Andros Townsend believes the 'sky's the limit' for Alex Iwobi and has claimed it will take time for Frank Lampard to implement his own style of play at Everton.
Signed from Arsenal in 2019, Iwobi flattered to deceive for a short while at Everton and was the source of much frustration of supporters. The Blues paid £34m for the midfielder.
But under Blues boss Lampard, the Nigeria international has looked like a player reborn. He impressed toward the end of last season as Lampard's side stayed up by the skin of their teeth, and has been instrumental in everything that has been good about them so far this season.
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So impressive have Iwobi's performances been this season, both Lampard and Everton supporters are keen to see him rewarded with a new deal. His current contract at Goodison Park runs until 2024.
And while Evertoninans can be forgiven for having performed a U-turn on the 26-year-old, Townsend has explained how the Iwobi fans are currently seeing, is the one Blues players have been watching in training for some time.
“This is the Alex we have seen in training, even when he wasn’t playing well or in the team,” Townsend told the Everton Live show. “This is the Alex we see in training. So skilful and he played with so much freedom, it is a joy to watch.
“When he came into the team last season he didn’t really have the confidence, it was more, 'I am going to work as hard as I can', and it has unlocked something in his mind.
“This season we have started to see a complete player. It is a joy to watch and literally the sky's the limit for him.”
As reported by the ECHO on Sunday, Townsend expects to return to training after the competition of the World Cup. The midfield saw his season ended early in the club's FA Cup defeat to Crystal Palace in March.
Townsend suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury which forced him off in the first half of the game against his former club and has been on the road to recovery since. The winger stayed around the first-team squad throughout the back end of 2021/22 and throughout the summer as he went through his rehabilitation alone.
The England international only made seven appearances under Lampard before picking up his injury.
“He’s been fantastic from minute one. When I got the injury, I got it diagnosed and he called me straight away and told me he was there if I needed anything,” Townsend said when asked about his relationship with his boss.
“He’s been like that throughout the way and when he sees me in the dressing room when the boys are warming-up (he says): 'Hi, Andros, how is it going? How are you getting on?' He has been great with me from day one.
“So has everyone, to be fair. All the coaching staff, all the players and physios, I can’t thank them enough. Hopefully I can get back and give the manager another option.”
Everton had initially enjoyed a solid start to the season, but a 2-0 Premier League home defeat to Leicester City last weekend, followed by a 4-1 thrashing in the Carabao Cup at Bournemouth on Tuesday night has somewhat dampen the mood around Goodison.
But speaking ahead of last Saturday's game, Townsend explained why it takes time, confidence and hours on the training pitch to get things right.
“We are a lot better this season defensively, we have sorted out the defence. And now slowly, slowly we are seeing how the manager wants us to play,” he said.
“I think the third goal against Crystal Palace, it was literally perfection and that is exactly the way we want to play to a tee. It takes time, it takes confidence and it takes hours on the training pitch.”
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