Premier League: Odegaard goes to another scoring dimension: “There is no one better”

Mikel Arteta gave the keys to Arsenal to a Martin Odegaard to whom he asked for a plus of effectiveness. “He’s getting better and better. His understanding of what we want is excellent. His work rate is phenomenal and then, in my opinion, he’s doing something that could improve a lot. He must get more into the area and be more decisive on the scoreboard. He is scoring goals but, if he adds this regularly to his game, he will be a really complete footballer”, pointed out the Spanish coach.

I think I have improved my ‘arrival’. Now I enter more in the area. They are not the most beautiful goals, but I am in the right places to score and that helps me a lot

Martin Odegaard, Arsenal captain

In his first six months at Arsenal on loan from Real Madrid (2021), the Norwegian barely scored one goal in 14 Premier games. Last season (2021-22) he improved (seven goals in 36 games) but Arteta wanted more. And Odegaard picked up the glove. “I think I’ve improved my ‘arrive’. Now I get into the box more. They’re not the most beautiful goals, but I’m in the right places to score and that helps me a lot. I’m happy to contribute to the team with goals”, pointed out the midfielder, who has reached 10 league goals for the first time in his career.

The ‘wonderkid’ who devoured early records with Strømsgodset, making his debut with his club and Norway at the age of 15 and arriving as a budding star at Real Madrid, has hit an offensive rush. He has entered another dimension in front of goal after his loans to Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad and not exploding at the Santiago Bernabéu. His ceiling of eight goals in a season in the Eredivisie (2018-19 with Vitesse) has already been pulverized in 27 Premier games.

shoot more than ever

Odegaard is another. This campaign he has shot more times on goal (23) and in total (73) than in each of the last three full seasons in the League. Neither with Arsenal (0.6 shots between the sticks per game in 2021-22 and 0.2 in the middle of 2020-21), nor with Real Sociedad (0.5 in 2019-20) did he reach 0 .9 shots on goal that this course averages per game in the Premier. In fact, in his last half-season at Madrid (2020-21), he did not even shoot between the sticks.

“He is deciding matches. He has a different presence on the field and I like what he is doing. Even so, he can be much better,” said Arteta who gave him the captain’s armband. He is the leader of a team that leads the Premier with a five point advantage over Manchester City in search of breaking the established order in ‘football’. “Right now, there is no better medium in England,” said former player Jamie Redknapp. The ‘gunners’ want to make history under the baton of Odegaard.

“This boy is Mozart, he rolls the ball between people’s legs, he looks like a reincarnation of the best Özil. You can tell he is comfortable in his role and is growing very well as Arsenal captain.” affirmed Rio Ferdinand. However, his music is not just classical. It also sounds like rock and he had goalscoring chords against Bournemouth (two goals), Fulham (one), Nottingham Forest (one), Wolverhampton (two), Brighton (one), Tottenham (one), Everton (one) and again Fulham ( one).

But how has your change been? Jonas Adnan GiaeverNorwegian journalist from the podcast ‘LaLigaLoca’ and the app ‘FCQuiz’, analyzes his explosion in production for MARCA: “Arsenal’s attack revolves around him. In addition, he plays closer to the area and is more mature when it comes to making decisions Regarding passing or shooting, when he was younger, sometimes he would rather assist than score, but now he has more power, responsibility… He is the captain and the benchmark of the team. His secret is that he has taken responsibility and is already one of the best in the world.showing the talent and potential that showed up when he was young”.

Odegaard, at Madrid, was an ‘8’ and now a ’10’ with freedom. He has changed his position and has a new role, with greater responsibility, which places him as one of the best in the world.

Jonas Adnan Giaever, Norwegian journalist

“In the face of the loss of Gabriel Jesus, Odegaard, along with Martinelli, Saka, Nketiah… he has carried the offensive load and he has done it fantastically. He is like the best basketball players who score, assist and dribble opening space for their teammates. He already has all three and that puts him at the level of the best”, says Adnan Giaever, who explains what has changed compared to his time at Madrid: “It was not his time. Odegaard needed to play to mature, feel loved and he has Made at Arsenal. Besides, in Madrid he was an ‘8’ and now a ’10’ with freedom. Has changed position and has a new role, with greater responsibility. And after so many transfers it already has its place. She feels at home.”

calm, key

James Gregg, ‘BBC’ journalist, puts the focus on the moment in which Odegaard took a step forward facing the goal: “Since Gabriel Jesus’ injury, Arteta encouraged him to move further up the pitch and be another attacking option for Arsenal. At first, his goals came against recently promoted teams, but Arteta clearly saw his potential to play against the best in the Premier.”

For me, Odegaard is the best midfielder in the Premier, even ahead of De Bruyne. He has calm where most rush to shoot

James Gregg, ‘BBC’ journalist

Gregg highlights his way of handling ‘tempo’: “Odegaard is calm where most of the players, especially the media, rush into the shot. When he has the ball, time stops. His tranquility to define is enormous. He has scored four or five goals with his left foot… For me, he is the best midfielder in the Premier, even ahead of De Bruyne.”