Arsenal: Alex Iwobi the perfect scapegoat for club’s struggles

Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi has come under some scrutiny over his latest performance against Tottenham in the North London Derby is this scrutiny unjust or fair?

Alex Iwobi is in some hot water after his lifeless and incredibly unproductive substitute appearance in the North London Derby. Should Arsenal fans bemoan him more or should they hop on another bandwagon?

Fans were looking to blame someone or something for their loss to Tottenham in the North London Derby. Alex Iwobi gave them someone to point one of many deserved fingers at.

After the game was finished and the players came over to thank the fans, Iwobi was more worried about someone in the stands calling him on the phone. During the game, he looked uninterested and not up to the pace. His passes were sloppy and he held on to the ball for too long at times.

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Now I know this will be my third article on this kid. I hate writing articles about negativity but something must be said for Iwobi’s attitude. His attitude has been poor all season and how Arsene Wenger sees it fit to allow him to keep putting that shirt on bewilders me.

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During the season he has made poor choice after poor choice. He needs to buckle down and act like a senior player to those below him. With Wenger seemingly blind to his young player’s incapability of playing a simple pass, things aren’t going to change.

Plenty of players in the starting XI played poorly so is it unjust that Iwobi catches the brunt of it? Probably yea. Granit Xhaka didn’t make any fans Saturday. Alexandre Lacazette missed a sitter and a half and Henrikh Mkhitaryan forgot he wasn’t playing for Manchester United anymore.

So to hop on the “Alex Iwobi out” bandwagon would be a little unfair. But to ask Wenger why he’s selected ahead of the likes of Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles is not unfair at all. Both those players would show heart and drive to play for the great Arsenal Football Club.

What should the club do?

Should Iwobi go in the summer, Arsenal would command a high fee for him as his potential is still unfulfilled. Maybe the club should give him some time to mature into a proper footballer, hoping for his “break-out season”.

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Iwobi has boatloads of potential, he just needs to realize it and work hard to reach it. He could be a starter for this club one day, but those days are still ways away. He is still young. He will make silly choices and have bad games (there’s a limit to both of those) but we fans have to stick by the side and the players we have.