Don't make it a competition. If he wants to show off and be ****y about it, let him. Play your way, with your feelings. It's not the guitar olympics.
All it takes to get better is practice. Play along with some Clapton (Cream especially), songs of your favorite bands. Learn the blues too. It's amazing how one can incorporate the blues in to anything.
Soloing may be one thing, but being solid at rhythm is more important. Look at EVH. Everybody goes on about his lead abilities, but listen to his rhythms. They're some of the best out there. Paul Gilbert is the same way....great...GREAT rhythm player.