Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has perfect opportunity to take Martin Odegaard gamble vs Leeds

Arsenal host fellow mid-table side Leeds on Sunday evening, knowing a win would take them back into the top half of the table. The Gunners will be without important pair Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey though, and Mikel Arteta is faced with a dilemma for how to play against an attacking Leeds team.

It could be time for Mikel Arteta to put his money where his mouth is and take a gamble on starting Martin Odegaard against Leeds this weekend.

The Gunners host fellow mid-table side Leeds on Sunday evening, knowing a win would take them back into the top half of the table.

Their plight has been made more difficult though by the injuries to defender Kieran Tierney and midfielder Thomas Partey through respective injuries.

Both men provide pivots in defence and attack from out wide and through the middle, so Arteta will need to find another method of getting the ball back and up the field.

JUST IN: Arsenal suffer double injury blow ahead of crucial fixture vs Leeds

When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters.Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer.Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights.You can unsubscribe at any time.

One option would be to field January signing Odegaard from the off for the first time since his move from Real Madrid, alongside Emile Smith Rowe, with Granit Xhaka behind them.

That would be a rather gung ho approach, but would match Leeds’ all-out attitude, which has admittedly led to one of the worst defensive records in the league, and provide a thrilling encounter.

Arteta has said in the past that he believes they can play together though, insisting that their quality shouldn’t get in the way of building a partnership on the pitch.

DON’T MISS
Pep Guardiola’s transfer phone call shows Man Utd silver lining in Ruben Dias near miss
Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes won’t like Liverpool transfer plan as comments resurface
Bournemouth snub Terry with Arsenal legend in frame after Frank Lampard decision

The Spaniard told BT Sport before the defeat to Wolves: “When you see them training and how much they want to play and everyone is pushing because they want to be involved, you think about every possibility.

“But it’s true that he [Odegaard] hasn’t been here long enough and maybe he needs a little bit more time.”

Asked if he is competing with Smith Rowe for the starting No 10 spot, Arteta added: “They can play together. Good players can play together.”

Arteta is a huge fan of Odegaard’s and spoke at length about his quality before the match against United.

“He’s a player that we followed for some time and we believe that he’s got some special qualities that we need, that we have been missing,” the Gunners boss said.

“Now we have to give him a little bit of time. He hasn’t played that many minutes in Madrid but he’s been training hard and he looks so excited, as we are, to have another big talent at our club.

“I think in the last few seasons he’s progressed and developed in the right way. I’ve followed him very closely because he played for Real Sociedad, which is my home town. I know him really well.

“I’ve been really impressed. He’s a such a talent. He needs the right environment, he needs a little bit of time but I think he’s got the qualities to be a success for us.

“He’s a specialist to play in the pockets, to play in the No 8 or 10 positions. He can play off the sides.

“He’s a really creative player who’s really comfortable on the ball in tight spaces. He has the capacity to create chances and to score goals.

“Something that he has improved a lot is his work rate without the ball as well, so it’s another option to give us more creativity for sure in the final third, and give us more options to set up in different ways against certain teams.”

Source: Read Full Article