Alex Iwobi came on with two minutes left as struggling Everton from behind to beat Arsenal 2-1 at Goodison Park on Monday night.
A Demarai Gray’s volley from outside the box two minutes into added time, sealed the dramatic win.
Going into the fixture, Everton last tasted victory in September and had gone nine consecutive games without a win.
Also, the Toffees have now won three consecutive Premier League games against Arsenal for the first time in the competition’s history.
It is now back-to-back defeats for Arsenal who lost their last away game to Manchester United.
Everton thought they had taken the lead after 44 minutes when Richarlison headed home Andros Townsend’s free-kick, but it was disallowed for a tight offside call.
And they were made to regret that, when Arsenal suddenly burst into life seconds before the break. Kieran Tierney burst down the left and put a lovely cross into the box, and Martin Odegaard volleyed it past Pickford.
VAR’s offside decision would once again come to Arsenal’s rescue in the second-half.
Abdoulaye Doucoure played it through to Richarlison who hammered it past Aaron Ramsdale, but he was once again denied, this time by an even tighter margin.
But Arsenal continued to drop deeper, and they were punished. Demarai Gray’s curling effort smashed against the bar, and Richarlison was on hand in the box to head home the rebound with ten minutes remaining.
The Gunners were woken up by the goal, and missed a huge chance to take the lead again. Bukayo Saka curled a glorious ball in to the far post, but Eddie Nketiah somehow headed against the post from a matter of yards.
Odegaard had two efforts brilliantly blocked late on, before Gray produced a moment of magic, cutting inside and rifling an effort into the top corner off the post to send Goodison wild.
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COMMENTS
He started well in the match against Zambia in Ndola pre Russia 2018 world cup. Him and Senior Man wrecked the Zambians. Then the hairstyle was just moderate. When SE fans and Evertonians need him, only him know the kind of football he is playing now and the Everton fans are tired of him. It is a taboo for Benitez to put him in the starting lineup. The fans will yell.
Rohr has never helped his course either, COME rain come sun Iwobi must start for SE. NO ASSISTS AND GOAL, during FIRST 6 WC qualifiers. Can someone advise him to trim his hair and face football.
Terrem was given a game against Cape Verde. Marcus Abraham could not be tried again because the tribal money bag agents would have doubled their premiums for their backward-sideways passers to maintain status quo.
He had 2 assists in the first match against Liberia. What are you smoking??
I don’t understand.. what has his hair got to do with him?
U speak as if u have the answers.. all I hear is criticism with no solution.
If your ID is truly truth then I don’t blame you. You are the enemies of Iwobi. When I said Rohr will play him come rain come sun Rohr will play Iwobi. That was a solution because had no player been guaranteed spots in the team, Rohr and Iwobi would have rejigged or upped their tempo.
If you don’t know Nigerian football go and ask the USA94 team what happens when they come to camp with the home based already in camp. They double their efforts or stay on the bench for home based players. That was the secret of their success. NO one was sure of starting shirt. Rohr not only killed the SE but also derailed someone like Iwobi into thinking he has arrived.
Iwobi should improve or he will be left behind.
@coache or what you call yourself sentiment and bitterness has beclouded your sense of reasoning Iwobi assisted the 2 goals scored by Iheanacho in the 1st world cup qualifier on that shoddy pitch in Lagos against Liberia and was deservedly honoured with MVP award with cash prize. So shut up your useless mouth and go find yourself work instead of crying up and down over Rohr matter.
You can’t give what you don’t have. Only kids and paid keyboard Warriors insult those with a contrary opinion but I don’t blame you. I blame the kind of education you received that doesn’t allow intellectual JoJo without insults. Sorry I can’t condescend to your level, grow up in public spaces
Iwobi needs to step up His game. Is it until they loan the guy out to a lowly rated club before you guys realize that iwobi needs help.
Iwobi was more productive than this before now.
Bennites is more considerate as coach and patience with players, I know of many coaches that would lone the guy out asap. Can you try this with gudiola?
Our hearts goes to iwobi, but then we are saying with love that He is not doing well enough at the moment and needs to take a reflection of His career.
£35m whort of player is not a small money.
Thanks my brother. You are objective with your analysis.
@Coache you are right don’t mind @tayo he is stuck in clouds..
Iwobi Like I always said is not embodying the CR7 Mentality of completely focusing on his career the glits and glamour life of a footballer is getting the best of him. Quite sad, it is normally the black players that behave this way. Let us be honest when it comes to discipline in football White players take the cake. Just look at Pogba compared to CR7 even Ronaldinhio Robinho black players like women, party and money toooo much!!.
Thanks my brother and @Yinkus, I was only concerned that if he doesn’t improve, he might end up in Championship and that will be the end. I don’t want that to happen to him but trolls will keep hammering on my oversight of the assist against Liberia. I
Up up Alexander the king Iwobi. We love you. You have represented Nigeria with all your heart like no other. Tough times dont last but tough guys do. You have weathered the storm of hate for daring to choose nigeria over England and this cycle is gonna be over pretty soon. You are still only on about 25% of your ability, just an idea of how good you can be.
Haven spoken to quite a few Everton fans, their anger is, they know how supremely gifted and good you can be, reason majority celebrated your coming to Everton not minding the huge amount paid for that to happen. But that they seem to be at a loss as to why you seem to not wanna do for them what you did for arsenal.
Brodaman Alexander The King Iwobi, I and majority of SE fans are forever by you through thin and thick and we trust God to get you back to your effervescent best. GOD BLESS ALEXANDER THE KING IWOBI, GOD BLESS ALL DESERVING SE PLAYERS
I still insist on my point nobody is saying he is playing well at the moment but must you mention Rohr in everything? Isn’t it true he assisted 2 goals in our first match? Why did he say he hasn’t assisted in 6 WCQ? All of you who are supporting him are the same hatred and bitterness for that Man has turned your sense upside down and the earlier you get over that crap the better for you because the man has moved on he already told your NFF to pay him off.
I watched Iwobi last night and I see a timid boy with no confidence in himself, no ambition and lacks composure and the killer instincts. Richallison gave a sublime killer pass for Iwobi to simply chip the onrushing GK onetime but his initial hesitation allowed Ramsdale to narrow the angle and close him down
What these black footballers didn’t realise is that Professional football is a full-time job, it require full focus and concentration during match day, training time and even your free time too. When you are home you think football, watch clips of your previous matches and see how you can do better, when you sleep, you dream of playing soccer and score a wonder goal in your dreams, that will show you the next to practice routine on how to perfect your skills.
These boys started going down the moment they started doing these blogs or vlogs, same with Ekong who comes for National team assignment but busy granting interviews on his vlogs instead of focussing on the task ahead.
Professional Soccer is job like any other professional career job and should be treated that way to succeed. Just like an Engineer will wake up in the middle of the night cracking his brain on how best to ensure his next construction project will be delivered in an excellent form, same way a doctor gets home, eats and sit in his library reading up on new research outcomes in the management of his patients…………….they should take a leave from Ronaldo and Messi, hardworking and focus is the reason why those two guys are dominating the soccer scenes and scooping up all the awards and breaking records since the past 13 years.
Their huge salary and fame demands them to do better and work harder at improving each day
Thanks @ Dr Banks. This is how to criticize players. Saying players like Alex, Ekong, are no good players is just being too emotional/hateful. I am in total agreement with all you have said above and only just wish these players can read your comment above.
Does Ekong have the potentials to be 10 times better than he is now? I will emphatically say yes. He has the very enviable physique, the fitness, the carriage, the opportunity. Then what is lacking? 1) Applying the physique 2) Seriously need to improve on quick movement of his feet off the ground, as he tends to always be second to lose balls. This is what seperate the best centre half from the rest; quickness off their feet. 3)BRAVE/Confident in out jumping others to attack high flying balls; Ekong seem to get scared of challenging for headers 4) Ekong has got huge likeable personality, he has to bring it fully into play by backing out orders loud with great authority, to organise his defence area. These aspect, he can dedicatedly work on to become counted amongst the greats.
As for Iwobi, can he be 20 times better than he was at Arsenal? Definitely yes. This chap hasnt even started. This lad hasnt even given a hairs breath of the huge talent in him and thats where it gets a bit frustrating. Its not a mistake that almost every top manager finds it so hard not to play him. Iwobi has it in him to be a top top super star but for some reasons best known to him and God Almighty. Few things I personally have noticed; 1) Belief at his lowest ebb hence I try to ginger back by using the phrase ALEXANDER THE KING IWOBI. The king, I strongly believe he can be. 2) Psychological; Iwobis football umbilical cord still attached to Arsenal; especially with him not leaving Arsenal on the high; still struggling to accept the present, Everton as his home, hence always not well motivated enough to bring his A game to the table, 3) Iwobi is one of those players that dont perform when constantly asked to cover different positions on the pitch, even his uncle would have ended being a flop, had he being ask to do such. 4) Iwobi has to re-orientate his mindset towards playing direct towards opponent goals instead always looking to pass to team mates. 5) Iwobi has to bring grit/muscle into his game, fighting for balls, driving with balls into opponent danger areas, running the channels etc. He must condemn that irritating laid back attitude to HELL AND NEVER WISH FOR ITS RETURN. 6) Iwobi has to practice shooting really really hard and not always trying to place balls into opponents goals. THE HARDER A PLAYER SHOOT THE BETTER TALENT.
ALL SAID, ALEXANDER THE KING IWOBI, EKONG THE KING KONG AND ALL DESERVING SE PLAYERS MUST AS DR BANK POINTED OUT ABOVE, GET VERY VERY PROFESSIONAL WITH THEIR FOOTBALL CAREER. MILLIONS WISHED AND ARE WISHING FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE ENJOYING. SO THEY HAVE TO GET DISCIPLINED, FOCUS AND DILLIGENT, IF ONLY TO SHOW APPRECIATION TO GOD ALMIGHTY.
Typing really fast so could be some typos. pls do bear.
WHERE is @MONKEY POST HERE is a GOOD CASE where you can use and say Iwobi is a International Player whom a coach Rohr can be excused for inviting even if he is not delivering to his fullest potentials even though we know he can.
1. He is still relevant at the highest level.
2. Age is on his side.
3. He has experience
4. He is still relevant at the Highest Level.
5. He still has fight in him.
Iwobi can still come very good with a little more discipline in his extra curriculum activities and he has experience plus he is a good international player why, because he is still training at the highest level and still seeing some game time AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL!! @MONKEY POST.
A players expierence and good inter national play as you like @Monkey Post will only benefit a national team if he is still playing and training at the highest level albeit of the bench but seeing regular game time like Iwobi (Only if there aren’t better options). In Musa’s case it is irrelevant as the level of league is low, he has lost his most valuable skillset his speed which looking back is all he ever really had. So what is the use and what will he contribute besides giving possession away at crucial points in the game?.