Former coach of Arsenal Arsene Wenger has backed the decision of coach Carlo Ancelotti to play Alex Iwobi as a right wingback rather than a midfielder.
Wenger who gave Iwobi his breakthrough at Arsenal played Iwobi mostly as a winger and says the best performance of the Nigerian came via the wings and not through the middle.
Iwobi came through the Arsenal youth system as a number ten or playing just behind the striker but Wenger insist that roles that players play at their developmental stage can’t always be the same at the top.
“ Iwobi came through the youth system as a midfielder but with his energy and commitment to work he played mostly as a winger for us. He did really well from that position even way better than playing from the midfield”, Wenger said on French TV while discussing youth players development.
“ Ancelotti saw the same thing and he is now playing him in a role he played thrice for Arsenal while I was there. Young players can develop in one role at youth level but excel in another at senior level. The levels are very different in several areas and it’s hard to see Iwobi as a midfielder at senior level”.