like Jonah Lomu, isn’t it?”, while Lewis-Skelly stormed through midfield in a youth match between Arsenal and Chelsea a few years back.
Lewis-Skelly’s ability to outstretch his arm and hold off his opponent has become one of the best parts of his game, making him almost impossible to tackle.
It’s been evident in so many of his games, none more so than when he held away Albania player Jasir Asania to gain an extra yard and poke home his debut for goal for England during the international break.
Even Mikel Arteta has discussed his “natural” ability to hold players away from him on a regular basis.
The Arsenal boss said: “He has always been very comfortable running past players and holding people away from him and very far from the ball. It is a natural thing.”
While teammate Declan Rice thinks that Lewis-Skelly’s game is more similar to a star much closer to home.
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Rice thinks that the Hale End graduate’s ability to use his body is just like that of former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele.
“He has got that Mousa Dembélé trait where he uses his body to get away from stuff,” Rice said recently.
“Sometimes it is risky but to show that at 18, the personality and character, honestly it’s unbelievable.”
Of course, Lewis-Skelly is not Dembele and he’s certainly not going to be picking up the ball and running with it like Lomu anytime soon.
But they’re flattering comparisons for a player who has already notched 14 Premier League appearances, six Champions League games and two England caps this season.
While he’s not the only one at Arsenal that is catching the eye either.
Best mate and teammate Ethan Nwaneri has already scored eight senior goals for the Gunners this season and has himself drawn comparisons to Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
Both Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly are likely to be called upon even more as Arteta tries to balance his squad with important Premier League clashes and a Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid on the horizon.
But the burden on Nwaneri’s shoulders will be lifted somewhat after Arteta revealed that Bukayo Saka is back from his hamstring injury and “ready to go”.