Odegaard sets the record for the most painful defeat in the Premier League.

Just three days after his "extraordinary" performance against Olympiakos in the Champions League, Martin Odegaard has once again become the focus of an unexpected record.

Odegaard has suffered another injury.

In Arsenal's 2-0 victory over West Ham at the Emirates in the seventh round of the Premier League on October 4th, the Norwegian captain was substituted after 30 minutes – thus becoming the first player in Premier League history to be taken off before halftime in three consecutive matches in which he had started.

When luck turns its back on the captain.

Odegaard, 26, started the new season as Arsenal's spiritual leader, the most influential player in Mikel Arteta's style of play. But instead of creating his usual magical moments, he has been plagued by bad luck.

On two previous occasions, Odegaard had to leave the field early in matches against Leeds and Nottingham Forest due to shoulder injuries. This time, the cause stemmed from a knee collision with West Ham striker Crysencio Summerville.

“He’s not in a good mood,” Arteta said after the match. “Odegaard is currently wearing a knee brace. We need to wait for the medical team’s conclusion, but obviously we haven’t been very lucky this season – twice in the shoulder, now in the knee. Hopefully, the injury isn’t too serious.”

Odegaard had to leave the field early in the match against West Ham.

In the 5-0 victory against Leeds on August 23rd, Odegaard had to leave the field in the 38th minute after a fall due to an awkward position. In the match against Nottingham Forest on September 13th, he returned to the starting lineup but only lasted 18 minutes due to a recurrence of his shoulder injury. And now, in the clash against West Ham, he collapsed after half an hour of play – despite having played the full 90 minutes in the Champions League earlier in the week.

Last season, Odegaard played 45 games in all competitions, acting as the creative mastermind behind Arsenal's possession-based style of play. However, a series of injuries – both to him and other key players – caused the Gunners to falter in the 2024/25 title race.

Arteta and the Odegaard-less dilemma

While a year ago, losing Odegaard could have plunged Arsenal into crisis, things are different this season. With over £250 million spent this summer, Arteta has a deeper and more flexible squad than ever before.

When Odegaard left the field, he immediately brought on Martin Zubimendi – the £60 million signing – as a replacement, and it was the Spanish midfielder who initiated the opening goal: his exquisite long pass set up Declan Rice to score against his former club.

Even with Rice having to leave the field due to a back injury, Arsenal were still able to field Mikel Merino and young talent Ethan Nwaneri, a clear testament to the depth Arteta has painstakingly built.

"Nobody wants to lose players so early," Arteta admitted. "But the positive is that we have players who can come on, change the team's structure, and still maintain effectiveness."

Arsenal are still fine without Odegaard.

The depth of their squad not only helps Arsenal maintain their position in the top group of the Premier League, but also shows they have learned a bitter lesson from last season – where injuries crushed their title ambitions.

For Odegaard, this was a challenging chapter in his journey as captain. With all eyes on him, the talented conductor was battling his most invisible enemies: bad luck and his physical condition.

If Arsenal continue to win while Odegaard is absent, it would be a sign of a truly mature team. But for Mikel Arteta, nothing is more reassuring than seeing his captain back in midfield, with the captain's armband on his arm and the musician's touch on his feet.

Source: https://znews.vn/odegaard-tao-ky-luc-dau-don-nhat-premier-league-post1590930.html