OPINION
Sky Sports pundit Danny Mills has said that Alex Iwobi had looked “stale” at Arsenal but has been given a new lease of life at Everton – and he’s bang on with his assessment.
Iwobi promised a lot but didn’t deliver at Arsenal, although some fans were still unhappy to see him moved on.
However, given how much he played for Arsenal, £27m seemed like good business for the Gunners.
Three games into his Everton career and it’s looking like good business for the Toffees.
Talking to Football Insider, Danny Mills said, “I think sometimes you can go a little bit stale at clubs, especially when you’ve been there as a kid, you’re maybe not as appreciated as you deserve. He’s been given a fresh chance and a new challenge and it seems that excitement and endeavour is back.
“He’s already got himself on the scoresheet, which was questioned of him, which is fabulous. It looks like he has that renewed energy and sometimes it’s very, very simple. He probably just feels a little bit loved, a little appreciated.”
Crunching the numbers
Comparing his stats for Arsenal last season with his Everton numbers, you can see an instant transformation.
According to WyScout, his xG last season was 0.17 and he had 1.51 shots on goal per 90 minutes. with a pass success rate of 78.5%.
So far at Everton, he’s looked a lot more dangerous. He’s got an xG of 0.32 with an average of 2.76 shots per 90 minutes. His pass success rate is 84.6%.
It’s a small sample size but Everton fans can be excited about the Iwobi that they’ve got so far – and he’s only 23-years-old. If he can maintain his current form and kick on this season, Everton could have picked up a real bargain.