Any hope held by Arsenal attacker, Alex Iwobi to become The Gunners’ next prized playmaker after Mesut Ozil may be heading for the trash bin, following revelations that he is behind Sead Kolasinac in the roll call.
Althoguh Iwobi seems to have comported himself well when employed as a playmaker for the Super Eagles, sports247.ng can report that his skills and style with the Nigerian national team is not the same at Arsenal.
Dramatically, Iwobi will be startled to learnt he stats about who is the most likely playmaker next in raking to Ozil, and the technical verdict goes for Kolasinac.
In contrast with Iwobi’s expectation, the facts show that Kolasinac is creating more chances than Ozil and getting more touches in the box than The Gunners’ current top scorer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The survey states further that Ozil’s future is uncertain but Arsenal’s creative burden has been taken on by an unlikely source, as Nick Wright says Kolasinac has become Unai Emery’s playmaker-in-chief.
While Iwobi was left in the shadows, Ozil and Kolasinac had Arsenal fans drooling with their combination to set up Aubameyang in the 3-1 win over Burnley before Christmas.
First, Ozil split the defence with a diagonal pass then, running at full speed, Kolasinac flicked the ball back from the byline for the waiting Aubameyang to knock in The Gunners’ first goal.
Ozil has hardly featured since then, an apparent knee injury adding to the growing sense of uncertainty surrounding his future, but Kolasinac has continued to provide a dangerous outlet on Arsenal’s left flank.
Wright says the Bosnian’s creativity has become even more important to Arsenal in the absence of his friend and team-mate, while Iwobi is now moved more to the left flank.
Iwobi cried foul when played down the same flank by Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rohr during the World Cup, but it appears he has no choice but to accept what he gets at Arsenal, as latest stats put him way down the pecking order in terms of skilled midfielders at Emirates Stadium.
According to Opta, Arsenal directed 42 per cent of their attacks down their left flank against Fulham, compared to 22 per cent through the middle and 36 per cent down the right.
Kolasinac finished the game with only one assist but he created more chances (four) than anyone else on the pitch.
