Pep Guardiola recently praised Alex Iwobi ahead of Manchester City's meeting with Fulham, saying, “They have a lot of weapons and speed. Iwobi, I have never seen him in the form that he is playing.”
However, seasoned observers of Guardiola know that he often heaps praise on opposition players before facing them. Whether it’s a genuine compliment or pre-match mind games, the question arises: is Iwobi truly in the best form of his career?
Pep Guardiola's habit of elevating his rivals’ players before matches has, at times, been viewed with skepticism. His comments about Iwobi could be interpreted as an attempt to downplay the apparent gulf between his Manchester City side and Fulham. But dismissing the compliment outright might not be fair either. The Fulham man's numbers this season suggest he is indeed making an impact.
Iwobi's 2024/25 season so far
This season at Fulham, the Nigeria international has been a key player for Marco Silva's side. In six Premier League starts, he has one goal and one assist, while creating two big chances. On top of that, he averages 2.0 key passes per game, showing his role as a playmaker and provider for his teammates. Averaging 86 minutes per match, Iwobi’s consistency is clear, and with 32 matches still left to play, he is on track to make significant contributions throughout the season.
To gauge whether Iwobi is truly in his best form, we need to look at how his current output stacks up against previous years.
- 2023/24 (Fulham): 31 appearances, 5 goals, 2 assists, 1.7 key passes per game.
- 2022/23 (Everton): 38 appearances, 2 goals, 8 assists, 1.7 key passes per game.
- 2021/22 (Everton): 28 appearances, 2 goals, 2 assists, 1.3 key passes per game.
- 2020/21 (Everton): 38 appearances, 1 goal, 2 assists, 0.6 key passes per game.
- 2019/20 (Everton): 25 appearances, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1.0 key passes per game.
Looking at the data, Iwobi's best season in terms of goals and assists was 2022/23, where he racked up two goals and eight assists for Everton. His current form at Fulham, while promising, still has some way to go to match that. However, his growing influence at Fulham this season suggests he may yet surpass these numbers.
Iwobi’s evolving role
Iwobi’s transformation from a forward at Arsenal to a playmaking midfielder has been pivotal to his evolution as a player. His time at Everton saw him develop into a more rounded player, contributing to both attack and defense. This versatility has carried over into his role at Fulham, where he’s become a linchpin in Marco Silva's system.
While Iwobi's numbers for the current season are solid, they don't definitively show that he’s in the best form of his career—at least not yet. Guardiola’s praise, while complimentary, may be premature.
That said, with 32 games left in the season, Iwobi has ample time to improve on his already strong start and perhaps surpass the heights he reached at Everton. Only time will tell if this will be his career-best season.
