Should Iwobi now be a regular starter for Arsenal?

Iwobi gets plenty of plaudits!

On Iwobi’s first Premier League start since returning from injury, he showed Arsenal fans exactly why Arsene Wenger decided to put the 20 year old straight back into the team. After a goal that was later credited to Alexis Sanchez and thus two assists later, Alex Iwobi had a fantastic game for Arsenal this weekend and as a result has earned the plaudits from many.

One man who was keen to show the Nigerian youngster some praise after the game was manager Arsene Wenger. We have seen Iwobi thrive from his opportunities in the first team under Wenger, after Le Prof decided to gamble on the winger last season. Iwobi is now arguably one of our brightest young talents at the club.

Arsene Wenger revealed why he has such confidence in the youngster by saying: “I started him last year because I’ve seen that there’s something in him that is quality of vision, quality of give and go, of movement. He can break the lines with a pass and individually as well, so there’s a lot in the locker. Overall, he’s only 20 years old so you could see that he has gained in confidence now. He can take people on much more and he has gained power as well. It’s interesting what he has done.”

Iwobi has dramatically impressed since being brought into the first team as a regular and although he had a relatively quiet end to the season last year, it seems as if he is keen and ready to start this season in the same fashion that he started his Arsenal campaign last year. There may be plenty of competition for places on the wings at Arsenal with Alexis, Walcott and the Ox also all fit, but for me Iwobi gets the nod over the English pair at the moment. Unlike the Ox and Walcott, Iwobi has no fear of running at the defence and he has confidence when the ball is at his feet. Arsenal needs a winger that drives forward with the team, to create opportunities for others and as seen in the Hull City match alone, that is exactly what Iwobi does.

Is he now ready to remain in the starting XI on a regular basis?

By AH

17 Comments

  1. No. Dude is decent enough going forward. But is clueless about tracking back…Lucas needs to be thrown into the mix instead…

    1. Agreed, until he can learn to defend there are other options.
      For all he does well, unfortunately his unwillingness to defend cancels that out.

      Thus far we have been lucky against a wasteful PSG and Hull.
      Have you not noticed how every attack comes from his side?

      1. Out of our current crop, i still think that Alexis and Theo are our best options on the wings to give balance to the team. Iwobi is great going forward but he doesn’t track back. He can slowly develop that this year and then be our regular starter. Although Walcott is wasteful sometimes going forward, but lately he has improved the defensive side of his game quite well, he is trying hard to prove to the fans and the manager that he still belongs here. Hopefully he does well.

  2. If Iwobi had Welbecks aggression it would be awesome. Hopefully he’ll get angrier as he ages, I’m just not sure what he’ll have to be angry about. He is a very talented boy, he can do a bit of everything. I also think he looks ideal for a position change, I think he has all the tools to be a striker. I reckon we should of done this in his early years, we should of had him practicing goal scoring each week.

  3. Iwobi- remember the name!

    Another talent brought through by Wenger. Gotta say I like this lad- he is gunner be going places!

  4. I like Iwobi. He has huge potential. He will start games and will start some games from the bench. Let’s not put pressure on him as he still has alot to learn like defending when we are not with the ball.

    However, he looks promising going forward and he isn’t afraid to shoot or take on players. He will learn to be better..

  5. He is a great talent
    But we need to see Perez play more and Theo has scored a couple so hopefully that will continue
    But its great that we have Iwobi as he looks good starting or coming off the bench

  6. I like Iwobi and would not mind seeing him regularly. Who do we have that is better on the left wing? Sanchez is best on the right wing and should play there when he does not play in the middle, and Walcott and Ox are inferior on the right Wing as far as I am concerned.

    If we play a front 3, for me it would be: Iwobi – Perez – Sanchez, with Ozil right behind them utilizing their pace.

  7. anyone see serge gnabry’s goal for werder bremen? incredible
    funny we never saw that player for arsenal, funny that

  8. The same way some said bellerin was not ripe then. Now we can see him. For me iwobi is over ready, to start for us. He is better than some of our wingers. He played against Barca we all saw his display. What he needs to do is to keep upgrading his game with d help of d coach.

  9. I’m not surprised at iwobis development, I had be surprised if he flopped.. Anyways I think going forward aside cazola, iwobi is d most potent attacker we have. He’s is the difference in our play btwn our 2nd,3rd, 4th ND our 5th epl games.. He’s d most direct attacker, always going forward unlike the annoying side ways and toothless passing plays. Hopefully he can be our kelvin d brune. He’s not a perfect player yet but he’s pure CLASS!!

  10. It only takes one bad games to ruin a youngster’s confidence so it really is catch 22 weather to start him or bring him on from the bench. I’d start him for a while to let him get some games in then when he starts to lose his way a little put him on the bench to try and change things later on. Knowing Wenger he will drop him from the squad altogether and put him in the reserves.

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