Fun in the Sun for Iwobi Wan
Last year @7amkickoff wrote a piece about how Arsenal are the team to tug at most heartstrings because of the fact that we are one of the last clubs on the planet left with a semblance of honour in our dealings with people. The piece specifically talked about how Arsene Wenger put faith in first team coach Boro Primorac because the man stood up for what was right. That piece was titled ‘Arsenal in sun and shadow’, and I find that the phrase encapsulates my feelings as an Arsenal supporter in every single season. The trophyless ones as well as the ones with a trophy. It also perfectly describes how we played yesterday. Arsenal in sun and shadow.
The one detail about the match is that the opponents were Watford and a 4-0 win over them should not be counted as surprising or unexpected, but we are on such a disgraceful track from January that it came as a fresh breath of air. That should not take anything away from the team though, because the kind of display we put up yesterday would have troubled any team on the table this year. It was ‘Wengerball’ played as Wenger imagines it in his head. It was the return of the Arsenal we have all known and believed in. It was Arsenal in sun.
Let me also point out at this junction that this was one single match and even if we win all remaining matches, it does not absolve Wenger and the Arsenal hierarchy of the responsibility for the spectacular collapse we have suffered this season. I point this out only so that I do not have to defend myself later from people calling me an AKB knob. That is not who I am people, I am an Arsenal supporter.
This was a very hard game to pick a star man out for, with people all round putting in great shifts for the team and Mohammed Elneny showing just how much stamina he has. I have however gone for one of the most obvious choices for the tag today, Alex Iwobi.
The youngster grows day by day into the Arsenal jersey as if he belongs here, which he does since he has been on the Arsenal books longer than I have even been a supporter. He has a great mature head on his shoulders, which are very very well developed for a player his age. He is a complete physical specimen and has good ball control, although the youthful directness may wear off after a year or so of Arsenal first team coaching (Just kidding, don’t kill me).
Video courtesy of @EmanDaGoon
His stats speak out for themselves. With only 49 attempted passes he had an impact on the game comparable in importance to Mesut or Elneny. 41 of those passes were completed and 21 of which were in the attacking third and 20 in the middle third which is a good thing in that he didn’t have to drop down to the defensive third in search of possession even once. He should be credited with the assist for the Alexis goal but since the first time header was saved it only counts for a shot assist. He created 3 chances in total and all from open play that too. He was also alert throughout the match, completing 2nd ball recoveries across the pitch on a day when Arsenal seemed to be winning more second balls than they had won in the entire season up to this point [All stats courtesy of FourFourTwo].
“Arsenal seem to be fizzing with energy today. They are getting every dropped ball and snuffing out Watford attacks in a flash. Wenger must be a happy man”-the commentator on my stream of the game. He was, unknown commentator, he sure was.
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The near assist for the Alexis goal was reminiscent of the one Alexis gave for Ozil to head on to goal last year, and it was perfectly weighted and reached Alexis at a time when he was on the highest point on his jumping arc.
Alexis looked really fricking happy with Iwobi about that and returned the favour before the half ended by zipping a ball the to center of the box for Iwobi to slot home after a complex arrangement of Arsenal players interchanging the ball on the right hand side of the pitch turned out to be too much for the Watford defense to follow. It was sweet, it was like watching a kid with below average IQ trying to figure out Quantum Mechanics and then giving up halfway through so that Quantum Mechanics could score a brilliant goal.
Take a look at Arsenal in the game via Whoscored.com:
Look at that. NO WEAKNESSES. My word, that I emjoy.
Iwobi had numerous other opportunities and many of his failed passes were inches away from being assists, because he did a lot of ball playing in and around the opposition 18-yard box. He had a shot that Gomes had to palm away and then he struck the bar which shows that he is a player growing in confidence and it is good that he is repaying the managers faith in him. He also has a very team based mentality, because when asked about how he felt about scoring he said that scoring felt great but he was happier that he could help the team win and that was the best part about scoring. Him and Bellerin were both being interviewed and Bellerin also seems to be a real mature guy, saying that we need to take each game on its own merits and not get confident. That was some interview I have to say, because despite their youth they realise that one performance does not make them due for a celebration in public given the state the team are in. These are small things when everything else is considered, but football is as much about mentality as it is about physicality and it is good to see that we have youth players who are up for the long haul.
On a related note, at half time the Emirates was introduced to the current Arsenal Under-9’s squad. This is particularly significant in the light of what Iwobi is beginning to show, since he played in the Under-9’s squad too. I daresay Iwobi is our own little Kingsley Coman, and although others may baulk at the comparison, I feel he will go on to be an important player for us in seasons to come. With players like him and Bellerin gaining experience in their formative years at the club, we are setting up a very stable squad going forward.
Hector Bellerin turning away from two men on the right side was the highlight of the night for me. That piece of skill was so sublime that it left the two unable to move. Such flair is rarely seen on the right back position in the Premier League with most fullbacks being converted wingers because of their speed and dribbling ability. Bellerin had perfect positional sense as to where the opponents were and that combined with his La Masia honed touch of the ball allowed him to pull off a dribble, which in most games against better opposition he should not even be trying. In any case, it was a treat to watch and he very deservedly got a goal for all his troubles. The guy was basically everywhere and his runs around Sanchez gave defenders big doubts about whom to follow, allowing Sanchez more freedom.
People seem to think that Sanchez showed a different side of his game today but that was because he had removed himself from being the primary threat. Sanchez must learn to do that more and more as defenses around the league have figured out how to nullify his jinks and step overs on the right foot. The combined effects of Bellerin, Elneny, Ozil, Iwobi and Welbeck has allowed Alexis a breather. I am expecting him to have a renaissance if the manager keeps the team more or less constant so let us hope the rejuvenation lasts the remaining games of the season.
It is too much to hope that we win the title but I hope we win all the remaining games and if possible, play all the games like we played the last one. We are on 3rd and with Tottenham drawing their game last night, there is a ray of hope peeking through for us to complete our revival and finish over them again as we are so used to during the Wenger era. Arsenal in sun and shadow.
Onto the next then. COYG.
Sohum Sen is a half Bengali-half Gujarati Gooner from Kolkata, India. He lives the highs and lows with Arsenal and has a soft spot for Wenger. The things he loves most in the world are as follows- his little sister, his girlfriend and the Arsenal. Always available for a good debate, he fancies himself as a bit of a philosopher and as a tactician. He happens to be studying for a degree in Electrical Engineering, while simultaneously dreaming of writing a blog. He hopes to be a ST holder one day.
Hi Sohum,
Another fine article. I was pleasantly surprised when Elneny played his first match and I looked forward to seeing him develop in future matches. One of the first attributes I noticed is that he sees the ball coming to him and has already read his intended pass before it reaches him. As Dave Seager has said, he shapes his body to receive and control the ball whilst at the same time delivering the intended pass. He takes at least one touch less than Ramsey to complete the move.
He has now developed an understanding with Coquelin which improves his game. Coquelin has realised that Elneny has the discipline, speed and ability to cover the the space in midfield thereby easing some of the pressure on him. He is not so rash with his challenges now and with more time to play, his passing has improved dramatically. In short, it is a very good partnership.
I am now worried as to what will happen to Santi and Jack when they are fit. Will either of them fully recover from serious injuries? Even if they do, do we split a superb partnership to accommodate one or two of them?
I don`t see Iwobi being sacrificed for either of them except if he needs a break. One of the other bonuses we have is that Coquelin, Elneney and Iwobi have formed a trio which is mobile and can defend as well as initiate attacks. The fluidity of those three along with Ozil and Sanchez is a handful for any team to play against.
A noticeable feature of yesterdays game was that once Giroud and Walcott came on, the tempo of our game slowed. I know they each scored but in neither case were they very instrumental in the build up to the goals. Each of them needs the ball in front of him or someone to pass it on to when their backs are to the goal. That needs at least one or possibly two touches to do and slows play. We had many more attempts at goal or opportunities which had to be blocked when Welbeck Sanchez and Iwobi were on the pitch.
Still our hopes are still just about alive and I will be interested to see what Wenger does now.
Thanks Victor.
It is almost expected that you are the first one to comment on any article on GT :).
Yes, Elneny looks to be a good find. The best thing about our mobility is that it allows Sanchez so much time on the ball because defenders are ditracted by him. Elneny is a better passer than the Coq so when Santi returns I expect them to be played on a need based spectrum, with the opposition and its tactics deciding who plays rather than Wenger.
Jack in my humble opinion looks to be done for, at least this season. He has no further part to play. I pray he plays some games though so that he can go to the Euros as Roy Hodgson so happily proclaims every chance he gets.
Giroud is a different threat to Walcott and has better llink play than him too so that would make him more important than Walcott. When Welbeck and Sanchez’s pace cannot break a defence apart, the extra couple of inches from Walcott certainly will not do it. Walcott is so one dimensional that he has no other weapon. Having Bellerin in the squad means we get fantastic pace and crosses from the right side which is enough to create chances and support Sanchez. I hope we stick with this team and utilise Giroud as a super sub when needed.
I am interested to see what Wenger does too, albeit it is more my mind to see how the team responds.
3 points
1. iwobi is a decent prospect but I was at the game and he gave the ball away 3 times in the 1st 15 minutes from the right back spot so your stats look a bit off.
2. Elneny gaining experience in their formative years at the club, must have missed that one I thought he joined in January this year.
3. It is too much to hope that we win the title but I hope we win all the remaining games and if possible – if we win all the rest of our games we will walk the title, you may not remember but we have won it from worse positions and lost it from better.
I’m sure there is more but I got a bit bored towards the end!
Simon apologies I did mot edit this article or would have corrected the Elneny reference which I have now done. However I too was at the game and Iwobi did indeed make 2 poor passes out from the RB area. 2 points on that 1) 2 mistakes does not mean an observer cannot still consider him a star player in the game. 2) He was there in support of Bellerin where may other of our wide players with more seniority might not have been. Dave
Hi Simon, I meant formative years in the sense that Elneny is being groomed into the Arsenal playing style which he is not accustomed to and his performances while still not in the Arsenal mould are formative. I’m not sure it is still clear but I am well aware Elneny joined in January. :p
In any case. Apologies that it got boring at the end. Will try to make it more entertaining next time. 🙂