Has an Everton player ever changed the wider perception about themselves quite as much as Alex Iwobi?
From someone much-maligned by large sections of the fanbase, from a player who didn't seem to truly fit into any of the systems a selection of managers brought to Goodison Park - he's now the first name on the teamsheet. He's the most influential man in Frank Lampard 's side, someone setting examples for the rest of the squad around him.
His transformation has been truly exceptional in what is realistically a very short space of time. Even towards the end of 2021, with Rafael Benitez still in charge of the Blues, there were huge question marks over the Nigeria international's place in the squad and his contribution since joining the club.
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Marcel Brands' departure as director of football at the beginning of December 2021 brought with it analysis of his transfer history and many would use Iwobi's arrival as a huge failing, even if the Dutchman was hardly involved and took a back seat while Farhad Moshiri pursued the £35m transfer. With the then-Arsenal man on a yacht off the coast of Dubai, he would discover that his future had drastically changed.
It was a rather panicked late move from the club but, let's remember, it actually got off to a strong start. He scored on his first start against Lincoln City in the League Cup, a few days later he bagged a header against Wolverhampton Wanderers for his first Goodison Park goal. Maybe Marco Silva was going to be the man to unlock that side of his game?
Well, unfortunately, those were his only strikes of the campaign. In fact, the only other goal contribution he managed came with an assist against Sheffield Wednesday in the third round of the League Cup. By the end of the term, Carlo Ancelotti was using him as a more rotational player than his lofty transfer fee might have originally suggested.
That would continue throughout the majority of 2020/21 where Iwobi actually got the first chance to show off his versatility, particularly impressing in a 3-2 away victory to Fulham in a right wing-back role. However, those fixtures always come with the caveat that they were behind closed doors - still he wasn't able to have the kind of impact on supporters that he would have been craving.
In March 2021, heading into an international break, the Blues man took to social media to share his delight at being selected for Nigeria and hinting that he will actually get to play in his preferred position for his country - with many expecting that to mean attacking midfield. Ancelotti, of course, addressed the matter head-on when asked about it.
He remarked: "I am going to tell him: ‘Tell me, I am your manager, tell me where you want to play’. When I thought to put Pirlo as a holding midfielder I asked him: ‘Do you like to play there or not?’. ‘Yes’, he said to me, ‘I’d love to play there’ and so I put him there. If he wants to play number 10 or number nine I’ll put him at number 10 or number nine no problem. I can adapt the system."
The challenge had been set by the boss, as he started Iwobi in his 'preferred role' against Burnley in the very next game. After half an hour and with Everton 2-0 down at home to their opponents, Ancelotti had seen enough and switched him back out to a role out wide.
You might have thought that would be the beginning of the end of his time at Goodison Park, as he couldn't play in his 'preferred' role and couldn't provide the required consistency anywhere else on the pitch to make himself a real success. Another managerial change in Benitez didn't help matters, but thankfully that was only a short-lived stint.
Despite all of this, however, behind-the-scenes praise was still there. Those at Finch Farm always noticed the high-intensity work ethic that he displayed with that often standing out from his peers, and even though performances weren't up to today's levels there was always a confidence that matters would improve.
But with Lampard, things finally did change. Iwobi was on international duty when the new manager arrived, and he actually returned to the club having been sent off during his exploits in the Africa Cup Of Nations.
This was, however, another opportunity to turn things around. Perhaps it was his last chance to show that he could cut it at this club. But, while others doubted, the 26-year-old didn't.
He recently told evertontv: "Coming back [from AFCON] he [Lampard] said he was a bit surprised at how I train, I'm decent in training and always give 100%, it's just about getting that out in matches. He told me to play the way I train and express myself, so he gave me that confidence.
"I never had that mindset that it wasn't going to work. I always had the mindset that I could overcome this and prove people wrong.
"When the opportunity came with the new manager, I used it as a new chapter in my life. Forget the past, whatever happened, and go again. It's a new challenge. It's worked out alright so far, I can't complain!"
Now, his situation couldn't be more different than it stood even at the beginning of his calendar year. Supporters flock to social media after every single game to name Iwobi as their man of the match as he has turned into the most in-form player in the Everton squad in that central midfield position - helping lead a crucial transformation in that area of the pitch under Lampard.
You might have even seen an "apology form" to the Everton man being shared in a rather tongue-in-cheek fashion across different platforms in the early stages of this campaign. Ask a lot of supporters and they will readily admit that never have they been quite so wrong about a player.
Iwobi now typifies everything that those fans want to see from those in royal blue. The most consistent quality that he now brings to the side is copious amounts of work off the ball, showing incredible intensity and fitness throughout the course of a 90 minutes in his attempts to dominate the centre of the pitch.
And, when he's in possession, it's still clear that he's the club's most creative player as well. Take Sunday's match against West Ham United as an example, even if it wasn't the most exhilarating of encounters the Premier League has ever seen.
Being paired with Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye in the middle of the pitch allowed Iwobi much more opportunity to roam up the pitch and get himself into dangerous areas around the final third. He made 11 progressive passes in that match at Goodison Park, against a squad average for the season so far of 2.35 per 90 minutes.
And, of course, he's also assisted three of Everton's last four goals in all competitions, if just to push the point home that little bit more. Not only does he play with confidence, but he celebrates and speaks in interviews in the same manner too.
Bringing us right up to the present day, where the club have opened talks with the midfielder regarding a potential new deal, looking to extend his stay beyond the 2024 date he is currently contracted to. Could you have imagined that even a few months ago? If so, what would the reaction from supporters have been like?
This isn't a rushed decision after a flash-in-the-pan run of form, either. For the majority of 2022 Iwobi has been fantastic on and off the ball, in a variety of different positions and roles - and you won't find many arguing with improved terms as a just reward for that.
At Finch Farm he was seen as perhaps an underappreciated member of the squad under previous managers, but now evidently lights up the corridors with consistent smiling. He's a popular member of the squad and his recent videos on social media show that he is certainly now confident enough to express himself with his friends.
Aside from that, he's seen as a humble figure - he's remained close to those he grew up with in London and has family values at the heart of his life. Off the pitch he is often working with his "Project 17" campaign aimed at inspiring young people to believe in themselves and help achieve their dreams - using his own experiences to inspire values of hard work and discipline.
He's certainly come a long way from somebody who had seemingly run out of chances at Goodison Park. Lampard has played his part in inspiring confidence, of course, but in a lot of respects Iwobi has fashioned his own destiny.
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