As Alex Iwobi makes his return to the Emirates this weekend, were Arsenal right to sell him?

As Alex Iwobi makes his return to the Emirates in the Premier League clash with Everton, were Arsenal right to sell the academy prospect?

By Adam Le Roux

Aah Alex Iwobi, remember him? Yet another player who looked like he would be the next big thing at the Emirates after making his way up through the academy system, only to fail to make the grade when the going got tough.

The Nigerian international showed glimpses of his talent while wearing the red and white of Arsenal, but on the whole seemed to lack that cutting edge that made him stand head and shoulders above the rest.

But saying that, the former Gunner makes his return to North London this Friday night with an Everton team sitting three points above Arsenal in the Premier League table, with the Toffees also having a game in hand.

It is always easy to think of what could have been if his career had taken a different trajectory, but did the club make the right decision in letting him leave in the summer of 2019?

Inconsistent Iwobi could make us irate

As good as Alex Iwobi could be on his day, he just didn’t seem to have that day all that often, with his efforts and industrious nature normally papering over his lack of end product on the pitch.

You could never say that he didn’t put in a shift in his time as an Arsenal player, which can often be said of many of those who come through the ranks from London Colney to the first team, but he just didn’t have that je ne sai quoi about him.

15 goals in 149 appearances for the club speaks volumes - an Arsenal team has always relied on the goals coming from the wingers, and from all over the pitch for that matter, and if the wide men aren’t hitting the back of the net then the whole team suffers as a result.

That goalscoring instinct is something that you often can’t teach because it is something that Iwobi still hasn’t managed to force into his game, having only netted once for the Toffees in the Premier League this season.

The Nigerian star mustered no more than three league strikes in any of his four seasons as an Arsenal player, leaving a lot of the onus on whoever would be playing up top - whether it be Olivier Giroud or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

That isn’t to say that he didn’t have his good traits, with his ability to leave a defender in his wake constantly creating opportunities for his teammates, with the winger’s pace often leaving opponents for dead on the touchline.

But even with that Iwobi could be frustrating, with his final ball something that definitely needed work - you could lose count of the number of times that he got into a promising position and wasted the chance with a sloppy final ball.

But that can sometimes be put down to the exuberance and naivety of youth, with players maturing throughout the careers and gaining football intelligence along the way, which is something that the forward has gained at Goodison.

He looks to be a much more rounded player to the one that left the Emirates two years ago and whether that comes with age, or more game time, or even the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, he has certainly developed into a steady Premier League player.

Gunners have enough quality in their ranks

But as good as Iwobi may have become over the past couple of seasons, it’s difficult to see him being one of the first names on the team sheet if he had stayed at the Emirates for longer in his career.

Yes, the 24-year-old can beat a man and pick out a man with a delivery, but the next generation of exciting young talent to come through the ranks at Arsenal look to have that and more in abundance.

You look at the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli and you see players who have the potential to outshine Iwobi everyday of the week, and they all have time on their side to develop into some of the best players of their generation.

Even the likes of Martin Odegaard - although it is only a temporary switch to North London for now - has shown just how impressive a player can be at just 22 years of age, with his footballing mind and creativity a level above what Iwobi could produce on the pitch.

The one issue with the wide man is that he never seems to have a plan B - just as many wingers do - they will try relentlessly to beat a defender for pace, but the best in the business can easily snuff that sort of danger out, and too often leave the wide men bereft of ideas on the sidelines.

But with Saka and Smith Rowe especially, Arsenal have two players full of creativity in the final third, and have that similar willingness to drive forward and take the game to their opponents, with their team play just as important as individual brilliance.

The verdict

All in all, it seems Iwobi hasn’t gone on to become a world beater, but neither has he shrivelled into the shadows like a lot of academy players can do once they leave the club.

He has proved that he has what it takes to compete in the higher reaches of the Premier League, and also shown the desire to want to play regularly - hence choosing to set sail for Everton when he had the chance.

But would the inclusion of Iwobi in this current Arsenal squad make any difference - it’s hard to see that being the case - with the Gunners experiencing their worst Premier League season in over two decades, it’s hard to see him making them any worse.

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