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Martin Odegaard has just delivered two outstanding performances against Brighton and Aston Villa. |
When the Norwegian midfielder is in top form, he is not only the orchestrator in Mikel Arteta's system but also a measure of Arsenal's championship ambitions.
When the captain regained his breath
There's an interesting paradox at Arsenal this season. While Declan Rice is being hailed as a new symbol of fighting spirit, the official captain has quietly faded from the spotlight.
Shoulder and knee injuries have disrupted Martin Odegaard's rhythm, leaving him playing intermittently and unable to fully showcase the skills that once defined him. This has led to questions. Is it time for a change of captaincy?
The two matches against Brighton and Aston Villa provided the answer. Against Brighton, Odegaard opened the scoring with a powerful long-range shot, a goal that was more of a relief than a purely technical one. And in the 4-1 victory over Villa on the morning of December 31st, Arsenal played football that suffocated their opponents, with every move seemingly orchestrated by their captain.
Odegaard's presence wasn't limited to the final touches. He dictated the tempo, demanding the ball at every crucial moment.
When his teammates had possession, Odegaard constantly pointed, stretching the opposing defense. At one point towards the end of the match, Arsenal seemed to be playing football using non-verbal signals, and Odegaard was the one holding the map.
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When his teammates had the ball, Odegaard constantly gestured, stretching the opposing defense. |
The second goal against Villa perfectly illustrated this comeback. Odegaard made a tackle in midfield, a skill previously considered a weakness.
From there, the Norwegian midfielder surged straight into the center, then delivered a sublime through pass to Martin Zubimendi. It was a move that encapsulated two aspects of Odegaard's current style of play: aggressive off the ball and refined on the ball.
The numbers don't lie. Against Villa, Odegaard was Arsenal's player with the most shots, the most touches in the final third, and the most pressing passes. He also won the most duels and recovered the ball more often than anyone else.
In this Premier League season, Odegaard has averaged over 2.5 key passes per game, with a pass accuracy rate of over 88% and more than 7 ball recoveries. He is no longer a pure attacking midfielder, but a complete midfielder.
The evolution of Arsenal's midfield
Odegaard's return coincides with a major change in Arsenal's midfield structure. The arrival of Martin Zubimendi allows for greater flexibility in the distribution of defensive roles.
Zubimendi sets the tempo from behind, but he's no longer standing still. He's willing to push forward, ready to penetrate the penalty area. Conversely, Odegaard drops deeper to organize and initiate pressing.
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In this Premier League season, Odegaard has averaged over 2.5 key passes per game, with a pass accuracy rate of over 88% and more than 7 ball recoveries. |
In the second goal against Villa, the line between "defensive midfielder" and "attacking midfielder" was almost blurred. Odegaard won the ball, and Zubimendi finished it off. This is something Arsenal rarely achieved in previous seasons, when the roles of each midfielder were quite rigidly defined.
This flexibility makes Arsenal harder to predict. They create intense pressure in midfield, forcing opponents to make hasty passes.
Upon regaining possession, Arsenal immediately launched high-speed counter-attacks. In these counter-attacks, Odegaard was the first to make decisions, determining the direction of the attack and the rhythm of the entire team.
Odegaard's impact is also evident in the story of Eberechi Eze. The £60 million signing was expected to create fierce competition for the number 10 spot. But since Odegaard reached peak fitness earlier this month, Eze has almost disappeared from the starting lineup.
In the last three Premier League rounds, the English midfielder hasn't played a single minute. The message is clear: when Odegaard is fit, there's no one to replace him.
That belief didn't just come from Arteta. Before the season, the Arsenal dressing room voted for a captain. Odegaard won overwhelmingly. Arteta described it as a "mile-wide" victory.
The calls for a change of captain therefore only existed outside the training ground gates. Inside, Odegaard never lost his position.
In the context of an increasingly fierce title race, Odegaard's form is crucial. When the Norwegian midfielder plays to his full potential, Arsenal not only win, but win like a title contender. They no longer rely on individual moments, but operate like an organized machine, where every pass has a purpose.
Arsenal sent many messages in their victory over Aston Villa. But the strongest message came from the image of Odegaard standing in the middle of the pitch, directing with his hands, his eyes constantly searching for space. It was the image of a captain returning at the right time. And with Odegaard like that, the Gunners' big dream is no longer a distant one.
Source: https://znews.vn/odegaard-xung-danh-the-thu-linh-cua-arsenal-post1615670.html
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