Alex Iwobi

[Btay]

4 hours ago, London Blue said:

With Gana and Onana in the team, Iwobi can get forward and be a dynamic creator for us.

I think the biggest difference is he picks the ball up off our defence and gets us going forward and then follows the play.

For far too long we had players in the middle of the park only play back to goal or even hide from the ball behind players. 

[Shukes]

I was looking at his performances recently and realised that he hasn’t changed much at all.

What has changed is his position on the field, and his effort is being directed into the right places.

He always looked strong and able to hold onto the ball, but didn't do it enough. He always had technical ability, but never used it in the right areas.

Its almost like he has been instructed to move five yards further up the pitch.

[Wiggytop]

51 minutes ago, Shukes said:

I was looking at his performances recently and realised that he hasn’t changed much at all.

What has changed is his position on the field, and his effort is being directed into the right places.

He always looked strong and able to hold onto the ball, but didn't do it enough. He always had technical ability, but never used it in the right areas.

Its almost like he has been instructed to move five yards further up the pitch.

That’s not how I see it, previously he half heartedly tackled, ran like a crab sideways across the pitch, didn’t make good passes, to me he’s now the opposite which is all good.

[Gwlad]

Playing with better players must increase his confidence.

[Shukes]

2 hours ago, Wiggytop said:

That’s not how I see it, previously he half heartedly tackled, ran like a crab sideways across the pitch, didn’t make good passes, to me he’s now the opposite which is all good.

Effort and appliance I agree. But his touch, the way he plays is the same for me. He is just five yards further forward and showing more energy, and attitude.

Just how i see it though.

[StevO]

6 hours ago, Shukes said:

I was looking at his performances recently and realised that he hasn’t changed much at all.

What has changed is his position on the field, and his effort is being directed into the right places.

He always looked strong and able to hold onto the ball, but didn't do it enough. He always had technical ability, but never used it in the right areas.

Its almost like he has been instructed to move five yards further up the pitch.

If anything I’d say he’s much further back. He’s gone from being poor on the wing to being really good in the midfield. Even winning balls back in his own box. 
Whatever it is seems to be working. 

[Vranny]

28 minutes ago, StevO said:

If anything I’d say he’s much further back. He’s gone from being poor on the wing to being really good in the midfield. Even winning balls back in his own box. 
Whatever it is seems to be working. 

This is the key difference, along with not being stuck out wide. He’s a player with good ball control, can pick a pass and has the strength to hold off opponents. It makes him ideal to keep the ball in the middle and break through the press.

He’s never had the speed or crossing ability to be playing as a winger in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s just a pity that it’s taken our central midfield dropping to such a low level (pre signings of Onana, Gana and Garner) for him to be given a proper chance there. 

[Shukes]

4 minutes ago, Vranny said:

This is the key difference, along with not being stuck out wide. He’s a player with good ball control, can pick a pass and has the strength to hold off opponents. It makes him ideal to keep the ball in the middle and break through the press.

He’s never had the speed or crossing ability to be playing as a winger in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s just a pity that it’s taken our central midfield dropping to such a low level (pre signings of Onana, Gana and Garner) for him to be given a proper chance there. 

Exactly, this is my point. He has t just suddenly learnt how to play football…. He is just being put in positions that compliment his skill set, rather than stifle them.

Its almost like he has a manager and coach that understand his ability.

[Romey 1878]

He's been nominated for PL player of the month.

[Palfy]

He has always maintained his best position is in the centre of midfield, Ancelotti and Benitez pretty much ignored or took very little notice of his request to play there, Lampard listened now it is paying dividends.  
Trust me football management isn’t rocket science or Shukes wouldn’t be doing it

[StevO]

8 hours ago, Palfy said:

He has always maintained his best position is in the centre of midfield, Ancelotti and Benitez pretty much ignored or took very little notice of his request to play there, Lampard listened now it is paying dividends.  
Trust me football management isn’t rocket science or Shukes wouldn’t be doing it

I believe he made out his best position was number ten. But happy to be proved wrong. 

[Aidan]

8 hours ago, Palfy said:

He has always maintained his best position is in the centre of midfield, Ancelotti and Benitez pretty much ignored or took very little notice of his request to play there, Lampard listened now it is paying dividends.  
Trust me football management isn’t rocket science or Shukes wouldn’t be doing it

In all fairness you can't fault ancelotti as a manager or put him in the same breath as Lampard. But that being said, he's definitely improved more than any player I've ever seen before. If I remember correctly, his performances when he started to improve were all around work rate more than anything. He was chasing absolutely everything down and busting a gut for 90 minutes every game. Maybe his tenacity to get the fans behind him is another reason his confidence has improved so much.

[Bailey]

22 hours ago, Vranny said:

This is the key difference, along with not being stuck out wide. He’s a player with good ball control, can pick a pass and has the strength to hold off opponents. It makes him ideal to keep the ball in the middle and break through the press.

He’s never had the speed or crossing ability to be playing as a winger in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s just a pity that it’s taken our central midfield dropping to such a low level (pre signings of Onana, Gana and Garner) for him to be given a proper chance there. 

I agree.

His best game for us prior to Lampard was against West Ham as 10 where he ran Rice ragged all game. He couldnt get near Iwobi. 

I also remember him coming on under Ferguson v Utd and playing in midfield at the end of the game and surprising me about how well he did. 

He was able to get away with playing wide at Arsenal because they had so much of the ball and they never really played with traditional wingers. He was probably more of a wide number 10 even back then.

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, Aidan said:

In all fairness you can't fault ancelotti as a manager or put him in the same breath as Lampard. But that being said, he's definitely improved more than any player I've ever seen before. If I remember correctly, his performances when he started to improve were all around work rate more than anything. He was chasing absolutely everything down and busting a gut for 90 minutes every game. Maybe his tenacity to get the fans behind him is another reason his confidence has improved so much.

He’s always had confidence in himself and his ability, he’s now being played in the position where he can show it more, sticking him out wide on the right and asking him to cover Coleman’s arse didn’t do his game justice. 

[RuffRob]

You just have to look at the MotM stats on this forum, since Lampard has taken over he is now nearing 200 votes, in half a seasons worth of games. That is a serious turn around in form for a player pretty much every one of us would have seen sold had any sort of reasonable offer come in. The new management have to get some serious brownie points for what getting the best out of Iwobi.

[Btay]

3rd highest in the league for through balls as well. Will only improve with Maupay’s movement in front of him as well.

[Btay]

12 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

He's been nominated for PL player of the month.

Ballon d’or next surely.

[Vranny]

15 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

He's been nominated for PL player of the month.

Here’s a link for the award: https://plpotm.easports.com/

I usually wouldn’t vote for these sort of things, but I think it’d make for a good redemption story. 

[Shukes]

21 hours ago, Palfy said:

He has always maintained his best position is in the centre of midfield, Ancelotti and Benitez pretty much ignored or took very little notice of his request to play there, Lampard listened now it is paying dividends.  
Trust me football management isn’t rocket science or Shukes wouldn’t be doing it

For a minute I was thinking I’m getting a compliment… then I kept reading haha!

[Cornish Steve]

What a difference!

On 17/10/2021 at 18:45, c1982 said:

Wow!

 

 

[Cornish Steve]

10 hours ago, RuffRob said:

You just have to look at the MotM stats on this forum, since Lampard has taken over he is now nearing 200 votes, in half a seasons worth of games. That is a serious turn around in form for a player pretty much every one of us would have seen sold had any sort of reasonable offer come in. The new management have to get some serious brownie points for what getting the best out of Iwobi.

In fairness, I've consistently supported him and pointed out games where his talent shone through. You could just sense his talent and abilities, and it's taken this long for a manager to unleash that potential.

[Romey 1878]

 

[Btay]

2 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

 

Puskas

[RuffRob]

On 23/09/2022 at 11:44, Cornish Steve said:

In fairness, I've consistently supported him and pointed out games where his talent shone through. You could just sense his talent and abilities, and it's taken this long for a manager to unleash that potential.

His turn around in form in a midfeild position is quite damming of managers who actually struggled to put a decent midfield on to the pitch for many a game over the past few seasons.

Although Lampard might lack a little tactical experience at this current time, he is in no way blinkered and appears to be very adaptable and flexible in what he does. Maybe he actually listens and take on board what his players tell him.

[Romey 1878]

On 22/09/2022 at 12:40, Romey 1878 said:

He's been nominated for PL player of the month.

Rashford won it.

[Gwlad]

No surprises there, then.

[plaidharper]

3 hours ago, Romey 1878 said:

Rashford won it.

Saw on Twitter Rashford didn't even win player of the month at his own club.  EPL player of the month is kind of a joke. Also KDB has never won the award...

[Zoo 2.0]

6 hours ago, plaidharper said:

Saw on Twitter Rashford didn't even win player of the month at his own club.  EPL player of the month is kind of a joke. Also KDB has never won the award...

I'd forgotten that there was a POTM, that's how much weight it carries.

[Romey 1878]

Another assist for him today.

Things you love to see.

[Romey 1878]