Nov 15, 2017: Former Chelsea player, Celestine Babayaro has explained why Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi does better when he represents Nigeria than when he is on the pitch for his club side Arsenal. The 21-year-old netted twice as Nigeria recovered from a two goal deficit to demolish star-studded Argentina 4-2 in a high profile friendly game in Russia.
He told Own Goal, “It’s clear to see why Iwobi plays so well when he plays for Nigeria and not that exceptional when he plays for Arsenal. He knows he is well loved by the Nigerian public, his mistakes will be forgiven hence he plays with freedom. You can’t say the same when he plays for Arsenal, he is the target of the boo boys”.
“They speak long and hard about his mistakes than his strong points. Naturally that puts him under pressure and also limits his efficiency on the pitch. When he plays for Nigeria, the fans chant his name. They sing in his name, he feels the connection to them. He feels at home and inspired to do wonders due to the love.”
DailyTrust