Arsenal: Alex Iwobi relapse is the last thing we need

Arsenal didn’t see much positivity out of Alex Iwobi, and now we have to start worrying about the possibility of a relapse. Which would be horrible.

Unai Emery had a clear plan for Alex Iwobi at Arsenal, and it was clear that the Nigerian had his own plan, because he came out in this season firing. He was composed as can be with the ball, and looked fearless in the attack.

That has gradually worn off. These past few matches have been the old Iwobi all over again. Now, normally I would say it isn’t a big deal, we’ve seen how good he can be, he will do better going forward, but I’m hesitant to do that, because it’s kind of similar to the Mesut Ozil situation.

Ozil has had brilliant times with Arsenal. But of all the time he has been here, he’s been truly brilliant for maybe 8-10 months of it. Which isn’t a high percentage and it’s hard for me to say that he is “usually brilliant” and will “snap out of it” when the evidence hints that he is probably just not suited to the team.

Alex Iwobi has had moments of brilliance too. The end of the 2015/16 season was fantastic, and the start of the 2018/19 season was solid too.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

But everything in between, barring the odd flash, was not good. And it was easily recognizable too. He was composed deeper down the pitch, near the midfield, where he passed freely and with confidence and to great effect. But the closer he got to goal, the more panicky he got.

Iwobi looks perpetually panicked when he’s around the box. He’s jumpy, nervous and a livewire. His touches are heavy, his creativity leaves him and his finishing is abysmal. It’s the Iwobi that we thought was being left behind when Unai Emery took the helm and really pushed him to iron out his wrinkles and find his best self.

Against Southampton, it looked dangerously close to the old Iwobi. He has sputtered in recent matches, but the Saints match was token old-Iwobi, and that obviously isn’t a good thing. It’s not the end of the world, but it really needs to be curtailed before we get to the point that we start to lose hope again.

I don’t mind being fooled once, if he can capitalize and make it clear that he has grown. But fool me twice, and I don’t think Emery will wait for a third time.