Arsenal are a different (and much better) team with Martin Odegaard, who knew? Well, despite entering the weekend nine points behind Liverpool and already faces questions of their Premier League title credentials, the return of one player has sparked talk of the fight being far from over.
Odegaard doesn’t just have a positive imnpact on the atmosphere and feel to things at Arsenal, he dictates it. There should be no downplaying or ignoring just how important his return to the Emirates Stadium has been.
Against Chelsea he produced a pass that nobody else in the team could from a position most others can’t see, let alone access so quitely and deftly. Here, at the centre of a truly dominant 3-0 win over the high-flying and impressive Nottingham Forest side visiting, he was imperious.
Against Chelsea he produced a pass that nobody else in the team could from a position most others can’t see, let alone access so quitely and deftly. Here, at the centre of a truly dominant 3-0 win over the high-flying and impressive Nottingham Forest side visiting, he was imperious.
From there, Arsenal were never in doubt. Not just the result, but the feel of the game. Things were so comfortable and so wrapped up that even Arteta, a cautious rotater of players, was able to withdraw Odegaard and bring on Raheem Sterling. Perhaps the only regret is that Ethan Nwaneri hasn’t had more opportunities during the period without Odegaard.
