Arsene Wenger has spoken about how Alex Iwobi has the qualities to play in the No.10 role
The Nigerian starlet has played on the left for Arsenal since his impressive rise to a first-team regular, but Arsene Wenger says that Iwobi can also play as a No.10 – the role currently inhabited by German international Mesut Ozil.
According to The Mirror, Wenger said:
“You can see that he is not a typical winger.”
“I think he can play in the number 10 role. He turns the game forward, he passes the ball through the lines very well, he has a final ball in him. I think he has it all in the locker to pass and give the final ball.”
Wenger also went on to say that Iwobi needed to be calm in front of goal, and said that the key thing for the youngster to work on now was his finishing.
The youngster netted twice in 21 appearances in all competitions last term, but is yet to open his account for this season after 11 matches.
Iwobi, who came through the Gunners’ academy – and is the nephew of Nigerian legend Jay-Jay Okocha – was a revelation last season, displacing Gunners veteran Theo Walcott from the team.
It is a big sign of faith that he was handed a new squad number this season – one previously worn by none other than Alexis Sanchez. The youngster is consistently putting in good performances, and never seems overawed by the occasion since debuting for the Gunners, but, as Wenger said, his goal-scoring statistics need to improve.
The 20-year old Nigerian International made his first team, Premier League and Champions League debut in the space of eight days last October. This saw him nominated for the Golden Boy award – of which the only prior recipient who represented Arsenal is Cesc Fabregas – but he eventually lost out to Bayern Munich’s Renato Sanches.