Alex Iwobi

Was going to say something similar. The comments AW specifically made about Iwobi are just the kind of things you want to see that speak to “footballing brain” and natural instincts. Combine that with his obvious physical qualities and, at least for now, his work ethic and approach, and you feel he isn’t just a diamond in the rough.

No idea if he will develop into a consistent WC performer, but he seems to me to at minimum be a useful player for a long time.

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Agreed. I guess hes a bit too direct for the average Arsenal fan who enjoys 4 million passes on the edge of the box or something. :slight_smile:

Hope he’s back starting on the weekend and hasn’t been ditched because Ox has had a few good moments lately/Wenger insists on shunting Ramsey back in straight away.

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Genuinely worried will be dropped so that Wenger can play Giroud down the middle and shunt Alexis back out wide again.

Will be fucking furious if Wenger does this.

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I don’t think you need to worry about Giroud starting regularly. Wenger didn’t start him earlier when he was healthy, Wenger is invested in Theo (who has no role if Giroud plays), and I think Alexis strongly prefers to play through the middle and we won’t antagonize him when we’re trying to sign him to a new deal. Everything suggests that the more fluid frontline with Alexis and Theo remains Wenger’s preference.

What I do think you should worry about is Wenger just slotting Ramsey into that formation ahead of Iwobi.

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Come on now, Theo is not part of any discussion about fluidity in the front line. The guy is as rigid and one dimensional as Giroud

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Not so happy with him today because he really should be finishing that perfect through ball from Sanchez. He also made a lot of wayward passes and hasn’t fixed his defensive frailties whatsoever.

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I think it’s approaching the time where he should get taken out of the line up, I really enjoy his facilitating style of play, eye for a pass and involvement in build up but he needs more end product to justify continued inclusion in the starting XI.

Iwobi is not at a stage where he should be undisputed starter for a top club, ideally we would have someone in front of him whilst bringing him through.

With Alexis playing as CF those wide positions can and should be upgraded and the one occupied by Iwobi even more so.

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I understand the doubts about Iwobi’s position in the team but just look at the alternatives.

Giroud goes up top, Alexis goes back to the left. Back to last season’s shape just with Mustafi in for Mertesacker and Xhaka rotating with Coquelin. Is that really much different to what we’ve seen for years now? Is it really going to improve us? Is it really worth trying again?

Perez is injured, Welbeck is injured.

And if we choose to keep Alexis at CF, who do we replace Iwobi with? Oxlade-Chamberlain is shit. Ozil is doing well behind the striker and there’s little need to change his role. We no longer have Campbell or Gnabry. Who do we have left to play on the wing in Iwobi’s place?

We have just that one other option and how long have people been sick and tired of it’s failings already?

I think the key thing today was that we just didn’t play well. If we played well, we simply wouldn’t be calling time on Iwobi’s position in the team.

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Should have finished that chance

Should have scored. We have no one else though cause Wenger didn’t buy a fucking RW in the summer.

The more I think about it the more I’m OK with Giroud back at CF and Alexis on the left. Honestly I think it all depends on whether or not Santi is fit. We played just fine with that lineup last year until Coq and Santi went down until the spring.

I’d even be OK with this team:

-----------Coq------Santi--------
Ramsey-----Özil-----Alexis
--------------Walcott------------

no

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Lol the mental gymnastics you go through to stay chippy about this team.

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I’m still disgusted at this, and right on the heels of an international break where I’ll be staring at us sitting in fourth when we should be at the top of the table. Then we’ve got united directly after which will be a loss.

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He needs to react and step forward to become a player and not only a wonderkid.

He’ll be fine, it’s inevitable this happens, once that early momentum runs out young players can hit a wall, it’s why, given the predictability of this happening, we should’ve had other options (the word “options” here does not include players who would be better suited for the Championship or competing with Wilfried Zaha for minutes) in the squad.

But he’s got the brain and the quality to make it here long-term, it’s just a shame he can’t get a rest and have his manager pick his spots more with him as would be more suitable to a player of his age.

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Lots of things I like about him but his tracking back is a weakness and also the fact he is a non goal threat playing as part of the forward 4.

I’m very optimistic about his development and future, however, his lack of attacking finesse means he shouldn’t be starting every week.

However, considering the dire options we have if we’re playing Alexis as CF I can see why he’s currently a mainstay.

I think it really is time to pull Iwobi out of the action for a bit, but reverting to Giroud up top as a starting option doesn’t feel like the most effective choice to me. Instead we could have Ramsey on the right-wing, where he did a solid enough job for much of last season, and switch Walcott to the left, where he has been effective in the past. While admittedly sacrificing some of the white hot pace we’ve enjoyed in the front 4 so far this season, I think this set up has merit because it keeps Alexis as a roving false 9, and gives more time to the ‘Ozil as surprise goalscoring number 10’ idea that’s been taking shape over the last few weeks.