Martin Ødegaard: El Capitanø Incognito

[Gooner Zig]

Some of you are going to look really silly in a few games time when he starts picking up again. First half performance was really decent. Not the flashiest at the moment but he's a quality player.

Coming back from injury, needs time to find form again.

Exactly this. He was good in the first half but faded in the second, understandably because he doesn't have the fitness (yet).

 

[djpeat]

Was it his best game for us. No
Is he in the way of zubi and saka. No
Are we a better and more enyoable side to with him in it. My oppinion. Yes

 

[bastun]

Was it his best game for us. No
Is he in the way of zubi and saka. Yes
Are we a better and more enyoable side to with him in it. My oppinion. No

I fixed it for you

 

[Thrice]

He actually started looking like the old Ødegaard again right before that knee injury which had me hopeful that he turned a corner.

But last night was the same timid, turn around with the ball, slow down our attack horseshit again.

I just don't get him. He has all the attributes to be the best attacking midfielder in the world, but he seems scared to death to make a mistake when he has the ball.
This season is too important to carry him through his bad stretch again. I'm sure he'll start against Villa. If he plays like he did against Brentford again then he needs to be benched. Period.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

well this is just random. also it's me or Ødegaard look haven't eaten for months?

Looks like he has the jaundice also.

 

[djpeat]

I fixed it for you

**** no
you want us the be what some people unfairly say we are mourinho 2.0
I dont
Go watch a sport i cant rember from australia

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

I think Ødegaard problem in last year or so is that he just want to set the tempo to much and to slow. Usually coming deeper than our CBs for the ball, slowing attacks. I think sometimes stuff like this is good but sometimes it feels like he is overdoing it. At same time his shooting and combination play has felt lacking.

As I said he set some very high standard for him self two years ago and Arsenal is now at that level we require him to show that standard constantly. Lets see how he gets back to full fitness because he has a big role to play this season.

 

[bastun]

**** no
you want us the be what some people unfairly say we are mourinho 2.0
I dont
Go watch a sport i cant rember from australia

Que?

 

[djpeat]

Que?

You dont understand fotball
Should i ask ai translate

 

[djpeat]

Que?

Acording to chatgpt saka’s output drasticly drops without martin so no he he is not in the way

 

[El Duderino]

Acording to chatgpt saka’s output drasticly drops without martin so no he he is not in the way

ChatGPT also constantly get things wrong and Sam Altman is a massive Liverpool fan.

Wanted to name it ChatKOP, but the board didn't let him.

 

[bergholt]

The guy just thinks too much - you see it off-field when he's interviewed, and on-field when he plays tentative.

Occasionally he finds his rhythm and starts playing on instinct and that's when he's actually good, but getting injured wrecks it and he has to start building up confidence again.

Needs to get more dog in him tbh.

 

[Trilly]

Needs to do ****ing better.

Zero impact player, just possesion and safe passes, not direct at all and doesn't even try.

Every duel he goes in is probably 90% lost, and he doesn't even go fully, just vibing.

What happened to his goals, shots, good passes? He can't string a pass to save a life?

Why did he drop of massively?

I think it’s time to start the deep lying midfielder conversion. We’re better off turning him into a modric or kroos type at this point.

His attacking midfielder instincts have completely left him behind.

 

[BenTal]

There is a clear difference between how Zubi and Eza play the ball vs how Ødegaard plays the ball.

I really hate his leg dance tbh and it really looks he is not confident with the ball.

But again, I don't mind having him in the team, but we should expect way more from our captain! I want him to give constant 7-8 out of 10 performance like Rice and Zubi, and this is not a big ask

 

[bastun]

Acording to chatgpt saka’s output drasticly drops without martin so no he he is not in the way

Thank you for the lesson

 

[Gooner Zig]

I don't know...lot of you guys are being way too harsh. Can't get that Olympiacos game outta my mind - can we at least see him with Gyok for a run of games?

 

[Red London]

Ridiculous overreactions on here. I had to give red cards to posters who I like. Had to go Mike Dean on y’all asses out here.

He was not as bad you guys are making out, he was actually quite instrumental to our build up play and did some nice passes into the attack in the last couple plays we had.

Things would need to pick up, but this performance was perfectly fine for his first game back. If he plays like this every single game then yeh I agree it’s not enough. But I am hoping he returns to the bright spots he had vs Newcastle and Olympiakos.

 

[gasperini]

Ødegaard is too slow to play as ten. Deep lying playmaker will suit him more

 

[GoonerJay24]

I think Ødegaard problem in last year or so is that he just want to set the tempo to much and to slow. Usually coming deeper than our CBs for the ball, slowing attacks. I think sometimes stuff like this is good but sometimes it feels like he is overdoing it. At same time his shooting and combination play has felt lacking.

As I said he set some very high standard for him self two years ago and Arsenal is now at that level we require him to show that standard constantly. Lets see how he gets back to full fitness because he has a big role to play this season.

He’s definitely too involved in every phase build up, approach play, and even out of possession leading our press. Of course that was always going to take something away from his natural game.

The midfield dynamic in 2022–2024 was completely different to what we’ve had over the last year. Back then, Partey, Xhaka, and Jorginho handled most of the build-up responsibilities, which allowed Ødegaard to operate as an advanced midfielder. As those partners changed, he’s had to take on extra responsibility. Zubimendi, good as he’s been, is still adapting to the pace of English football and our structure. Rice doesn’t suit being the central option in build up so he rotates wide left. Merino is better higher up as well. MLS is still developing understanding at this level.

The onus has basically fallen on Ødegaard to be central to every phase, combined with injuries, it’s naturally regressed parts of his game. Even though Wirtz started slowly at Liverpool, I genuinely felt someone with that profile in the left 8 role would really help Martin and the team flow better. I still have faith in Eze becoming that guy; it's just about building rhythm and relationships with his teammates.

 

[Barry]

I don't know...lot of you guys are being way too harsh. Can't get that Olympiacos game outta my mind - can we at least see him with Gyok for a run of games?

Yeah exactly. I really want to see Saka, Gyok, Eze & Ødegaard all play together as a "front four" for a spell. I think that's where we really go up a level.

What I think is getting missed by some is that there's two phases of the game - both equally important. It's fine to be critical of Ødegaard for his natural cautiousness, and when that's overdone it's frustrating because we lose some of that penetration up front. But his underlying numbers are still really good; we know he can score and assist from previous seasons.

What he does bring, even at the moment, is security in possession. That caution is helping our defensive unit be one of the best in world football at the moment. That's obviously why Arteta still trusts him. I'll be critical as well if he doesn't improve but I think he will and those performances before his last injuries suggests that he can get to a higher level again.