Martin Ødegaard: El Capitanø Incognito

[The Ducking Duck]

Arteta is trying to make Arsenal Christian again so we need to bin this heathen vegan.

 

[Legend14]

Was our best player for the opening 30 minutes and then after Martinelli missed the sitter he disappeared. No coincidence the entire performance tanked along with him.

I checked to make sure I saw what I saw. Yep, not sure what you watched.
He was miserable in first 30. He was hiding behind defenders. He touched the ball 6 times, lost it twice. Blew his nose 4 times ( once while not tracking back). I actually think he has grass allergies.

Thats about it. Run it back if you want.

Either way I think Arteta needs to consider a change and make him a sub. He’s a technical player that is struggling badly to have an impact.

 

[GDeep™]

You play Eze and give him 10 games to get form and rhythm.

 

[RunTheTrap]

It's very simple. Ødegaard competes with Zubimendi for the 8 role, while Eze, Nwaneri and Merino compete for the 10 spot.

 

[2Smokeyy]

I’ve never really been fooled by his pressing gimmick. Sure it’s a part of the game these days but when you’re taking unnecessary touches to make it seem like you are busy then it shouldn’t be the main thing we’re prioritising.

First thing that comes to mind and what should be the priority with attacking midfielders is decisiveness in the final third. This isn’t to say he isn’t a good player because obviously he is but with Ødegaard it seems like the game has to favour him then he can cook rather than the other way around, something Özil used to get butchered for. Let’s keep it , Özil in his little pinky toe had more talent than most of these lot in the PL but the main concern was his pressing lol it’s a shame at his best at the club he had to play with Giroud.

 

[Batman]

I don’t really care about the one-footedness. For me it’s the lack of ownership in the final third. He’s too comfortable dropping out of zone 14 and stepping on Zubimendi toes. When was the last time you saw this guy make a run beyond the striker? Like I told @Heavy Duty Rom Ødegaard doesn't stand in positions to hurt the opposition. He plays to make himself look better at the expense of the team. Now let me be fair - he was great against Villa in the second half, but that was the only game this season where he cooked. Everything else has been poor.

Overall I felt he had a run of the last few games leading up to this one where he was at least alright and a couple of times brilliant. This was a disgusting performance.

The one footedness is tolerable when he's chipping in with goals and assists and making tons of ball recoveries in the final third as the leader of the press.

When the same Anderson who spent the entire match going down like he'd been shot under the slightest challenge is rag dolling you every time you get on the ball, then I have an issue and it's one that's exacerbated by the angle bias which makes it easier for the defender to get leverage on you and stop you going where he knows you have to go.

The general tendency to shrink when things are tough is infuriating for any player but particularly as the supposed leader of the team and standard bearer for what we want to be.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Did he play against Forest?
I've noticed his name in matchday squad, but I haven't noticed him on the pitch.

 

[RunTheTrap]

Overall I felt he had a run of the last few games leading up to this one where he was at least alright and a couple of times brilliant. This was a disgusting performance.

The one footedness is tolerable when he's chipping in with goals and assists and making tons of ball recoveries in the final third as the leader of the press.

When the same Anderson who spent the entire match going down like he'd been shot under the slightest challenge is rag dolling you every time you get on the ball, then I have an issue and it's one that's exacerbated by the angle bias which makes it easier for the defender to get leverage on you and stop you going where he knows you have to go.

The general tendency to shrink when things are tough is infuriating for any player but particularly as the supposed leader of the team and standard bearer for what we want to be.

What bothered me the most about Ødegaard’s performance was that I watched Bruno give a masterclass a few hours before and never once believed Martin could do the same. Say what you want about the Portuguese rat, but he gets it cracking when his team needs him. Ødegaard hasn't done that since the Bush administration.

 

[Batman]

What bothered me the most about Ødegaard’s performance was that I watched Bruno give a masterclass a few hours before and never once believed Martin could do the same. Say what you want about the Portuguese rat, but he gets it cracking when his team needs him. Ødegaard hasn't done that since the Bush administration.

I'm not going to go overboard. He definitely stepped up against Villa and he's had a few other moments this season. The reason I'm annoyed is because we've seen a better version of this player for an extended period of time and there's not a physical reason for us not seeing that player regularly. It's his attitude which is wrong and I find that poor from a Captain and from the manager.

I've stated ad nauseum in this thread that I believe that there are different archetypes that can succeed as Captain. The problem is that presently Odgegaard fits none of those molds. He's not the perfect cog like a Jordan Henderson. He's not that head and shoulders uber talisman like an Henry and he doesn't have the raw blood and thunder leader of men traits of a Vieira. Borrowing from another sport, he doesn't have that incredible consistency, leadership by example and embodiment of standards that made someone like Derek Jeter so iconic and successful.

He's not close to being any of these things and I think that days like this show you how big a problem that is when he's tasked with leading. Gabriel, Rice and Saka show way more as leaders. The fact that on a points per game and productivity level we have been better without him on the pitch than with him this season is damning. I'm not sure how many Captains of clubs that win things that would be true about.

 

[RunTheTrap]

I'm not going to go overboard. He definitely stepped up against Villa and he's had a few other moments this season. The reason I'm annoyed is because we've seen a better version of this player for an extended period of time and there's not a physical reason for us not seeing that player regularly. It's his attitude which is wrong and I find that poor from a Captain and from the manager.

I've stated ad nauseum in this thread that I believe that there are different archetypes that can succeed as Captain. The problem is that presently Odgegaard fits none of those molds. He's not the perfect cog like a Jordan Henderson. He's not that head and shoulders uber talisman like an Henry and he doesn't have the raw blood and thunder leader of men traits of a Vieira. Borrowing from another sport, he doesn't have that incredible consistency, leadership by example and embodiment of standards that made someone like Derek Jeter so iconic and successful.

He's not close to being any of these things and I think that days like this show you how big a problem that is when he's tasked with leading. Gabriel, Rice and Saka show way more as leaders. The fact that on a points per game and productivity level we have been better without him on the pitch than with him this season is damning. I'm not sure how many Captains of clubs that win things that would be true about.

Ødegaard is the Cultural leader. He is a big shift for the existing culture that we see today - faith-led, socially responsible, boy scouts type of vibe. After the departure of Lacazette and Auba, Arteta needed to switch the culture to something more professional and less joking around. Up step Martin Ødegaard who not only changed the culture but also helped mentor the younger players. The problem is that, like you said, Gabriel has grown as a leader, Rice is a stalwart of English football and future England captain and Saka is the talismanic face of the club. Ødegaard is kinda just there but no one has told him to take off the armband, and he isn't looking to move anytime soon. You have to sell him to get him off the armband. Removing the armband midway through the season would crush him.

 

[Thrice]

It's very simple. Ødegaard competes with Zubimendi for the 8 role, while Eze, Nwaneri and Merino compete for the 10 spot.

Yep, Ødegaard and Zubimendi together doesn't make much sense anymore. Especially since Zubimendi has been more prominent in the final third in recent games. He's been doing part of Ødegaard's job already.

 

[Tourbillion]

Did he play against Forest?
I've noticed his name in matchday squad, but I haven't noticed him on the pitch.

He played in a forest by himself somewhere.

 

[Batman]

Ødegaard is the Cultural leader. He is a big shift for the existing culture that we see today - faith-led, socially responsible, boy scouts type of vibe. After the departure of Lacazette and Auba, Arteta needed to switch the culture to something more professional and less joking around. Up step Martin Ødegaard who not only changed the culture but also helped mentor the younger players. The problem is that, like you said, Gabriel has grown as a leader, Rice is a stalwart of English football and future England captain and Saka is the talismanic face of the club. Ødegaard is kinda just there but no one has told him to take off the armband, and he isn't looking to move anytime soon. You have to sell him to get him off the armband. Removing the armband midway through the season would crush him.

Then crush him. Who cares? He's paid a wage and should perform any role tasked to him even if it's cheerleading or backing someone up. Nobody's feelings should come before silverware. If you aren't at it, you aren't at it. Someone like Harry Maguire had the armband taken off of him, was made a total meme on the internet and all he's done since that point is put his head down and work and come up quite big for that joke club he plays for. He never complained. You don't even have to take the armband off him. Just stop playing him over better options and in midfield combinations that don't make sense.

 

[grange]

It’s clear he was voted captain because the others don’t want to hear more of Mik’s yapping. It has nothing to do with his play.

 

[Sammy1887]

It’s clear he was voted captain because the others don’t want to hear more of Mik’s yapping. It has nothing to do with his play.

Doubt there was a vote to select the captain. Teta must have told the squad its either Ode or you go to the gulag.

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

 

[Gooner Zig]

Martin was not good enough yesterday - really terrible performance. Mikel needs to situationally bench him - he's usually great at home but can be so ineffective away from home.

 

[DanDare]

I don't understand what's going on. He came back, got fit and for a coupe of games was all over the pitch not just in his little hidey-hole in the right half space or receiving the ball in between the CBs

Needs benching for Eze to get him to sort himself out

 

[Sanchez11]

Simply not good enough as captain or as an attacking cm.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Yesterday was really bad but this is his normal performance type. The good ones are the outliers. So much hope after Villa and Everton and then nothing. I understand that he doesn't want to get injured but waving his leg in a 50/50 challenge and launching the opposition attack and losing the ball for fun is inexcusable. I read back and this time last year the same criticism was being posted. The line breaking stat is what it is but it's also deceptive when he makes those passes in line with the CB's. That alone shouldn't get him selected and the tempo he sets is numbing. The bottom line is that he hasn't had any consistency of performance for years. We never know if good Martin will show up. The things he gets praised for are the basics that Cesc did every match even with his annual injury. We can't keep carrying him.