Alex Iwobi

[theHotHead]

Fair response Pudpop. Stats in isolation give a picture but often not the whole picture. Stats to back up an argument are always far better.

But what happens when a stat is completely different to what is perceived? Take laziness, if it is perceived that a player is lazy but stats show that in fact the player runs as much as the next man, that perception has been busted and should be dismissed.

But what about the Iwobi is crap perception? Something that is just as subjective but far more difficult to prove. When I watch the player show hardly any end product and fail to make simple passes, but then you present a stat that suggests he is actually doing very well, I don't know what to say really!! I like the people around me yesterday were calling for Iwobi to be subbed off because he was the worst Arsenal player on the pitch.

[Nuggets]

I think Iwobi is a work horse and he reminds me of a young Kolo Ture running around everywhere getting nowhere on times when Kolo first joined us but his final ball needs lots of work, will he make it? the jury is out on that.

[thebigbangtheo]

I think he Iwobi was okay yesterday. He didn't set the world alight and was erratic, but was nowhere near 'terrible'.

That aside, why do people continue to compare the final third output of our WFs, WAMs and AMs to KDB who—during the 2017-18 season—has predominantly played out of position as makeshift CM/DLP?

I didn't watch KdB last season, so I don't know where he was playing. However KdB had 16 assists last season and is often used as a beat stick for our midfielders. 'They're nowhere near the level of De Bruyne or others.' so I feel justified in using him as a comparison.

At the end of the day, while he was deployed further down the pitch, in a Pep team that didn't stop him from playing as the main playmaker.

Pudpop those stats are an absolute joke. Iwobi has been the worst player on the pitch for 2 of the last 3 games I have seen. When you bring up stats that suggest he is performing on a par with De Bruyne last season it shows that stats can be an absolute joke.

The boy could not make simple passes yesterday, Kola on the overlap for the umpeenth time and Iwobi over hit or under hit the pass so many times. Crosses straight to the opponent, no thought to actually aim for an Arsenal player.

I think he did about 4 good things yesterday, followed by about 20 bad things.

You're biased. It's simple as that, mate. You're seeing the bad things and using that to confirm your opinion and seeing the good things and brushing it off as exceptions. It's confirmation bias

Iwobi made 3 key passes yesterday, the one to Auba in the 2nd minute, the cross to Auba in the 40th minute (both chances that Auba should have at least hit the target with) and his assist to Xhaka.

His xBuildup was 1.98, meaning that, while he might have messed up some passes, he was indirectly involved in even more good chances. This isn't hard to figure out since he was involved in Auba's shot before Ramsey's goal and Lacazette's goal itself.

At the end of the day while he might have messed up some passes, whenever something good happened in the opposition box, Iwobi was involved. You might say that he should have done even better, but the things he did well were so effective that his creative performance was comparable to some of Ozil's best performances.

Nobody has a perfect game, and it would be unfair to let Iwobi's mistakes (or, rather, imperfections) yesterday cloud over the things he did well.

Top post once again Pud.

[thebigbangtheo]

Pudpop, I was one of the people that praised Iwobi's early season form, I said I was willing to see how far Emery could improve him. I am therefore not biased.

Mate, everyone is biased. Humans are not capable of rationally analysing what we experience. The fact that we are not rational actors is one of the founding principles of behavioural studies. This is why one of the most important functions of statistics is removing bias from analysis and it's why I try to make a point of using statistics properly on this site.

At the end of the day, when statistics are used properly they give you objective truths*. The important part isn't trying to be as objective as possible, but being able to find out which objective statistics clearly refute what you are saying. This happened with me earlier when I replied to the statistics saying we are not a strong set piece team. Personally I felt that our set pieces are nothing to worrying about (offensively) but the statistics clearly showed my bias. This has happened to me multiple times while trying to defend Ozil on this board. It should happen to everyone.

Your response to a statistic that refutes what you are saying should never be 'that statistic means nothing'. Statistics always mean something*. When you see a statistic that you disagree with, your first step should be to question it. Always question it. Then question the statement made about the statistic. If you do this you can explain why you think you're right despite the statistic, but you cannot wholly disregard them because you disagree with it.

*I added these 2 stars because those statements might seem controversial to people who are skeptical about stats. The thing is, the statements shouldn't be controversial but they are because of how some people misrepresent stats. You have to remember that outside of academic use of statistics there is often a disconnect between the data and the inference done on the data. In other words, people will gather data and use that data to make a statement (Arsenal is not an elite team, Iwobi is as good as De Bruyne, Ozil is our most important player), but often these statements don't follow from the data. The reason why I say statistics give you objective truths is because they are objectively gathered and created, but the statements we then make afterwards tend to lose that objectivity. I also say that statistics always mean something, but that doesn't mean that the statement someone gives is exactly what that stat means. This is why you'll see me make statements like 'Iwobi's chance creation is comparable to De Bruyne's' instead of saying 'Iwobi is as good as De Bruyne'. When people start trying to make big statements like the ones I listed above, they inevitably contain opinion and therefore bias. When you make smaller statements it is easier to find statistics that comprehensively back it up.

Spot on.

[EliteKiller]

He simply does not play at anything like the level we need, he should be creative and not just once or twice in the past half dozen games!

That's true but he's only 22 and very much still learning ... he's contributed more goals and assists than Ozil or Mkhi this season give him a break

[theHotHead]

Ultimately this is the problem with our entire team, too many inconsistent players.

[theHotHead]

Iwobi, shut your mouth, crutches!!

Which young players are giving the manager headaches?? I can't think of a single player that is banging on the first team door. Willock's 2 goals against Blackpool capped off a decent display but it was hardly mouth watering.

[tsakis]

Good game today and generally in good form.. Pitty that he is good when all others are atrocious.. Does not help us giving him some credit. I heard people slating him cause he didnt bury that chance with his weak foot witch is understandable if we need a goal that badly..

[Sims]

personally thought he was far and away our best player today

[tsakis]

personally thought he was far and away our best player today

I do agree....

[Marsbar100]

For the first 25 he was good, nothing after that.

[BrunelGooner]

He was the only player today who tried to penetrate the West Ham defence. No-one else did anything of note.

[Losmeister]

he made some nice runs and inroads but as ever when the gaol wqs there to be had... scuffmaster Iwobi is what we get.

[CynicalGooner]

Even when he's not the worst player on the pitch, like today (we had about 5 who were tragically bad), he still drives me absolutely mental. Everything he does is indicative of a complete lack of footballing intelligence. He occasionally contributes something good, like the flick on for kolasinac today, but for every one of those there will be 10 examples where he will ruin a promising attack, give the ball away in a dangerous area or something equally infuriating. I hoped the Iwobi experiment would end with Wenger but Emery seems to love him

[gooney]

I think he is one of our best players and nailed on starter. And part of me hates to admit that. I think a lot of the hate for iwobi is we hate what we become. Him being one of our best players and we take our anger on him