Former Arsenal forward Ian Wright believes the Gunners needs someone like Alex Iwobi at the Emirates.
Iwobi left Arsenal for Everton in 2019 but struggled to justify his £35m transfer fee under Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez.
The Nigeria international is now a different player under manager Frank Lampard.
The 26-year-old played a key role in the club’s survival last season and has further up his performance this season.
Iwobi’s form in 2022 has impressed Wright, who thinks Gunners needs someone like him at the Emirates.
He told Wrighty’s House podcast: “I’m so pleased with the way it’s going for him.
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“I remember Arsenal fans, it’s the same thing they did with (Alex) Oxlade-Chamberlain, they ridiculed him.
“I remember watching him play in midfield early days for Arsenal at West Ham, and you’re seeing something.
“His ball progression and work rate, what Frank has now recognised him and put him there, listen to the Everton fans when he’s doing his work, they are adoring him now. I’m loving the way it’s working out for Iwobi.
“I’m just talking about somebody who’s making a massive difference to what Everton need – the work rate, his ball progression, his passing, everything.
“He’s the pass before the assist, people don’t realise it. Everton fans are now starting to realise that if they get the right players in and around him, he’s going to be a force for them.
“You look at his work rate, it’s unbelievable. It’s the kind of intensity that Mikel wants now and needs now, we need that, we need somebody who can press like that.”
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
All these evil pundits with evil intentions.. now they want Alexander the Great back. No way ., stay at Everton Iwobi. They like you there.
Heaven bless Iwobi and all deserving Super Eagles players.
Lol, they are just seeing what Naija fans already know.
“….He’s the pass before the assist, people don’t realize it…..”
This is what many blind SE supporters and the 9 olodos that took us to AFCON have refused to see.
Iwobi’s influence for Nigeria in the last 5 years cannot be overstated. And I still stand on my position that he has been more influencial for the SE in his first half century caps than his uncle ever was in his own 1st half century caps.
And the beautiful thing is that the boy is just about reaching his peak.
Thumbs up @ Drey. From million miles we see proper footballers, no wasting my precious time in vain argument. All top managers that have constantly mentioned Iwobi’s unique talent are no fools. Think of all the so called super stars Iwobi has confined to bench, even when he wasn’t at his best; the Ozil, the Dele Alli, Van don veek, James Rodriguez etc gives an indication of his uniqueness very hard to find. I SAID IT ON THIS FORUM, IWOBI IS LIKE THE THREAD THAT HOLDS THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF CLOTH TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A DRESS. TAKE THAT THREAD OUT AND ALL PIECES FALL APART, JUST ONE OF THE REASON SE FAILED IN AFCON AND ALSO FAILED TO QUALIFY. Watch one Elegbedea, claiming to be Mr know all about football saying all kinds of nonsense about Iwobi make you feel sorry for his gullible listeners.
Nigeria lost the world cup ticket to Ghana because Iwobi didn’t play those games.. he has always giving his best for the national team and f he had played those games the results would have been different
Well said Doctorman. That said, it is disrespectful to compare Iwobi with Okocha. It is like comparing Ikedia with Finidi. The difference is clear sir. The clubs Okocha played are far better than Iwobi’s clubs. Okocha was always a mainstay everywhere he went. Iwobi blows hot and cold. Has Iwobi played outside England? We love to overhype our players.
All the same, heaven bless Iwobi and all deserving Super Eagles players.
Okocha’s clubs weren’t better than Iwobi’s.Okocha won laurels for Nigeria Iwobi hasn’t at least not yet.Both have represented Nigeria very well.
I will rate Okocha higher for now until Iwobi’s football playing career is over then we could make a better judgement or rather comparison of who is a better footballer between the two maestros.
How many laurels did Okocha win for Nigeria by the time the likes of Yekini, Siasia, Amokachi, Keshi, Okechukwu, Rufai, Oliha and the rest of that cast had left the SE or past their prime….?
Okocha was not the pivotal figure of any of our Tunisia 94 and Atlanta 96 victories. If we talk about our 94 AFCON victory, the images of the quartet of Oliseh, Siasia, Amokachi and Yekini is what first flashes through one’s mind. If we mention our gold medal feat at Atlanta 2 years later, its the pictures of Kanu, Oliseh, Amokachi and Ikpeba that flashes through ones mind in an instant before any other squad member starts coming to mind.
We won nothing, but a avalanche of AFCON bronze medals, 2 disastrous world cups and a world cup no-show by the time Okocha became the pivotal figure of the SE.
That Iwobi hasnt won anything for Nigeria yet does not undermine his contributions his 1st 50 caps for us. Close to 70% of the goals we have scored in those 50 caps have either been started off by Iwobi or finished off by him. He just always somehow seem to be in the mix whenever a goal is scored by the SE.
Nothing summarizes the depth of his influence for us than this statement by Mr. Ian Wright
“….He’s the pass before the assist, people don’t realize it…..”
And just like Glory stated up there, the boy has been the thread that holds the team so early in his international career.
I pray God blesses us with a good FA/football administration for the rest of his SE lifetime, not the one like Sunday Dare/Pinnick Combo that will intentionally sabotage the progress of the team for hungry rouges and vampires.
Good analysis as always but i disagree with you is just like comparing Maradonna and Messi.The average Argentine would always rate Maradonna ahead simply because he won them the world cup but statistically Messi is ahead.
Okocha was a very important member of our cup winning teams he may not be the most outstanding performer but he was an integral,important member of the teams that won us honour which took Nigerian football higher up and made us proud.
Okocha is one of the top 10 finest African footballers of all time and a legend of Nigerian football sometimes statistics doesn’t say it all.
Iwobi is doing a good job especially for Nigeria and most recently Everton.Iwobi is not a legend yet in the two European clubs he played but Okocha is highly revered and seen as a legend in most of the clubs he played in Europe.
Iwobi still has a long way to go to be compared to Okocha who’s recognised internationally as a football icon.
Iwobi might have better statistics at international level but he’s yet to win anything for us so for both club and international levels Okocha is miles ahead.
I love both players I think Iwobi has done a fantastic job for Nigeria but I can’t compare him with legend Okocha.
The likes of Okocha is to Nigeria what Maradonna is to Argentina,Platini to France,Pele to Argentina,Ali in boxing you don’t go comparing athletes of that status.
You think Okacha played for a better club than Iwobi because you don’t know that PSG wasn’t as big as it is today during Okocha’s time…Arsenal was bigger than PSG.
…and that is why Iwobi has more combined goals and assists for Nigeria (Zero penalties) in nearly half the number of total caps that his uncle had for Nigeria.
I have said it over and over again. Iwobi is the heartbeat of the SE. As the Brazilian coach once said b4 our friendly match , he is what makes the team thick. No wonder he is among the first general during Rhor’s era.