Arsenal: Alex Iwobi solution may be hidden in reverse psychology

Arsenal are undoubtedly seeking answers to solve the Alex Iwobi conundrum, but might the problem require some reverse psychology?

I ponder more than my fair share of ponders trying to deduce how Arsenal can get the best out of Alex Iwobi. The best that we saw when he burst onto the scene what feels like eons ago, but was actually only two years.

One article from the Standard insists that Iwobi can find success if he is given a role to mimic that of his role with Nigeria – a free-flowing, do-as-you-please kind of role.

After all, it wasn’t until this freedom was given to Aaron Ramsey that he his his best form. Granit Xhaka, too, has found better success when granted more freedom and you can probably put Mesut Ozil on that list as well.

So why not Alex Iwobi?

Well, because Iwobi has gone from a restricted, left-sided role to a more free-flowing role at Arsenal too and, in response, he has gotten progressively worse.

The Gunners’ entire midfield set-up is based on freedom, and handing brilliant play-makers the lack of restrictions they require to truly make the most of their abilities. As mentioned, we have seen so many come to fruition from having the shackles removed.

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But in Iwobi’s case, he doesn’t have a foundation of who he is as a player yet. Not like Ozil or Ramsey. So when you take the shackles off him and let him do as he sees fit, what ends up happening is what we’re seeing lately. He tries to do too much and his confidence flies out the window when, rather than doing one or two things really well, he is now trying to do seven things well, and all are failing.

So maybe, rather than telling Iwobi that the world is his oyster, more specific instructions can be relayed. As much as I was thrilled when Iwobi started to shoot more often, the result has been less than desirable, as the panic sets in around the 18-yard box

Tell Iwobi his objective is to create space, or pick out runners. Give him one specific thing to latch onto as his priority and maybe he can build himself back up.

When he first broke onto the scene, he was really good at dribbling right into the face of the opposition and finding key passes. Those were his things. Now he can’t even seem to do those.

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Hit the reset. Put the shackles on him until he figures what few objectives he has out, and then the confidence will be back. Hell, we’ve tried everything else.