---
title: "Arteta – Why I’m so impressed by Iwobi"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2016/01/23/arteta-im-impressed-iwobi/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Hamdani"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2016-01-23T11:18:37Z"
modified: "2016-01-23T11:18:37Z"
---

# Arteta – Why I’m so impressed by Iwobi

Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta has admitted he has been impressed by the talent of Alex Iwobi.

The 19-year-old has played a bit-part role for the Gunners this season, generally coming on from the bench, although his start in the FA Cup third round tie against Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium was a performance which captivated and caught the eyes of many.

Just a week after the performance, Iwobi came on at the Britannia Stadium against Stoke City with the scores 0-0 and despite having not changed the result, Arteta, speaking in Sunday’s match programme for Chelsea’s visit, [as reported by the club’s official website](https://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160122/arteta-iwobi-has-a-bright-future), claimed that the Nigerian youngster had a good impact in just 20 minutes.

![Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/505540942.jpg)

> *You can see the change in his confidence after being given some minutes in the first team.*
>
> *The Stoke game was a good example of that. He came on and had an impact straight away. His decision-making was excellent and the game didn’t run quicker than him.*
>
> *To do that against a tough team in a difficult atmosphere tells you he is improving and moving forwards.*

Speaking about versatility, Arteta admitted he was surprised to see that the 19-year-old could also play in central midfielder as well as on the wing.

![Paul Gilham/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/504159522-1.jpg)

> *I was surprised he could play in central midfield as well.*
>
> *He is versatile and that’s a massive attribute because forwards don’t normally have that 360 vision that you need in midfield.*
>
> *Alex is capable of reading the game well, understanding his positioning and his body shape when he plays.*
>
> *That’s fairly unusual for a player who plays on the wing or up front. That will be important for his development.*

Arsenal face Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, with Iwobi likely to be on the bench once again.