The curious case of Alex Iwobi’s phenomenon rise to the first team squad has been an intriguing as well as an inspiring one, to say the least. From being on the verge of getting released by Arsenal during his youth career at the club to finding himself as a regular winger under Arsène Wenger, the journey to the top of the supremely talented youngster has been a vindication for a player who seeks to make maximum contribution for the North London outfit every time he is entrusted with duties to cater.
Iwobi’s case is the sole success story of the youth system of Arsenal that has otherwise been quite stagnant in the recent times. He is a commodity tailor-made for the system the gaffer advocates: understanding the game, involvement of pace and passing, cultivating a fluidic attacking system and topping it with the knack of exposing the opponents’ frailties in their defensive sector.
Understanding the changing scenario of the demanding and transient nature of the top level of football, the stubbornness of Monsieur Wenger had ceased to exist from the inception of the 2016-17 campaign. Ramifications were the call of the hour and Wenger met that by pulling out Olivier Giroud and replacing him by Alexis Sánchez up front with Mesut Özil as the no. 10 and employing Theo Walcott and Iwobi on the wings. How well has the 21-year-old Nigerian international met the demands of filling the shoes of Alexis!
First and foremost, how Wenger handled a special starlet in the shape of Iwobi must not be undermined. Giving him a few minutes here and there, Iwobi was subsequently given a run to balance the side to bring an unabashed version in the mixture as well. His unpredictability, comfortableness to roam around the final third and drifting inside as per the scenarios and expanding the opponents’ back line hasn’t failed to impress the fans, manager or the pundits.
What is spectacular about his when compared to the other blossoming youngsters of his generation is that he barely lost in being bookish or orthodox; he doesn’t seem to be bereft of confidence or ideas and utilises the freedom of expressing himself (handed to him by the manager) to sheer perfection. He is fearless, enjoys the game of football and is determined to reach the pinnacle. Given the plethora of stars at Arsenal’s disposal, Iwobi made it look far easier to make into the starting line-up than it actually is.
The Golden Gunner offers a tantalising prospect for an unforeseeable future as his exuberance put on the shelf has made Arsenal’s attacking pursuits a force to be feared. Slowly but surely, he has imposed himself as a vital cog in Arsenal’s attacking machinery. An asset with physicality, pace, preciseness, technical soundness and creativity, Iwobi resembles a horse destined for a long run with the element of scintillation accompanying him on his every stride.
