After his very brief cameo appearance against Bournemouth before the turn of the year, it was finally time for Alex Iwobi to prove his first-team credentials.

Hardly featuring despite frequently being on the substitutes’ bench, coupled with his eye-catching displays at youth level, plenty of questions have been asked as to whether the 19-year-old will go out on loan in order to achieve regular first team football.

Based on his performance against Sunderland on Saturday, he has definitely ‘put himself in the shop window’ in terms of a potential move away from the Emirates  on a temporary basis.

A very positive showing

Alex Iwobi of Arsenal battling Yann M'Vila during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match bewtween Arsenal and Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on January 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Alex Iwobi of Arsenal battling Yann M’Vila during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match bewtween Arsenal and Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on January 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

With the likes of Jeff-Reine Adelaide and Ainsley Maitland-Niles (both 17) ahead of Iwobi in terms of development given their respective ages, it was important for Iwobi to breakthrough and establish his quality this term after his impressive appearances in last summer’s Emirates Cup.

He wasn’t a match-winner on Saturday, didn’t score or assist any goals, but showed plenty of promise with his overall contribution to the side.

Starting in a central midfield role, he kept possession well and looked energetic in the final third as we looked to counter-attack quickly and exploit Sunderland’s defensive frailties – one of which, was dealing with pace.

Alex Iwobi of Arsenal being tackled by Deandre Yedlin during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match bewtween Arsenal and Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on January 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Alex Iwobi of Arsenal being tackled by Deandre Yedlin during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match bewtween Arsenal and Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on January 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

He was also given a warm reception from the supporters after being replaced in the 67th minute, showing that they’ve appreciated his efforts and also acknowledge the fact that he’s another of the youngsters trying to break into the first-team properly.

Whether his opportunity will come this season or next, remains to be seen.

Main strengths and weaknesses

It’s often tricky to spot a youngster’s main strengths and weaknesses, especially given the step-up from youth level to competitive football is a large one.

But judging from his encouraging display, as well as months of watching him in our youth ranks, here are his qualities and areas to improve upon:

  • Loves to play forward – does it quickly
  • Constantly creating angles to support a teammate in space
  • His dribbling and overall speed are very impressive
  • Ball retention could be improved
  • Often seems a passenger out-of-possession
  • Needs to improve his finishing
 Alex Iwobi of Arsenal celebrates his team's 1-0 win in the FA Community Shield match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on August 2, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Alex Iwobi of Arsenal celebrates his team’s 1-0 win in the FA Community Shield match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on August 2, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

As a winger, pace is important. For Alex, he’s able to accelerate quickly and beat defenders to the ball, allowing him to create chances easily.

He loves to play the ball forward and does it quickly, which is good for a creative-minded attacker. This weekend, he showed his intelligence to find pockets of space and create angles for teammates to pass him the ball, giving support in tight areas.

However, he does need to improve his finishing. Wingers are important in terms of chances created but they are increasingly expected to finish opportunities for themselves too.

There were a few occasions where he could have tested Jordan Pickford more than he did, or kept hold of the ball in an area through better decision-making, the kind that comes with experience.

Overall, it was a very good performance and he’ll be motivated to keep improving, certainly, as will the fans to anticipate his next outing.