Simon Jordan raves about phenomenal Everton man Alex Iwobi after massive criticism
Alex Iwobi has been “phenomenal” for Everton after the past nine months and has proven Simon Jordan wrong after previous criticism.
The Nigerian international is on the brink of signing a new long-term contract to remain at the club, and despite some characteristic trashing of the squad, the manager, and the owner, former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan admitted Iwobi has been a silver lining.
During a discussion with Jim White and Danny Murphy on talkSPORT he had to take time out of criticising everything else about the current direction Everton are heading in to praise the former Arsenal man.
Speaking live on talkSPORT on Wednesday afternoon (21 December, 12.28pm) Jordan said: “Anyone can spend money. Anyone can say, ‘I’ve spend £500million’. Ok, fantastic. But who did you spend it on and what does it look like?
“It looks like now a team that is sinking. I don’t think Frank Lampard’s the answer but that’s for others to decide.
“It does come to something, because I was massively critical of Alex Iwobi but I have to turn round and say that his performances over the last six to nine months at that club have been nothing short of phenomenal.”
Faint praise
Iwobi has certainly earned a new contract with a major break out under Lampard which has made him one of the first names on the team sheet.
He looked like exactly the sort of overpriced and underwhelming signing that has derailed the operation under Farhad Moshiri when he was signed from Arsenal but deserves huge credit for adapting his game.
If even Jordan, who is never shy in pouring scorn on the goings on at Goodison Park, has to admit that he deserves praise then he is clearly doing plenty right.
He is part of an Everton side which is slowly starting to look substantial when looked at from back to front, but the gaping holes in attack are what is currently holding things back.
Anthony Gordon, another man close to a new long-term deal, could help massively if he returns to his early-season form, but the squad is crying out for help in the goals department during the January window.
Points as quickly as possible after the World Cup break are vital, and Iwobi is likely to play a big part in that being possible, but he is going to need more help from an underperforming playing staff that was in miserable form before the time off.