Does Alex Iwobi deserve to make the Arsenal first team?

As their lackluster season winds down, many Arsenal fans are questioning the team selection moving forward.

Every decision that Arsene Wenger has made throughout his coaching career has been meticulously analyzed. Pundits and fans alike have not been shy on sharing their two cents on every team selection, on-field strategy, or substitution that Wenger makes game in and game out. One decision that continues to perplex the footballing world is why Alex Iwobi starts in the Arsenal first team.

Alex Iwobi has been under-performing in an Arsenal kit since he broke into the first team in 2015. His strongest skill would have to be his dribbling, but he still manages to constantly lose the ball. Sitting next to an Arsenal fan for even just 10 minutes while Iwobi is on the field would result in at least a few murmurs of “what are you doing Iwobi?”

On paper, Alex Iwobi has not had the worst couple of seasons production wise. He has notched eight goals and 16 assists since 2015 for Arsenal. The only problem has been the consistency at which his good performances come. Iwobi will often go numerous games without making an impact and can often disappear from a game.

Iwobi is just 21 years old, however, so he has plenty of time to improve his game. With the amount of pressure on the Arsenal team to perform every match, it may be hard for him to grow as a player. A loan to either a mid table side or even a Championship team may be just what Iwobi needs to get his career back on track.

The loan would increase both his growth and his minutes overall by a solid amount. With the recent acquisition of Henrik Mkhitaryan to the Arsenal team, too, Iwobi’s minutes will reduce even further as the season goes on. It may be tough for the Nigerian, but it would be the right move for both the club and the player.

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In short, Iwobi should not be starting for a team with the star power that Arsenal can field. Since Alexis Sanchez left the club, the left side has been occupied by Mkhitaryan, Jack Wilshere, and even Danny Welbeck, who are all much more suited to start over Alex Iwobi. Wenger should continue to use these players over Iwobi, only using him in rotation situations to keep the first team fresh.

Do you think Alex Iwobi deserved to make the Arsenal first team?