Lampard made me believe in myself again-Iwobi
Super Eagles and Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi has attributed his improved form to self-belief rekindled by his manager Frank Lampard.
Since joining Everton in 2019 tot’s been a rollercoaster three years at Goodison Park for Iwobi, but his finest moment in an Everton shirt come on Thursday night when he scored arguably Everton’s most important goal of the campaign.
The Eagles midfielder, a £28m signing from Arsenal in 2019, is now working under his fifth Everton manager since arriving at the club in 2019, yet there’s a growing hope that Lampard can be one that he finally establishes himself a firm role under.
Iwobi’s already spoken highly of Everton’s new boss, stating last month that the former Chelsea manager has given him belief in himself. “Personally, the manager’s support gives me the belief that I can go out and express myself and enjoy the games. It really helps me to show what I’ve got. It works for me and it works for the team. Long may that continue.”
Those comments came following the 1-0 home defeat to Manchester City, a game in which Iwobi made his third consecutive appearance under Lampard.
Yet in the three games that followed against Boreham Wood, Tottenham and Man City, he failed to make a single appearance.
As quickly as he’d come into favour under Lampard, it seemed as though he’d fallen out of it. Yet Iwobi’s hard work on the training pitch, as revealed by Seamus Coleman after the game, was integral to him forcing a route back into the side.
“We’ve had to question ourselves a lot this week, but if you’d have seen this man (Iwobi) in training two days ago, his attitude, application, the desire which got him in the team. That doesn’t happen by chance, goals like that, it’s fully deserved for Alex.”
It wasn’t just Iwobi’s captain but also his manager who spoke glowingly of his work on the training pitch in the lead up to Thursday night’s game. He also praised not only his threat on the ball but his hard work off it, something that was evidenced again on Thursday night.
