Arsenal: Alex Iwobi on the brink of something special

Arsenal had an all-around solid performance against Burnley, but Alex Iwobi never settled into the match. Still, he is right on the brink of what we’ve always wanted.

Arsenal nation was up in arms when Alex Iwobi was spotted in the starting XI going into Turf Moor. Mesut Ozil had woken up too sick to play (I’m raising my eyebrow – just one of them) and Jack Wilshere apparently still sits behind the young Nigerian.

It was a contentious swap, because Iwobi has struggled both this year and last, particularly in high-pressure, high-octane matches that require you to be sharp, crisp, and error-free.

For the most part, Iwobi was not sharp or crisp. He allocated himself to the flank, allowing Hector Bellerin to take a more advanced role more times than not, and was often a bit left out. When he did get involved with attacks, though, there were a couple key observations.

For starters, he was determined. Iwobi has a tendency to be lethargic at times, hence the comparisons to Ozil, but against Burnley, he was not at all slow or reserved, so long as he was involved. He was pushing the issue and gunning for the teeth of the opposition.

However, he also didn’t lose the cerebral aspect of his game. You could almost see the cogs in his brain turning at times as he contemplated his next move. But, as mentioned, rather than slow down and think, he was thinking on the run, keeping his head up and trying to make something happen.

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This led to frustration, as he couldn’t seem to get into the flow of the game that his team mates were into. There were clashing brain waves throughout and just after the hour mark, Iwobi was subbed out. On the surface, it was a pretty poor match.

But it gave us a glimpse – another glimpse, rather – of just how special Iwobi can be. I think back to his match against Watford, when the Gunners lost 2-1. Iwobi was in a different boat them. With a lack of talent around him, he took control and dictate the game.

Like Burnley, it didn’t really come off, but you can see his intentions are spot on. It’s just down to a matter of ironing out the wrinkles in his play and turning him into the attacking machine that he has been in his earlier years.

I hope that Iwobi continues to get these opportunities, because I want to see him become a prime candidate to replace Mesut Ozil when the German inevitably leaves. Iwobi just has that same thought process as Ozil when he has the ball, and that is something we need to unwrap.

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While he has certainly had his set-backs since his initial breakthrough, Iwobi is getting better. The talent is still there. All we need now is for his brain waves to link with his team mates. Which can’t be that far away.

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