Alex Iwobi Demonstrates His Class in Arsenal’s Resounding Win over Hull

After a summer in which Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger finally broke the bank to land some big-money signings, it was noteworthy in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Hull City that the team’s star was an academy product.

Alex Iwobi cost Arsenal nothing, but he looks set to contribute a huge amount to their 2016/17 campaign. 

Iwobi made his breakthrough last season, capitalising on a spring injury crisis to launch a surprise bid for a regular place. When the summer came, it was telling that despite strengthening the spine of his side, Wenger did not spend big on a wide attacker—Iwobi was always part of his plans.

The decision to allow both Joel Campbell and Serge Gnabry to leave the club in the summer was presumably made to at least partially prevent the Nigerian’s path to the first team being blocked.

The fact the academy product is an excellent player is probably no coincidence. Iwobi’s entire football education has come during Wenger’s reign at Arsenal. He is schooled in the Frenchman’s preferred style of play, raised on a doctrine of quick passing and intelligent movement.

Iwobi is, in some respects, an archetypal Wenger player. From the minute he came into the side, he seemed to have a preternatural capacity to slot into Arsenal’s intricate style.

That much was certainly in evidence against Hull. Iwobi is still only 20 but plays with a startling seniority. There is conviction in everything he does—when he picks up the ball, there is no hesitation. He has the speed and power to burst past an opponent, the vision to see a pass and the confidence to take on a shot if required. 

It’s something of a surprise he didn’t end up on the scoresheet at the KCOM Stadium. Initially, it appeared he had, when his left-footed strike bounced into the Hull net to give Arsenal the lead. However, replays showed the ball had struck Alexis Sanchez on its way into the goal. The Chilean, hungry to prove he can play as Arsenal’s No. 9, was unlikely to give up a fortuitous goal.

Iwobi was denied on a couple of other occasions by good goalkeeping, but the lack of a goal shouldn’t concern him. What …

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