Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor says Alex Iwobi needs to add more consistency to his game.
Iwobi has struggled to make much impact since linking up with the Toffees from Arsenal in 2019.
The Nigeria international has scored just twice in 62 matches in the Premier League since making the switch.
“Iwobi is going to be Iwobi. He’s always been that player from when he was at Arsenal,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider.
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“You look at Iwobi one day and he’s the best player on the pitch. The next game he’ll be the worst player.
“Iwobi is always going to be like that. He’s not going to be one that gets a run of starts in the team. Arsenal are happy they sold him for the money that they did,” the retired striker added.
“At Everton, when everybody’s fit, he’ll be nowhere near that starting team. He’s only playing now because of Richarlison and Dominic CalvIwobi ert-Lewin’s injuries.
“He’s always going to be up and down as a player.”
6 Comments
It’s true that Iwobi needs to be more consistent, but to say Iwobi would be “nowhere near” the Everton starting eleven if everybody’s fit is just boorish! Goodness gracious! Bad belle alert!
Iwobi too should try and step up his game, to silence the critics. He needs to be more productive.
Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott were Arsene Wenger’s pet projects, rather than spend big in the transfer window, the legendary french gaffer pinned his hopes and aspirations on young players like the duo. He developed Iwobi from the Arsenal academy and plucked a very young Walcott from Southampton and at the time heralded them as potential future mega stars of the world game.
Theo Walcott naturally played for England and actually did threaten to become a world mega star whilst Iwobi – having elected to pitch his international star to the Super Eagles wagon – chose Nigeria at senior level (a decision that brought him fanatical following amongst a swathe of Super Eagles supporters).
Both would eventually be shown the door at Arsenal having struggled to hit the heights predicted by Arsene Wenger.
Both continue to struggle to establish themselves as truly elite, stellar athletes in club football despite huge potentials we were led to believe they possessed.
In short, Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott proved to me that the truly elite footballers; the mega stars of the game; the creams of the crop; these standout performers – THESE ONES ARE BORN AND NOT MADE.
Walcott and Iwobi are manufactured stars hence why their moments of magic appear in tinctures and sporadic.
In international football, Walcott did feature for England and at one point truly looked like fulfilling his seemingly huge potentials. In truth injuries did slow him down a bit but Gareth Southgate told him in 2016 that, as he (Walcott) hadn’t transferred club form to national team output previously, he (Southgate) wouldn’t extend an invitation to him. Walcott has been in international wilderness ever since.
For Nigeria, Iwobi’s fans will most definitely stone you to death if you as much as state the obvious that he has been rubbish in club football for over 3 years now. I only had to watch his first 3 matches for Everton in 2019 to conclude that Iwobi will struggle in the Liverpool club if care was not taken. He showed hunger, desire and passion in those 3 matches (all we have come to associate with Iwobi) but is final touches lacked the quality and class associated with the truly world class players.
I made a lot of enemies back then because of my shrewd but well grounded predictions and 3 years on, Iwobi continues to be seen as a flop in the Liverpool club.
I could only observe what was in front of me at the time and issue an unbiased verdict based on what I saw.
For Nigeria, Iwobi is a different beast. At times I am absolutely in awe of and in love with him in Super Eagles colours. Iwobi has given me so many memorable evergreen moments as a Super Eagles fans that it is easy to see why his fanatical fans will want to bite your head of for stating the obvious ( which is that he has been pretty bland, boring and banal in the English Premier League over the years).
My loyalty and love for Iwobi will not blind me to the truth when I am applying analysis to club football only.
Whenever any dual nationality player pledges allegiance to Nigeria ahead of England (for instance) an instant emotional bond and connection is formed between that player and the fans.
If the player then shows the right attitude, plays with passion, patriotism and pride with the sort of magical qualities that Iwobi can occasionally conjure, then he will be one with the fans and they will be one with him.
As he is willing to die on the pitch to get results for Nigeria, some fans will be willing to die to defend him even when such criticism is grounded in facts, figures and frameworks that are tried and tested.
Iwobi has become an easy target for some pundits who just take every opportunity to tear into his Everton output. Some go as far as suggesting that Iwobi will not even make Everton’s starting 11 on a good day – rubbish!
Iwobi is a decent footballer who is passionate, hard working and determined . He is just not of the elite spectrum of , say ,Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe or Mo Salah. Three years ago, I did initially genuinely think Iwobi belonged to this calibre of players, I have since adjusted my estimation and expectations of him over time.
Earlier this season, it appeared he was turning a corner under Rafa Benitez but both his and Everton’s fortunes have taken a slight setback lately.
I do pray Iwobi turns his career at Everton around. He is such a likeable and hard working player who gives more and deserves more than the numbers and statistics suggest.
I think Iwobi is comfortable on the bench, he is so scared to play ball when he is brought in
The Everton faithfuls have not showed him love and trust. This has really hurt/dampen his confidence. I will advice Iwobi seek a move not just away from Everton but away from English premiership. Italy, France, Spain or even Holland will do his game a huge benefit. Sometimes in life, you must have to take a step backwards to make a mile leap forward. Iwobi still has that huge power house of talents waiting to be unleashed. Mohamed Salah, Debruyn, Lukaku are just a case in point
@ Chelsea, Lukaku, Debruyn, n Salah, couldn’t even be considered to have playing times talkless of been criticized for not playing well but today these three are the occupying the triangle end of top players. A lot of pundits, analyst n critics may have written them off then citing all kinds of vague points that never put many many other factors into play before drawing up conclusions. But today these guys who had to move to welcoming environment to prove a point have permanently shut the mouth of all those vague/destructive n imbalance criticism, hence tails stucked in between their tails these ever “so good” critics will shamefully sing these players praise to high heaven
When critism fail to recognise other underlying factors it just comes across as mere witch hunting, reason I find it really hard to criticize Rohr despite his short comings. Iwobi performs really well for SE n kinda faulters for Everton. Isn’t that enough to believe certain factors are undermining his club performance? Only witch hunting will refuse to think this way.
Some typo errors due to really busy multi tasking. Do pardon pls.