Martin Ødegaard: El Capitanø Incognito

[Riou]

The worst, most frustrating version of Özil could still put the ball on a plate for any half decent run from anywhere on the pitch. This guy creates nothing these days and is taken off the ball by a light breeze.

The form Martin had from like 2022-2024 was quality, so I think it's a style thing now...the way we play must be torture now for our attacking players.

 

[sdotzdot]

As a huge Ødegaard fan, him being just as stinky as last season still now is a concern I'm ngl. Preseason or not it still gives an indication of where the player is currently at.

Hopefully with Madueke and Gyok we see him take a few more risks to play them through as he will have plenty more options, and having to drop less deep with Zubi behind, but he needs to really go back to the form from the previous two seasons. He was so so good.

 

[Batman]

The form Martin had from like 2022-2024 was quality, so I think it's a style thing now...the way we play must be torture now for our attacking players.

We were playing the same way in 23/24 though and that was the best individual season of his career in terms of leadership and dictating games.

The only difference between last season and the prior season in terms of the system was that there were a lot more injuries and with that, players having to play different roles. The actual style of football was exactly the same. We were all bored to tears before that Dubai trip that changed everything and Jorginho made us a bit more watchable when he stepped in as the 6.

He also looked exactly like the good Ødegaard for his first 2 or 3 matches after he came back from the ankle injury and then fell off of a cliff after that so it's purely individual IMO.

That's not to say that the system couldn't be tweaked to help all of our attackers more because of course it could but his individual problems in terms of decision making and executing did not exist in this same system prior to the inexplicable drop in his 4th or 5th game back from injury last season.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

It's going to take pne of our other undropable players to berate him publicly to light a fire under him. Zero expectation of him on the ball.

 

[Batman]

It's going to take pne of our other undropable players to berate him publicly to light a fire under him. Zero expectation of him on the ball.

There was a moment today he drifted over to the left wing and called for the ball maybe 4 minutes into the 6 minutes of extra time and I knew as soon as he got it he was going to lose it.

Sure enough, he calls for the ball and is immediately dispossessed because he was too lazy and too weak to shield the ball.

Keep in mind that he's a one footed player receiving the ball with his back to goal in this instance where the only thing he can possibly do with his left foot is play it backwards at a time when we're trailing by a goal and the ball should be getting whipped into the box.

Now people can speak about system all they want. Nobody with any game intelligence should be asking for the ball in the position he was in knowing that he could not make any kind of positive intervention in the attack from said position so then you ask why he would do it?

Him losing the ball immediately while annoying is secondary to the fact that he could only slow down the attack in the position he asked for the ball in. Nothing positive could happen even if he retained possession there and yet his thought was to come all the way across the pitch to do that. There's not a system tweak that can fix a lack of game intelligence.

 

[kraphtous]

The hell happened to this guy, is it Al-Mikel, injury or was he never as good as we had hoped he was?

 

[bastun]

The hell happened to this guy, is it Al-Mikel, injury or was he never as good as we had hoped he was?

Our fanbase overhyped the guy so much. He had a really good run of games when teams still didn't know our tactics and patterns.
Forget about the **** football he plays. His physicality and how easily he is bullied is a disgrase. On top of everything he is our captain. I'm embarrassed

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Do better Martin.

 

[Malky]

Seriously, what happened to the guy?
How do you pick up an ankle injury that somehow causes mental blocks where you forget how to play football?!
He’s a shadow of the player we signed, an unwell looking version of Ødegaard from over a year ago!

 

[DUFFMAN]

The Ødegaard project has gone stale.

His ceiling was reached at Arsenal 2 years ago.

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

The problem of our club... The captain....

 

[Let's play Aubamawang]

Gyokeres: Martin, assist me please!
Ødegaard: Where's Saka?

 

[viktor]

 

[MikelHadADream]

Really think we should try switching Rice and Ødegaard. Not sure how that works with the MLS dynamic, but would really help the wingers.

Saka gets a runner, and Martinelli/Trossars get someone that can handle the ball.

Will never happen though.

 

[The Ducking Duck]

Really think we should try switching Rice and Ødegaard. Not sure how that works with the MLS dynamic, but would really help the wingers.

Saka gets a runner, and Martinelli/Trossars get someone that can handle the ball.

Will never happen though.

Rice is one of the least creative players on the planet. It would be insanity to put him in that role.

 

[MikelHadADream]

Rice is one of the least creative players on the planet. It would be insanity to put him in that role.

The role isn’t defined about what side of the pitch they’re on lmao.

Rice and Ødegaard obviously keeps their current roles, but just play on opposite sides.

 

[viktor]

Really think we should try switching Rice and Ødegaard. Not sure how that works with the MLS dynamic, but would really help the wingers.

Saka gets a runner, and Martinelli/Trossars get someone that can handle the ball.

Will never happen though.

Guarantee free flowing attacking football with this 2 option

1, Leao/mitoma LW, Ødegaard/eze LCM, dowman RCM, nwaneri RW, zubi/rice DM

2. Saka LW, Ødegaard LCM, dowman RCM, nwaneri RW, zubi/rice DM

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

There was a moment today he drifted over to the left wing and called for the ball maybe 4 minutes into the 6 minutes of extra time and I knew as soon as he got it he was going to lose it.

Sure enough, he calls for the ball and is immediately dispossessed because he was too lazy and too weak to shield the ball.

Keep in mind that he's a one footed player receiving the ball with his back to goal in this instance where the only thing he can possibly do with his left foot is play it backwards at a time when we're trailing by a goal and the ball should be getting whipped into the box.

Now people can speak about system all they want. Nobody with any game intelligence should be asking for the ball in the position he was in knowing that he could not make any kind of positive intervention in the attack from said position so then you ask why he would do it?

Him losing the ball immediately while annoying is secondary to the fact that he could only slow down the attack in the position he asked for the ball in. Nothing positive could happen even if he retained possession there and yet his thought was to come all the way across the pitch to do that. There's not a system tweak that can fix a lack of game intelligence.

I couldn’t have put this better. Add to the fact that he doesn't seem to have worked on his right foot at all. I remember Denilson getting off the ball easily but then working to shield it and at least winning fouls. Ode has been this way from the start tbh but his pressing abd goid moments have seen hus flaws glossed over. He's a whole level below Cesc and his attributes are overhyped. I'd sooner split his minutes between Ethan and Vieira who play quick and are decisive.

 

[MartiSaka]

Just watching that makes me feel some regret. I didn't appreciate the quality of football we played under Wenger, it was just a consistent given, and I was always focused on why we were not competing for the big trophies. I defy anyone to find a goal we have scored under Arteta that is more beautiful than any goal on that compilation (which only involves the goals involving Özil).

I wish we could just achieve the right balance between the later Wenger era and Arteta era, which are associated with polar opposite reasons for us not winning big trophies.

 

[Haphazard]

More so than anything where has the shot power from his left foot gone? He had a really good left footed shot that he hardly takes anymore