According to the BBC’s Garth Crooks, Martin Odegaard was back to his best against Wolves, which is why he is in his BBC team of the week.
The departure of Granit Xhaka and the signing of Havertz made Odegaard’s job challenging, but his recent performance indicates that he is on the rise.
Martin Odegaard was the attacking spark in Arsenal’s midfield trio of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, and him last season.
Thomas Partey was the primary defensive midfielder, but Xhaka also played a role in which he contributed to the defensive aspects of the game in midfield even though he played as a No. 8. Xhaka would track the ball back, was brilliant at recycling the ball, and won the ball back.
Everything changed when Havertz arrived. It hasn’t gotten much attention, but for Arsenal’s midfield to operate with Rice as the No. 6, Odegaard as the No. 8, and Havertz (or at times Trossard) as the No. 8, Odegaard must play the Xhaka role, which Havertz cannot. The Norwegian is compelled to focus on more than just attacking; he also has to contribute defensively, like Xhaka did. There are concerns that Havertz and Trossard’s best style of play is attacking; they are players with an eye for goal.
Even so, Odegaard appears to be adjusting to his new role. In the last two Premier League games, he shined against Brentford the previous weekend, and he appears to have built on it against the Wolves. Crooks claims the Norwegian is back to controlling the game from midfield and generating chances after chances like the maestro the Gooners want him to be.
After watching him on Saturday, where he scored Arsenal’s second in a 2-1 win, Crooks said of the Arsenal captain, “This was the first time I’ve seen Odegaard look something like the player he was for Arsenal last season. His goal was struck beautifully, but he was also back controlling the game from the centre of midfield and setting up chances for his teammates to score out of nothing.”
Odegaard is gradually regaining his form, which should be bad news for Arsenal’s opponents.
