Arsene Wenger has praised Alex Iwobi after the youngster followed up his fine display against Barcelona with a goal scoring one in the 2-0 win over Everton yesterday.
The 19 year old got his first Arsenal goal in the 41st minute, racing onto a Hector Bellerin pass and finishing with aplomb.
With more experienced options like Theo Walcott and Joel Campbell sidelined, it’s a show of faith in Iwobi from the manager, who said he’s been watching him develop over the course of this campaign.
“He is an intelligent boy who is passionate about the game and wants to learn,” he said.
“He is very humble as well. He is 19 years old. He has been at the club since the age of eight. I was looking at him in training during the season and in pre-season and I liked what he did. After that, he improved very quickly with the first team.
“Month after month, he developed very well and that is why I integrated him and played him.
“He benefits from his talents, intelligence and attitude,” he continued. “He has been practising with the players since the start of the season and he has been growing in contact with these players and he is learning quickly from them.”
Iwobi also drew praise from Thierry Henry who told The Sun, “He is the perfect example of how a kid has to behave to make it to the top. He works hard, he listens and he is always on time.
“He has blossomed since breaking into the seniors and his goal and brilliant display against Everton on Saturday underlined his potential.”
It’s been a very promising start to his Arsenal career, something to enjoy
I have high hopes from Elneny, Jeff and Iwobi. Convinced there’s a lot more to come from Iwobi this season. I do however feel for Cambell; he hasnt done much wrong.
Strange about The Jeff. I thought Iwobi looked good at the Emirates Cup (and he always looked decent in the youth team highlights I saw) but The Jeff looked more impressive against Wolfsburg than Iwobi did against Lyon.
I guess that’s why you can’t judge players on such a small sample size.
I remember thinking that Jeff looked like a talented, skilled youngster trying hard to make an impression, while Iwobi could have fooled me into thinking he was a regular member of the first team having a relaxed pre-season game. He’s so composed and his decision making is so good, he’s obviously got a good head on him.
The IOWA team 🙂
BBC, SAS, MSN.
I fucking hate those labels with every inch of my soul.
However! The IOWA is something that I seem to have zero issues with getting behind hahaha ohh the hippocracy!
I think you mean IIIOOOOHHH the hypocrisy.
I think my work is done here.
No no the hippocracy is a very delicate and sensitive group of individuals. Do not mock their cry, for you will soon find a tusk tearing you a new arsehole.
Alex Iwobi, you’re our only hope
Now that you’ve drawn this comparison I can’t stop thinking about Star Wars characters crossed with Arsenal players.
E.g: Obi-Wan Iwobi, Darth Pleguezuelo, Darth Maul-cott, Count Giroud, Lando Carlamberian…
Shhh for fuck’s sake.. Don’t tell the whole galaxy
Where’s the limerick Darth? x
Yeah.. See the thing is.. I’ve been a bit tied up recently with my *ahem* innovative construction project. I’ll have more time for the old poetry after the grand opening..
I have no idea what that means but I am sure others do?
There was once a man called Theo
Who was a bit shit…
🙂
It’s work in progress Darth, do you think it’s got legs?
Great performance by the lad yesterday – he seems to be getting better with every game at the moment. It highlights how we need someone of his ilk (more technical than dynamic, although he is quite strong and fairly quick himself) to complement Alexis Sanchez (or Walcott/Ox – yes, I know they’ve been pretty poor this season, but that’s not the point). I think he should be playing for the rest of the season unless his form dips or he gets injured (I’ve jinxed it now!). It would be nice to get a top quality player of the same style… Read more »
May the force be with you iwobi
19 and already better than Walcott..
That’s because he’s got a footballing brain.
And that thing called technique.
And he can finish chances even when he has too much time to think.
If I am not mistaken, Walcott has 84 goals for Arsenal and so it is not inconceivable that by next season he may join the exclusive 100 club a feat that neither Alan Smith nor Paul Merson achieved. Let’s not believe that Walcott has not made positive contributions to the club. Yes, is going through a bad patch but let’s not pretend that he has not had good spells
Walcott will not be at Arsenal next season.
With Iwobi, Campbell & chamberlain getting play time ahead of him, do you think he’ll want to stay?
Best for both parties if we sell, should get about £20m and will get £140,000 a week off the wages.
This will allow us to buy that one elusive natural goalscorer.
He’ll be here next season. Unless we subsidize his wages.
Yes I’m hundred % behind Theo at the Rio Olympics. Run Theo Run.
The playmakers for Paul and Alan were lee dixon and david seaman.
Theo cant even score now with ozil around.
You will find that they had Rocastle and Paul Davies. In what era has goalkeepers and full backs ever been playmakers?
Come on! Theo has been around a lot longer than those two! Shall we compare Alan Smith’s goal per game ratio with Theo’s?
Yeah, 100 goals in 10 years is really not all that exciting for a striker. Certainly none that you would consider great or even above average. Unless he plays for maybe Bournemouth. 10 a year. Ok.
So I looked it up. Theo only has 54 goals and Alan smith had 115 for Arsenal.
Theo has played 250 odd games and Smith 347.
Theo has given the ball away a gazillion times, has a fallen over ration of 11.7 times per game and a miscontrolled touch percentage of 96.7%.
tbf, he’s only ever really had two career purple patches.
Both during contract time to make him our third most well paid player.
I think people also have an issue with Theo and his talking. Notice he only ever seems to talk to the media and talk up himself or the team when he scores or has a decent game? Notice he’s always quiet when he’s playing shit.
People don’t like that.
84 goals in 10 years averages out to 8.4 goals per year. Not good enough for someone on his wages, and especially so, because he contributes nothing else to the team but goals.
He’s a “goner” isn’t he?
Bit sad actually…Good luck Theo x
that’s like saying person X has orgasmed 400 times in their 25 years of life, which averages out to 16 orgasms per year.
c’mon now.
Looooool
Reminds me of Martial at United, the way he just seems to make the right decisions and with the confidence and finishing ability of somebody 3 or 4 years older. Very exciting and one of few positives from the season.
Yeah, I’m disappointed I have to dislike Anthony martial now that he’s gone to united. Now if only we can avoid Ahmed Musa going someplace, and Terence Kongolo as well, I’ll be a happier man.
That said, pleased with iwobi and his development… may it long continue.
The thing I like about him is that he always has an effect. Yesterday wasn’t even the best game he’s played for us (tired after barca maybe) but still shows for the ball, incisive dribbles and passes etc. Exciting…
I don’t know if I am the only one, but this kid reminds me a lot of Rosicky.
He has got the style of the Little Mozart when holding the ball, chin up looking for incisive forward passes… To me he really is our new Rozza. Very pleased to see him blossom!
He has a real elegance to his play. The way he glides with the ball at his feet reminded me a bit of Zidane for some reason! Hopefully he turns out that good!
Long may it continue….although his celebration wasn’t overly humble, ha! It had a whiff of that traitorous waste of spud Adebayor about it.
You need to chill out a bit.
He’s 19 years old, scoring in his first PL start for the great Arsenal FC.
If it was me I would have taken my shirt off and jumped in the away end. The yellow card would have been worth it.
He’s been at the club since he was 8 years old. Pretty much all he’s ever known is Arsenal so I’m glad he went bat shit crazy.
Wow. I thought I was a highly strung Gooner. Just a bit of a joke guys. I think I may even have said ‘ha!’. Chill.
He also has a natural will to put himself available to his teammates, so he can combine easily with many players around him. Always moving towards these free zones… This reminds me again of our legendary Czech number 7.
Agree, great finish for his goal and looked good except for a couple missed placed passes, but let’s keep a level head about him.
I hope the hype doesn’t go the lads head. He needs to keep his head down, keep doing what he’s done.
Well, if he was English or played for Utd, the media would have most probably named him the next Ronaldo/Messi by now.
iwobi ! Sublime!!!
Wow, praise from caesar
This lad is the real deal! He is a good technical player…fast,strong and intelligent.He also has the right atittude.He has “arsenal bood” running in his veins!He is going to be at the club for years to come.
I may be over thinking this but his goal celebration bothered me a bit. Would have preferred a full blown jenkinson style failed knee slide in front of the fans instead of running straight to a broadcast camera.
I bet he feels like a real idiot for not checking first what kind of goal celebration you would’ve preferred.
When YOU score your first goal for the arsenal, then you get to decided whether or not to run for the broadcast camera. Until then, sit back, relax and don’t overthink 19 year olds goal celebrations
I’m pretty sure he scored in front of the home fans, and as there were no Arsenal players anywhere near him he went to the camera. Maybe he was thinking of his family watching in MOTD?
I thought it was sweet, he didn’t really know what to do with himself!
Only Arsenal fans can moan about goal celebrations, for goodness sake it’s embarrassing to be a fan at times!
Seems like Arsenal fans will moan about pretty much anything at the moment.
Love this guy. Loved the celebration. Jenkinson celebrated like a fan who’s grateful to be on the pitch. It’s endearing but Iwobe celebrated like a Ronaldo or Ibrahimovic- delighted to give a performance and his celebration is an extension of that.
I very much understand that no team in the world can maintain the same focus and consistency all season (sorry, may be Barcelona), but how is it that Arsenal players turn up once in a while and exhibit a classy performance like yesterday against Everton? If the players are the same(in deed they are) then it must be a mentality issue. Yesterday I saw Arsenal players engaging in strong physical challenges,tackling all over the pitch and winning 50:50 balls. There was a measure of determination visible in every Arsenal player which I have not seen in recent times. So they… Read more »
Don’t tell anyone, but I think I know the answer to this..
Are you ready..?
We turned up and played well yesterday because.. *drumroll*.. the pressure is off.
The pressure wasn’t off, it was a different kind of pressure.
You can even argue the pressure to win this game was more than that of the United (a) match.
Lose this game and we were f**ked.
No it wasn’t that imo.
I thought we passed really well at close quarters.
Elneny ran the game in the centre.
Coq had a stormer, clearly enjoying the new bloke next to him.
Welbeck and Iwobi did their stuff on the back of that and all the rest just followed.
COYG!
I hope he continues with his form. I remember saying the same thing about Jenkinson and Gnabry and look at them now.
Chamberlain and Walcott can learn from Iwobi. I don’t think Giroud would have got on the end of the Bellerin’s long pass.
There will be more difficult teams to face than Everton.
We shall see!
Oh Theo,
What has happened to you?
Would a straight swap with Sturridge be any good? I know he has a bit of an attitude problem but he is a natural goal scorer.
Sturridge has injury issues (so yeah, he’d fit right in). But so does Theo, it seems, and I doubt that LFC would go for the player exchange.
The David Bentley gene has taken over. where you forget he is a professional footballer.
Only if you don’t watch arsenal matches and just the EPL media (arsenal media fans) would you not understand this and will want wenger out! ONLY IF….
Leave the lad be! He has done his job and now the media arsenal disease are salivating to use him
Just remind the kid to wear his shinpads up to his fucking neck during that wet night at Stoke.
IOWA plus Coqneney. Looks good so far!
Yeah.. that’s why wenger hates it.. just wait till Ramsey comes right back
Santi will be back before ramsey, if anyone is going to break up the current midfield partnership it is him.
Iwobi has really come out of nowhere. Akpom was the impressive performer pre-seasom. Many people were excited with the languid and natural skills of Jeff. Gnabry’s return was on the horizon. But Iwobi was kept in squad by the gaffer surprisingly and he has prospered. Wenger has been more successful in bringing in developing young players recently thanks to better mix of players in the squad. Since bringing Arteta in, we have now one experienced player at minimum per every position. We have also brought in to end players in Ozil, Alexis and Cech to help provide example to the… Read more »
The other thing Iwobi gives us is more options out wide. With Theo erratic and not exactly influencing matches the way we hope he could, we need options out wide to Alexis and Campbell (plus Ox is injured). Iwobi, Akpom and to some extent Jeff could all be vying for the spot out wide next season. If/Should we sell Walcott on, it leaves room for one more forward. I beleive we should sell Theo given he is 27+ and his pace will start to wear. Get a good price for him and free up the wage bill some what. I… Read more »
Exciting talent. Let’s hope Iwobi continues working hard and become our future star!
I hope he continues with his form. I remember saying the same thing about Jenkinson and Gnabry and look at them now.
Chamberlain and Walcott can learn from Iwobi. I don’t think Giroud would have got on the end of the Bellerin’s long pass.
There will be more difficult teams to face than Everton.
We shall see!
Fingers crossed because this praise remind me of Gnabry
High praise indeed. He could be the answer to our RW issues. Onwards & upwards.
Ok,.if Wally gets sold, good idea for.me, and we look to bring in a guy who can play wide right or up top there is only 1 choice to make – Leroy Sane at Schalke, this guy is the dogs bollox…absolute must buy if we can convince him to join. Top top top toppity top quality. Love to see him playing for Arsenal, pls let it happen
This lad is no gnabry he’s iwobi and his willing to learn attitude gives the edge..no hype but I believe the lad can be an important player for arsenal..wenger need to get the team balance right.
For those upset by Iwobis celebrations wasn’t it the same as that of Rashford when he did us? They both 19 and young as fuck if you choose to after how they celebrated then I have one question..
Was you never a teenage once?
Ok but can he do it against the top sides. like lester and spuds.
Looools! Top teams indead
Looools! Top sides indead