Arsene Wenger tells Alex Iwobi to add goals and assists to develop into 'top-class player' at Arsenal

Young gun: Iwobi was on impressive form in Sunday's draw at Chelsea
Arsenal FC via Getty Images
James Benge22 September 2017

Arsene Wenger has challenged Alex Iwobi to add goals and assists to his game as he vies for a regular place in the Arsenal side.

Since breaking into the Iwobi has struggled to establish a consistent role in his side’s starting XI, losing favour in the second half of last season and appearing in only 43 minutes of first-team football after Wenger’s switch to a back three.

However Iwobi won plenty of praise for his display in Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Chelsea, where his defensive discipline contrasted sharply with some of the barbs thrown at the man he replaced in the side, Mesut Ozil.

However the 21-year-old has just six goals and 12 assists to his name across 64 appearances for Arsenal and Wenger has urged Iwobi to add to his output if he is to develop into a “top-class player”.

“I like the fact that he can play in tight areas, that he turns the game forwards, that he’s very mobile,” Wenger said.

“We forget sometimes that Alex is still a very young player and that there’s a lot more to come from him. There must be a lot more to come from him because he has more personality in the game now.

"We expect him to be more efficient in the final third offensively, because you feel there are goals in there and assists too. They have to come out. Add that to the fact that he allows the team to play very well and he will be a top-class player.”

Arsenal training on 19th September 2017 - In pictures

1/13

The youngster has not scored this season but provided an assist in the 3-1 Europa League win against Cologne last week.

Iwobi will have his chance to improve his output next week as Arsenal face three games in the space of six days, home league games against West Brom and Brighton sandwiching a trip to Belarus to take on BATE Borisov in the Europa League.