At a Glance:
Lee Dixon compares Myles Lewis-Skelly to Paul Gascoigne.
Dixon believes Lewis-Skelly carries the ball similarly and is also very strong.
Declan Rice likened Lewis-Skelly to Mousa Dembele.
Paul Gascoigne is widely heralded as one of the most technically gifted British players to this day, renowned for being a maverick with the ball at his feet.
Gascoigne’s ability to effortlessly glide past players, tremendous strike and sublime first touch were some of the multiple facets of his game that made the retired attacker one-of-a-kind.
This Arsenal side boasts of several players who may have been inspired by the former Lazio superstar. One of them may be Eberechi Eze, who is a match-winner himself and much like Paul Gascoigne, he too is an attacking midfielder.
Another name that springs to mind is Myles Lewis-Skelly, who embodies fearlessness on the pitch; a trait that typified Gascoigne’s game.
Lee Dixon compares Arsenal star Myles Lewis-Skelly to Paul Gascoigne
Lee Dixon, who played alongside Paul Gascoigne for England claimed that Lewis-Skelly reminds him of the veteran due to how he carries the ball up the pitch.
Dixon told The Athletic: “I’ve watched Myles a lot, he’s very Gazza-like in the way that he uses his weight and his strength.
“He almost allows players to catch up with him. He’ll go past them and then he slows down a little bit. Gazza used to do that so that when they come in and make contact again, he bounces them off him.
Mikel Arteta has played Lewis-Skelly in midfield for months and one of the reasons may be due to how he drives past players, with Lee Dixon adding: “Myles will win free-kicks by doing that and he will also get himself in positions higher up the pitch, so it’s a brilliant skill to have.”
Declan Rice likened Myles Lewis-Skelly to Mousa Dembele
Lewis-Skelly must be flattered by the comparison to Paul Gascoigne, who is an English legend and considering an Arsenal great like Lee Dixon rates him so highly. However, there is truth in the fact that the Premier League champion’s ball-carrying and strength make him a nightmare to stop in his tracks.
As a result, the England international is able to thrive in the middle of the park as well as at left-back. The 19-year-old’s technical quality is terrific but he never seems to struggle when it comes to physical battles.
No wonder Mikel Arteta has been happy to rely on the youngster. Declan Rice likened Lewis-Skelly to Mousa Dembele, which was also left-footed, a brilliant dribbler, a top technician and strong as an ox.
Declan Rice on Myles Lewis-Skelly:
"He’s got that Mousa Dembélé trait. I’m not just saying it. But where he uses his body to get away from stuff and sometimes it’s risky, but to show that at 18 and the personality and character, honestly it’s unbelievable." pic.twitter.com/z7HdxFGYu6
— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) January 15, 2025
Rice said: “He’s got that Mousa Dembele trait. I’m not just saying it.
“But where he uses his body to get away from stuff and sometimes it’s risky, but to show that at 18 and the personality and character, honestly it’s unbelievable.”