If there’s a positive to take from Saturday’s ‘well-that-was-stupid-now-we-definitely-can’t-win-the-league result’ at West Ham, it was Alex Iwobi’s first half performance.
Having netted twice and registered an assist in his first two Premier League starts, the 19-year-old further consolidated his first team credentials with a brace of Boleyn Ground assists for Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez respectively.
As things stand the Nigerian-born midfielder is in ‘first name on the team sheet’ territory, a fact that hasn’t been lost on compatriot Kanu – a man who knows a thing or two about hitting the ground running in N5.
Bigging up the way the teenager has taken his chance at the Emirates, the ‘Invincible’ striker predicted a bright future for Iwobi.
“He has the talent, he can do wonders in his career,” Kanu told AfricanFootball.com.
“He has grabbed his own chance and he is doing well. I’m happy for them. Age is on his side and with focus, the sky will just be his stepping stone.
“I am not surprised about Iwobi’s rapid progress after I saw what he could do during Arsenal pre-season.”
He added: “Wenger will always give the young players opportunities to showcase what they have and it is left for the players to take their chance.”
For his part, Iwobi is very much enjoying his stint in the limelight explaining that his first goal for the club, away at Goodison Park in the 2-0 win over Everton, has helped him relax into first team proceedings.
“That moment was crazy!” Iwobi told Arsenal Player. “When Hector got the ball and I saw the space, I just tried to sprint for my life.
“Thank God Hector found me, I got the ball and scored. I can’t describe the feeling, I started losing my head and the celebration…I don’t know where that came from, but I’m sticking with it now!
“The best way to describe it is that it’s my number [45], and the Gunners [are] Arsenal. I was just excited and also my friends told me to do something crazy, so it was for them.
“I already felt at home [in the team] but that goal made me a bit more confident, made me try a few more things and made me feel a bit more relaxed so I was happy to get it.”
Great player that is hopefully going to be an Arsenal Superstar. Needs to keep doing the simple things (the things that look simple that are actually incredible football) well with the occasional trick rather than looking for the spectacular every touch.
It wold be amazing to get someone like Henry in to work one on one with him or in a three with him, Welbeck and Campbell to make the most of their talent.
Im really looking forward to next season.
That hurt a lot to say that!
Love the guy but he needs to sort his celebration out!
No I like it. There was a moment in his celebration against Watford where the electronic board had a glass smashing animation in sync with the machine gun celebration…It was beautiful.
No
I try not to pay attention to most modern celebrations (in many sports). Most of them are horrible and self-centred crap.
New dictionary entry for 2016: ARSENAL Verb To be in a position of major strength and consistently find new and creative ways to surrender dominance to the point of catastrophic failure Example: I was offered the job of my dreams after months of preparation, however when the hiring manager signalled to shake hands and conclude the interview, I proceeded to arsenal the situation by whipping my dribbling cock out, performing maniacal windmills in his face and subsequently getting myself arrested. No job offer was forthcoming. 2) To always make someone dramatically inferior to your ability look and feel dominant. Example:… Read more »
Perfect concept but you ARSENAL it with the examples.
Great post, wrong article
Iwobi is the man We would have loved wilshere to be.
Wilshere isn’t dead… and he’s still capable of coming good on his career.
Let’s not mark him off yet.
Under 20 and already 1000 times the player Walcott could ever dream of being! He is destined for greatness.
We need Walcott to walk off back to Southampton; the boy who didn’t become a man.
Not sure if West Ham would be interested in a player plus cash swap for Payet. That would be ideal but I think we would still have to give them an extra £12-15m
That would be an absolute dream, but I don’t think Walcott would make the West Ham bench…
Maybe if we give them Walcott plus 5m (to help pay his extortionate salary) just to establish contact.
I was wondering the other day if payet could replace cazorla (eventually). He’s got the quick feet that santi has, as well as a bit more speed and about a foot of height.
He’s 29 now. I think we’re looking for someone a bit younger.
Between Kanu and Okocha, I think it’s fair to say the Nigerians are as bad as the English for getting excited about young prospects! Hoping they’re correct!
Great to see the lad get his first goals and assists. I’m sure ‘Iwobi’his last. No..? anyone..? Oh come on!
Alex Iwobi and Hector Bellerin , plus the many, many chances that Ozil set up for our strikers (cough)…three positives out of a very disappointing season…
A consistent season out of Monreal, the emergence of El Neny and a goalkeeper that talks to his defence. Three more positives. Oh, and Chelski being the laughing stock and Mourinho getting the sack.
shouldn’t the sky be the limit rather than stepping stone?
The point being that if the sky is the limit for most, he’ll be able to leap past that.
Iwobi has more goals and assists in the PL than Ox has in 2 years. Can only wonder what he is thinking right now. Hoping another one of the academy bunch make the grade next season, perhaps Willock/Toral/Akpom/Crowley/R.Nelson.
From what I’ve seen so far he’s a very promising player.
He did lose the ball a couple of times against West Ham so he needs to concentrate more on that front. I suppose the whole team needs to learn to defend better.
He’s already shown more promise than Walcott and Chamberlain. I hope he continues to play well and is not a one season wonder!
Big up Kannnuuuuuu!! Legend in his on right and used to do things on the pitch that are unbelievable. Always played with a smile on his face.
Iwobi is proof that Wenger is building a strong team that needs patience. I too get frustrated when we don’t buy players who are already established to cover the gaps in the squad (striker, CB, DM, whatever) but I trust the manager and his squad-building plans.
We’ve had about ten years of patience. We don’t need to buy overpriced players but we need quality players to fill the gaps now, the manager leaves us two or three quality players short each year and enough is enough. We are in a constant state of team building and our best players get sick of it and leave. It’s very nice that Iwobi has broken into the first team but that doesn’t negate the need for some quality, experienced additions to the squad. I personally don’t trust the manager to get that right at all, and it will be… Read more »
Agreed Vonnie, I am very skeptical of Wenger as his recent track record is painfully consistent. Recall that this is the same man that said we didn’t need another striker and played Sanogo; a player that Ajax’s management though was ripe old rubbish and his since gone on to set his current loan team under-whelmingly a light. I laud Iwobi and I hope he goes from strength to strength, the same hope i have for Campbell but I have seen this episode before by this very same director. A director who makes a relatively large squad that is bursting with… Read more »
I don’t recall any of our best players leaving in recent years. Instead we’ve bought three world class players and developed some good squad players and youngsters. Iwobi and Bellerin would not have broken into the side if we had spent millions on established stars. Man Utd, Liverpool even Man City and Chelsea have bought a great number of expensive flops while Leicester is running away with the league title. Bottom line: Let’s hope the current side stays and grows stronger together. Trophies will come.
Are you kidding! Build a team, since forever. I appreciate the new blood coming through and hope even more come as well but don’t be fooled. We don’t have a manager capable of bringing talent to the next level consistently not to protect them from becoming apart pf our seasonal malaise by utilizing tactics that will allow them to improve. I guarantee you that players will be better under Klopp, Pep and Conte next season. I remember just a few years ago we were rebuilding with the brilliant British core; who among them have improved. Who among them are starters… Read more »
Please explain how you can ‘guarantee’ that Klopp, Pep and Conte will be a success. Is it because that’s what it says in the back-page headlines of the red-tops?
Uhm, Nope. It’s because they have done it consistently before as such their body of work gives you confidence that the will again. I am willing to go as far as say guarantee because of this and we can revisit the conversation at next seasons end. Wenger has shown consistency and presides over it year on year then I am sure these coaches who have been consistent as well in the opposite direction can do the same. We’ll revisit next seasons end taps
Are you kidding! Build a team, since forever. I appreciate the new blood coming through and hope even more come as well but don’t be fooled. We don’t have a manager capable of bringing talent to the next level consistently not to protect them from becoming apart pf our seasonal malaise by utilizing tactics that will allow them to improve. I guarantee you that players will be better under Klopp, Pep and Conte next season. I remember just a few years ago we were rebuilding with the brilliant British core; who among them have improved. Who among them are starters… Read more »
It will be nice to see wilshere, coquelin and iwobi start.
Saw Iwobi in Emirates Cup and thought he deserved a run. Also thought Reine-Adelaide looked very good. Shame we haven’t seen more of him.
Was hoping to be able to scream “Unbelievable Jeff” a few times!
y’all forgetting about the jeff..
Iwobi can fly! That’s why the sky is his stepping stone. If only we could defend …,,
Great talent but I do worry about the sort of media attention young players get after a few good performances. Let him establish himself in the first team over a period of six months or so, then we can let the hype begin. There are plenty of young players who shine brightly and then fade afterwards. Not saying Iwobi will be one of those, but always best to apply patience.
He looks great but please let’s not get over excited.
It’s early days and he did give the ball away twice leading to two WH goals.
…having said the above ^ and now having watched the below, I have become over excited! What a nice chap as well!
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160408/iwobi-how-i-m-learning-from-ozil
The sky will be his stepping stone. Such a great phrase!
Really hoping that next season we continue the integration of academy players. Bellerin and iwobi plus a player like toral or zelamen and we could have a strong core for the future
Hate to be a wet blanket but he did lose the ball for at least one of the west ham goals if I remember correctly.
I got two thumbs down for saying that boo hoo!
Is it just me who has this problem, or are there certain news article that are imposible to read the comments? I only have the problem on my phone.
Only some articles mind you, I can read the comments on this one just fine, but the ones on the latest article addressing the comment policy I ironically can’t see the comments.
I have exactly the same issue.
Hmmm. There’s something amiss then. I’ll look into it.
Does it work now?
Yeah it’s fixed for me at least, thanks! Much appreciated!
Same issue here too
Weird thing: yesterday I went to a premier league ‘predictions’ website and went through filling out the remaining matchdays with barely a smidge of wishful thinking. (The only assumption I made was that Leicester and Sp*rs would drop the odd point and we wouldn’t. I didn’t even have to go all you-couldn’t-make-it-up Liverpool 2014 – honest.)
We won the title on goal difference. WTF, eh?
Iwobi grew up in d Arsenal brew frm age 9 as opined by AW himself, meaning he’s built an arsenal mentality nd virtues nd philosophy all dis years, I hope he has imbibed enough to last him a career life tym bcos being a nigerian nd african I pray he doesn’t fall victim of d African mentality of black players in europe who are content wit big pay, fast cars, big beutiful houses,beutiful women nd fan adorations nd rave weekly reviews as submitted by Yaya Toure recently who claimed dey ‘african players ‘ lack ambition to be d best like… Read more »
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