Alex Iwobi struggled with second season syndrome last year, so how do Arsenal ensure his progress doesn’t stall as he falls down the pecking order?

Inevitable dip

It seems a rite of passage that each young player should suffer a dip in form in their second season.

Some players suffer more than others: Calum Chambers left on loan last year to regain some confidence after a disastrous second season. Adnan Janujaz’s second season dip has extended beyond the usual 12 month mark, as he is yet to reach the heady heights of his first season with Manchester United. Even Hector Bellerin suffered a dip in form which caused many Arsenal fans to forget how important he is to the squad.

Alex Iwobi is in a similar position to each of the aforementioned.

His first season at Arsenal was a breath of fresh air. Described as a skillful forward on the Arsenal website, fans didn’t have to wait long to see what Iwobi was all about. His rangy frame contrasted with his glorious close control and neat footwork. Despite his precise manoeuvring with the ball at his feet, he seems to favour incisive passing in place of utilising his dribbling and pace.

This is a great attribute when the team is playing well. However, when the team is struggling results-wise, it is often the creative side that is sacrificed.

Iwobi was misused last season. When the team was struggling, one expects the more established stars to step up. Iwobi’s presence in the first team was often lamented as his performances were simply not up to the standard the fans have come to expect. This is not a criticism of the player – as a young skillful footballer he needs to experiment and develop. He can only learn about himself if he is willing to play that riskier pass or try that piece of skill he’s been practising on the training ground.

If the fans are low on patience, it becomes a lot riskier to try something when an attack is materialising.

At the time of writing, Wenger is yet to spend in the transfer market.

Rumours have circulated about who is going and who is leaving but nothing definitive has happened. With this in mind, Iwobi would be competing for a place in the starting line up with at least five other players: Ozil, Alexis, Welbeck, Walcott and Lucas. Although Lucas looks set to leave, Iwobi would still have four obstacles in his path to first team football.

So how does he overcome them?

Send him on loan?

The young Nigerian international made 18 starts in the Premier League last season – a respectable amount given his age and who he was competing with. However, with pressure intensifying on Wenger to mount a title challenge, the Nigerian may not find opportunities easy to come by.

Wenger must first consider whether the Nigerian can make a significant impact in the club’s league and European campaigns. Given that Iwobi contributed three goals and three assists in 18 appearances last season, one could conclude that his impact was minimal.

However, with young players it is quite frequently end product that proves the most elusive of attributes in their development. This seems to be the case with Iwobi. When he plays with the goal in front of him, he is excellent at picking the correct pass. His tempo and speed of passing is superb as he often looks to play between the lines. However, failing to convert chances and his lack of influence on a game can sometimes be frustrating. His shots are habitually rushed and his final pass seems to fail as a result of not assessing his options appropriately.

Nevertheless, the talent is obvious – even if the end product remains elusive.

If Wenger feels Iwobi will struggle for game time, the boss must assess whether a loan spell will be beneficial to the forward. In the past, Arsenal fans have seen young players leave on loan, never to play for Arsenal again. This is usually as a result of simply not being good enough, however, there are suggestions that greater care needs to be adopted in the attention to detail with loan deals.

We’ve seen from Serge Gnabry’s loan spell at West Brom that a player’s success at a club is not solely down to talent. Playing style and application must also be considered.

Iwobi is clearly a gifted footballer. He is pleasing on the eye, tricky in possession and for an attacking player has quite a high pass completion rate. As a result it may be easier for manager’s to trust him in their starting line ups.

Iwobi’s experience and quality make him an ideal acquisition for most Premier League managers, even if he’s only a temporary one. However, Wenger would be wise to steer clear from any West Brom-esque loans. One would imagine that Wenger would be happier with Iwobi at Bournemouth, Southampton or Brighton as opposed to West Brom, Stoke City or Burnley.

Wenger must also consider the feelings of the player. Whilst not ideal, perhaps a move to Crystal Palace or West Ham would allow Iwobi to develop without the necessary hoo-ha of moving house and resettling as is the case with most transfers and loans.

Personally, I believe that if he were to leave on loan then Everton would be the ideal home for the Nigerian.

Koeman is supportive of young talent. However, he is no fool. He recognises talent and appreciates it – as long as it is in conjunction with application. Everton would be suitably high in the league to ensure Iwobi would not be a big fish in a little pond.

However, their status as best of the rest would allow an easier path to first team football.

Conclusion

This is undoubtedly an important season for Iwobi.

Although he made three Champions League appearances alongside his 18 starts in the Premier League last season, one would suspect that the Europa League would hold more opportunities for game-time this year.

Additionally, with the uncertainty now surrounding two of Arsenal’s key men in his formation, I believe Wenger would be reluctant to lose a reliable player in the same position.

If Arsenal were currently in a better state of affairs with player contracts and Champions League football, then this may have been an ideal opportunity to allow Iwobi to further his footballing education – either in the Premier League or on foreign shores.

However, with the quantity of fixtures Arsene will have to navigate this season, it seems senseless to allow Iwobi to leave.

Despite the fans lamenting Iwobi’s inclusion last season, I don’t think it would surprise anyone to see him kick on this season.

He may not start as many games as he would like but Iwobi will be given plenty of opportunities to develop.

It’s key that he stays.