Martin Ødegaard: El Capitanø Incognito

[Dokaka]

Honestly, might go down as one of the biggest bargains in the last handful of years. Unreal maturity to his game for a 23-year-old, reminds me a lot of Eriksen when he first joined Sp**s.

 

[avenellroad]

He deserves to be playing in CL.

Quality quality footballer

 

[Rex Stone]

Absolutely burying AM favourite Maddison this year

 

[CaseUteinberger]

What I meant with the Özil comparison question, was the skill and technique, and dictating the game. Also the clever fast combination play.

Ødegaard has still very much to prove for the comparison against prime Özil, but yes, the energy and defending is there much more with Ødegaard, which makes him able to play #8 role especially later in his career. What Özil could never.

In my opinion Ødegaard has the potential to be a modern hard-working upgrade on Özil, and I have always said that.

I think comparing Özil to Ødegaard is a bit difficult. I don't think he has the same silky smooth left foot as did Özil. Özil was something else at his peak. Just so incredibly smooth and effortless. I doubt we will see anyone like him again. What Ødegaard has, which Özil didn't is a really good motor and I feel he can better impose himself on games. Still has a bitt to go, but feel he is more involved when things go poorer for his team. Anyhow, I am glad he is doing well now for us. Hope he continues to grow now that he has a team where he is starting game in and game out. Something I think he needed. Kom igjen gutten vår!

 

[drippin]

I think comparing Özil to Ødegaard is a bit difficult. I don't think he has the same silky smooth left foot as did Özil. Özil was something else at his peak. Just so incredibly smooth and effortless. I doubt we will see anyone like him again. What Ødegaard has, which Özil didn't is a really good motor and I feel he can better impose himself on games. Still has a bitt to go, but feel he is more involved when things go poorer for his team. Anyhow, I am glad he is doing well now for us. Hope he continues to grow now that he has a team where he is starting game in and game out. Something I think he needed. Kom igjen gutten vår!

Not the same silky smooth left foot, but I have certainly seen some silky smooth left footed business recently from him. It's his stronger foot too. And he is still just coming to his peak.

What I love about his game is the joy and the hard-working sharp-witted determinism.

You can't compare these players otherwise too much, but Saka, Ødegaard, ESR and even Martinelli seem to glide with the ball. They float. Pepe of course has his own style.

 

[Lakersgooner24]

There are few better than Özil in peak form (both in productivity and elegance), but we all know that when the going got tough and we were under the cosh, he became invisible and often a liability.

Ode is a player you feel won't, for a lack of a better word, "hide" or shirk responsibility when things aren't looking good. He has the intangible qualities you want, that Özil, perhaps lacked. He has the qualities of a leader based on what we've seen, read, and heard.

I appreciate Özil for what he is/was; the sort of player that makes you appreciate the aesthetic/entertainment of football, but Ode is the type of character we want in this team, plus he's not half bad either.

 

[Ash10]

Proving to be the player I always believed him to be after seeing his loan spell in Sociedad

 

[Finesse]

He is coming into his own game. It is this comparisons and expectations that contributed for a larger extent to his slow progress. At Madrid the expectations has been a new Özil, goals , assists etc. The Özil number 10 patch in football is gone. Ødegaard is his own player and will play his game. At Arsenal he has another responsibility. It is not necessarily the assists and goals for now. It is much more the transition combinations / organisation/ inventiveness etc before the assist / goals for finality. He may not be in the stats for goals and assists but he makes the team tick and play. He will grow into his game and the assists and goals will add to the big picture. For now he is a fantastic force as to how we develop our game. At City , Silva , Gundogan and now Bernardo are doing this. Recently Pep has been telling Grealish same , relating to pressure on his stats for assists and goals.

 

[Camron]

Looking for @GDeep™, can't seem to locate him

Spoiler

 

[Heavy Duty Rom]

I am no lyricist, but someone change the words and bring it to the emirates. (Money Heist fans will know this well!)

"Ødegaard - Ødegaard, Ødegaard - gard - gard."

 

[Wryer]

Ode is extremely underrated by the league.

The boy came in with low expectations, with most people expecting him to be meh. I too didn’t think he could reach this form. But my word, he’s gone up a couple of notches over the last month. Dare I say - Özil-esque + hard running.

Was he ever this good in Spain?

 

[Wryer]

And I love his chase downs.

He knows he’s not gonna get the ball, but he knows what it meant to his mates and the fans.

That’s leadership.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Was he ever this good in Spain?

He was very good for Real Sociedad. I'd say probably "better" than during his loan stay here. However, that might not be an entirely easy comparison to make.

 

[juice man]

One of the best players in the league at the moment. Keep it up lad.

 

[TinFish]

I told you all before when be bought him that we had a quality player. Glad to be proving you all wrong.

 

[Trilly]

I told you all before when be bought him that we had a quality player. Glad to be proving you all wrong.

You sure told us!

 

[balthazar]

Glad to see his finally settle after years of sojourn.

Selling Willoch for 25m and buying Ødegaard for 30 is pretty good business I must say.

 

[MartiSaka]

Glad to see his finally settle after years of sojourn.

Selling Willoch for 25m and buying Ødegaard for 30 is pretty good business I must say.

It’s looking phenomenal business

 

[Barry]

Here's the best part about Ødegaard. He is still a kid and developing his overall game.

Wait until he gets into his peak years, with experience and consistency.

You worry a bit with teenage sensation players because a lot of them seem to be burned out by age 26. Hopefully that's not the case with Ødegaard and he can keep improving.

I wouldn't be surprised if we are seeing his peak now though. This is his 5th season of senior pro football. I'm not saying that to knock him either, he's been getting better and better. I just wonder if it's realistic to expect him to continue doing that in the same way that you would from ESR for example who is essentially 3 seasons of football behind Martin in terms of experience

 

[Barry]

All the smug posters telling us that they were right about Ødegaard when most of the forum wanted him here

Edit - I'll give it to @Heavy Duty Rom though, he was the leader for this Transfer, no question.