Iwobi eager to master right wing-back position

ALEX Iwobi is eager to master the right wing-back position in which he starred during Everton’s win over Fulham on Sunday – and the 24-year-old is vowing to give everything for the Club, regardless of where he plays.

The Nigerian forward was handed his second Premier League start of the season in a role he had previously occupied only when former team Arsenal were searching for a plan B.

 

He operated almost exclusively on the front foot in the opening half at Craven Cottage and it was Iwobi's marauding run which paved the way for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score his second goal and re-establish Everton's lead after Bobby Decordova-Reid replied for Fulham.

Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a third for dominant Everton but the complexion of the game altered after the restart, with Fulham rejuvenated and forcing Iwobi into a defensive assignment he navigated with the assistance of his teammates.

 

Iwobi was excellent on the ball by any measure. He supplied five crosses – all on the money – and had his team’s best pass completion rate (87.5 per cent).

He also struck more accurate long balls (five) than any outfield colleague.

 

“I am a forward-thinking player, I like to get on the ball and express myself,” Iwobi told evertontv.

“We were able to do that quite freely in the first half and had a lot of joy. We were very good going forward and created a lot of threats and chances.

 

“I played right wing-back a couple of times with Arsenal, they wanted me to bomb on and, like I was doing in the first half at Fulham, get crosses in and run down the line with the ball.

 

“It is not something I have done a lot but anywhere I am told to play, I try to do my best. Ben [Godfrey] and James [Rodriguez] and Doucs [Doucoure] were talking to me and made it more comfortable.

 

“Sometimes, with my defensive position, I wouldn’t know where to be but with them helping and talking it was a lot easier. I will take the positives but there are still things I have to learn if I am going to play in this position, especially defensively.

 

“At least, for me, playing right wing-back, the manager has in his mind, I can play anywhere on the left and right and in the middle.

 

“Anywhere he wants me to play, I will be able to do that job. And wherever I am playing I will give 100 per cent for the Club.”