How Frank Lampard has transformed Alex Iwobi into the heartbeat of Everton

Lampard deseves credit for his transformation and Iwobi has now propelled himself as arguably our most productive midfielder.

It's not a criticism, and the fact that nobody really blames him for Man Utd's winner shows how far Alex Iwobi has come in a short space of time. But I'm sure he can do much better, just by bringing a little bit more calmness into his game at times.

Funny because only last year I always thought his first name was "Thatfuckin. Because in the pubs after the game all I heard was "That fuckin Iwobi".

The more I watch back that second Man Utd goal, especially on the stills on YouTube, Pickford takes half the blame there as well as Iwobi.

I can't really criticize a forward player losing the ball in the opposition half, the fact is Ronaldo should never have been allowed to score from that angle.

Coady has made Pickford's job easy for him, stay in the 6-yard box and cover the near post and that is very unlikely to be a goal.

Don't get me wrong, Pickford has been really good now for the best part of 18 months but there are still moments every now and then and Sunday he didn't seem on it.

Although I agree, I think if Iwobi had forwards that had more mobility in front of him, you'd see an even better player.

No told you so moment, but there was always a player there. Now he is playing in his preferred position. I'm not saying players should dictate, but he did say so if I recall.

How many players have been wasted because managers have been fearful of playing them central despite their footballing talent? Play them wide and get them out of the way because they are considered weak and lightweight?

Leon Osman springs to mind. An attacking midfielder and what you would now call a number 10 if I ever saw one. But spent a lot of his career on the flanks as he was considered a risk. Good enough to be on the pitch, but get him out of the way.

I still remember that goal to give us the 2-1 victory against City after going a goal down when he lept like a Gazelle to head home at the Park End. Little Leon against the City centre backs (Lescott??). But in a central position.

Good on Frank and the management team for how they've realised the best position to play Iwobi and get the best out of him.

I actually still think a more central position will be better for Gordon over time. Just a thought, so interested in what others think.

I still thought we lost the game because United had much more quality, with the disappointing thing for me being, that for the first time in a while, Everton seemed to be playing in-between two stools?

Iwobi isn't half as dire as I thought he was but he's no world beater either. I'm amazed by his transformation which is down to his strength of character in the face of constant criticism and as a result of tremendous effort on his part… but is he as good as some people are now making out? Probably not… but I'd like him to prove me wrong.

He's certainly worth his place in the team but is capable of much more. Goalscoring for a start, despite his goal against Man Utd. And he most certainly isn't a fullback. He can get a toe in to nick the occasional ball from the opposition but he can't really tackle. How many times does he get to his man and then, instead of closing him down completely with a challenge, just stands off half a yard?

This isn't his fault (being a collective failing) but doesn't anyone else find it rather amusing and slightly embarrassing when he goes charging all over the pitch chasing the ball? Full marks for effort but it reminds me of a schoolkid in the playground.

A bit more guile, a bit more creativity around the box and a better goals contribution and I'll revise my opinion upwards another notch. There's a player in there certainly but he's not yet reached the pedestal that some have placed him on.

He's a good, progressive, quick-footed midfielder who makes us much better than we were before. And he's brave... the goal on Sunday came because he lost the ball by trying to make something happen rather than just playing the safe option.

I'll never criticise a player for that, especially when it's 80 yards from our goal.

However, he's one of the few in our midfield that likes to carry the ball forward and at least try and make things happen. I heard someone say at the end of last season that he's Ross Barkley without the goals.

Hmm... maybe some comparison there but I think Iwobi works so much harder off the ball than Barkley ever did. If he can add 7 or 8 goals to his game this season, then that cranks him up another level.

In my experience as a player and a follower of football, you often have to do most of the hard work off the ball rather than on it.

Iwobi hasn't suddenly become Messi. He's improved massively. He still makes mistakes, like most players of his standard. But he's working hard, showing desire and commitment. And he's playing without fear. He shows for the ball.

The supporters can see that.

Onana, Gana and Doucouré are never going to provide many goals from midfield, so the one guy seemingly capable of scoring more, needs to do so.

I thought Gana had a mare on Sunday, and it obviously affected Coady and Tarkowski too who both made serious mistakes.

Where did the confidence go at 1-0 up?

Have you noticed that he's suddenly everybody's first choice for midfield passes or short releases out of the back? Everybody who wins a ball seems to look immediately for Alex.

The goal he gave up was down to trying too hard to compensate for the lack of courage for the ball elsewhere, it was a good effort that just went wrong.

I've been watching two things specifically about Iwobi, the footwork in possession and his ability to disrupt on defence. He has improved immensely on both fronts to the point of satisfaction.

The reason I think there is more upside is that I've seen some moments where he just stepped in and did some Nigerian micro-mamba and left the defender stunned. I even saw one dude crack a smile after he got burned ,it was so smooth.

As we mature and develop some cover in terms of where Iwobi can take the ball to reset possession, Chuka can make some things happen from anywhere 40 yards in.

I'm believing. Chuka! Chuka!

I think he's always had that. I remember seeing one of those club website interviews a year ago when the interviewer asked the two players -- I can't remember who they were -- who did the most things in training that just amazed them. Without hesitation, both players replied "Alex" and I just shook my head, wondering where it was in games.

Now we know.

Based on the quality of that strike (easily his best in an Everton shirt), I'm hoping the answer is yes.

Can't blame Alex, as you say. The rushing thing I think is generated by an entire team energy via the players around him and the team as a whole.

We're not scoring enough and that has translated to rushing shots and over hitting through balls. Easy to say we all just need to relax. It will come with confidence and results.

Compare us with Man City who are almost too relaxed sometimes. The key difference being they switch gears at absolutely the right time and through balls are penetrating and inch-perfect.

Once again, it will come. We just need to get the whole team more confident in their ability to control games.

Our expectations and standards of what makes a good player have slipped so dramatically that the turnaround of Iwobi has become one of the few good things we can cling to.

He's an important squad player no doubt but I don't think he should be starting in the future team Lampard has in mind.
He's a stopgap player, like most players in the side.

This is an unpopular opinion, sorry for going against the spirit (and grain) of the Iwobi revival but I only rate Pickford and Onana as properly decent footballers, the rest are lightweights.

Patterson could potentially improve to a Top 6 player but the rest are not that good, Gordon is massively overrated and Iwobi is all bustling energy with moments of pure quality that are far too rare to consider him a high-level player.

One good thing versus 65 rubbish things! Well, what a comment. Bang average! Shite!

It's fine if you don't rate Iwobi as highly as others but, if you truly think he's shite, it may be quite a long time before you get an Everton side that meets your standards.

No other player will take the ball in tight spaces and keep it without being scared to play, to look for the right pass. Hope that goal gives him even more belief in his ability.

I'd like him to be more direct with his passing sometimes, but I suspect that's hard when the movement in front of him is so stagnant. A fully fit Calvert-Lewin may change that.

Gordon should look at the energy Alex shows and say "I'm nowhere near that level." How Gordon is goosed after 50 minutes and Iwobi is sprinting round chasing everyone is worrying.

Well done to the lad, he's not scoring loads, but he's working his arse off and, as Frank would say "He's showing he's got the bollocks to play."

I've noticed that about Gordon this season too especially in the home games.

I do wonder if the same hunger is there since the "will he won't he" transfer to Chelsea never materialized.

I read the interview he gave a few weeks back and it didn't seem that he was over the moon to still be here, more an acceptance that the move never happened and he didn't push it but then again the lad probably felt that it was a big move, Champions League and we need to remember he's not a massive boyhood Evertonian so primarily it's just business.

It concerns me more how on earth a winger has picked up five yellow cards and is suspended in early October.