Arsenal have growing Martin Odegaard problem to cause concern for Mikel Arteta

Martin Odegaard was rightly rewarded with a new and improved contract by Arsenal last month after excelling since taking the captain’s armband. However, the Norwegian has been quietly struggling of late to cause a growing concern for manager Mikel Arteta.

Odegaard penned a deal in September to keep him at the Emirates until 2028. Arsenal fans rejoiced and formed a new chant for their skipper at around the same time.

There is no doubt that he was one of the best players in the Premier League last season. He was the club’s joint-top scorer with 15 goals from midfield and contributed another seven assists.

He was a big reason as to why Arsenal were challengers for the title in the first place. The Gunners have had a solid, if not spectacular, start to this season.

They sit second in the table and are one of only two teams to remain unbeaten. But something isn’t clicking in the final third as it was last term.

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Whether Odegaard is a cause of the problem, or a consequence of it, remains to be seen. But he is not hitting the levels he managed during his first campaign with the armband.

You don’t need to look at statistics to see that, he was a shadow of himself against Chelsea on Saturday. But stats are also a good pointer as to where he is with his game right now.

Odegaard has three goals in the league this season but two of them have been penalties. He didn’t take a single spot-kick last season in his tally of 15.

His creativity is also down, having made just two big chances for his team-mates in the first nine league games of the campaign. That constitutes a big chance every 4.5 matches, whereas last season he was doing so every 2.6 matches.

He has just one assist this term in nine outings, compared to an average of one assist every 5.2 matches in the 2022/23 campaign. There could be several reasons for Odegaard’s drop off that are beyond his control.

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Arsenal have slightly changed their way of playing this season with the introduction of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz to the midfield. Thomas Partey has not started a game since August due to injury but played at right-back when he did to create a different dynamic.

Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli, two of Arsenal’s smartest attackers, have also missed matches due to injury. Not having them to get on the end of Odegaard’s incisive passes may have had an impact.

But it will be a concern to Arteta that his main creative force has not been able to make the difference in big matches. He didn’t register a goal or assist in the games against Tottenham, Manchester City and Chelsea.

Arsenal’s recent success has been based a lot on Odegaard performing at a high level. They need him back to his best if they are to mount a title charge next May.

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