Martin Ødegaard: Öde To Joy

[Macho]

Arteta will never play that midfield. It may cause him a heart attack just to think about it

It’s a bit lightweight to be fair, not sure why Arsenal fans are so eager to see boys in midfield.

What has he shown?

I liked him before he joined to be honest. He’s tidy as well, nice touch and I like his passing - I’d already say it’s comfortably better than ESR’s, especially in the final third.

He’s a bit rusty and I am not sure how long he will be given to get up to speed. Very strange loan to be honest but he’s an exciting player.

 

[Oxeki]

He has very good movement in between the lines. A bit like prime Özil. He has that uncanny ability to find space in the final third. It remains to be seen if Xhaka and co can be able to get the ball to him in good areas.

 

[Symbia]

He has the potential to be a quality player and I think he will improve our attack.
We should have negotiated for an option to buy.

I know it's too early to conclude but I think we need more of him and less of Dani.

 

[Sweet'n'Soulful]

What has he shown?

His career so far isn’t a few minutes against Aston Villa.

 

[The_Playmaker]

His career so far isn’t a few minutes against Aston Villa.

His Arsenal career is. What he did at Socidead on loan is no comparison to what he has to face at Arsenal.

 

[Iceman10]

He seems like a neat and tidy player. However, he needs adjustment. Its pretty clear when you watch the duels he gets into. He loses them because he isn't ready for them. The pace of the game is a shock.

There were a few balls he could have played that he didn't attempt. So maybe it is down the rustiness also.

I'd quite like to see him in a double pivot, but without Partey, I doubt that will happen, especially since Arteta loves Xhaka.

The first half of your comment I agree with 100%. He has to be brought on by Arteta carefully in increments because he needs to get a better feel for duels in the PL and understand limitations and risks with many teams set up to be deadly with counters.

For the second half of your comment, I cannot see him in a double pivot for now in this loan stint. There is potential with more acclimatisation if he gets next season on loan as well, or a permanent, to transform a bit like Pires did with time. I see the temptation, esp. with his wide range of passing, but it will take a season to be ready to do that in terms of physical demands and simplification of his game. For now he will be restricted to #10 or RW.

 

[Sweet'n'Soulful]

His Arsenal career is. What he did at Socidead on loan is no comparison to what he has to face at Arsenal.

You asked what he’d done, presumably compared to ESR. Well he’s done more then ESR and is held in higher regard. If you disagree, fair enough.

 

[Rasmi]

It’s no slight on ESR to say Ødegaard is more advanced and the better player. He’s shown enough to suggest he will add something more. The downside is it can appear quite a desperate move and could have some unsettling effects on the squad, but he’s here on merit and everyone will have to man up.

he is way better than ESR. One is seen as world class talent and the other one is local talent. Cant compare

 

[North5]

Arteta will just mishandle him and cost us the chance of signing any of this Norwegian golden generation in the future.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

From 14th to 28th we play 5 matches. Surely he will get some minutes?

 

[Mo Britain]

Here's a plan: play Ødegaard and bench ESR. Then in the summer Ødegaard returns to Madrid and ESR asks for a transfer.

Called fox and grapes management.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

There will be so many games coming up, we'll need both.

 

[dashsnow17]

I wonder if Ødegaard will end up a bit like Gylffi Sigurdsson, maybe a slightly bettr version. Very good technical passer but not the best athlete. My prediction is that he can overcome his athletic limitations to become a very good player, but he probably can't overcome his athletic limitations to become an elite player.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I wonder if Ødegaard will end up a bit like Gylffi Sigurdsson, maybe a slightly bettr version. Very good technical passer but not the best athlete. My prediction is that he can overcome his athletic limitations to become a very good player, but he probably can't overcome his athletic limitations to become an elite player.

Difficult to say. Pirlo or Cazorla weren't exactly athletic beasts either, but with their kind of technical excellence married to football brains the size of Mars - they got pretty far.

I wouldn't put Ødegaard in such illustrious company, but he needs to play now. In my view, he shouldn't have gone to Real Madrid, but gone down the route that Haaland has chosen. That is easy to say now though.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

I'll wait until the first match of March when Tierney and Partey are hopefully fit. These two players being absent affects the whole team and the ability of playmakers to play without restriction.

 

[dashsnow17]

Difficult to say. Pirlo or Cazorla weren't exactly athletic beasts either, but with their kind of technical excellence married to football brains the size of Mars - they got pretty far.

I wouldn't put Ødegaard in such illustrious company, but he needs to play now. In my view, he shouldn't have gone to Real Madrid, but gone down the route that Haaland has chosen. That is easy to say now though.

When I talk about athletic limitations i'm thinking of his flexibility. Ødegaard is quite one-footed and the way he moves is a bit stiff. If the play is in front of him then he's gonna kill you, a bit like Xhaka, but playing 360 degrees isn't his game.

Whereas Cazorla was one of the most flexible players you've ever seen, total 360 player. Pirlo was a bit different, but he excelled deeper so he had more of the play in front of him.

When I think of elite midfielders who Ødegaard could be like, KDB or Modric, I just think they were slightly better athletes than Ødegaard is, and for that reason he might never reach that level. But his technical ceiling is basically limitless so maybe he proves me wrong.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

When I talk about athletic limitations i'm thinking of his flexibility. Ødegaard is quite one-footed and the way he moves is a bit stiff. If the play is in front of him then he's gonna kill you, a bit like Xhaka, but playing 360 degrees isn't his game.

Whereas Cazorla was one of the most flexible players you've ever seen, total 360 player. Pirlo was a bit different, but he excelled deeper so he had more of the play in front of him.

When I think of elite midfielders who Ødegaard could be like, KDB or Modric, I just think they were slightly better athletes than Ødegaard is, and for that reason he might never reach that level. But his technical ceiling is basically limitless so maybe he proves me wrong.

Put like that, I see your point. We'll never know how good he can be unless he plays though. I still think there is top quality player there, but his development has been stunted by not having stability. Basically, he hasn't been longer than one year at a club since he was 16. Not sure that is good for you.

 

[Maybe]

Can he play a deeper role now that Partey is gone? He needs to play, ESR needs to play and Partey is injured. The alternative is Elneny, and I'd rather see us starting with 10 men if that's the case

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Can he play a deeper role now that Partey is gone? He needs to play, ESR needs to play and Partey is injured. The alternative is Elneny, and I'd rather see us starting with 10 men if that's the case

He has played in central midfield for Norway, in a 4-4-2. I think he is a bit lightweight for the Premier League in such a role, yet.

 

[tap-in]

Here's a plan: play Ødegaard and bench ESR. Then in the summer Ødegaard returns to Madrid and ESR asks for a transfer.

Called fox and grapes management.

We need to bench ESR for some games. He cant play every single game. Tbh, I thought Ødegaard would start vs Villa. Plenty of mins for them both!