Arsenal may have given Real Madrid the ultimate insult for Martin Odegaard, the untouchable record of his class
Discarded Real Madrid wonderkid Martin Odegaard has become Arsenal's main man – and his £30million fee is looking increasingly insulting.
Last weekend became the first first division player since records began in the 2003/04 season to complete more than 100 passes (109), create at least five chances (7) and assist multiple goals (2) in the same game as the gunmen defeated West Ham 6-0.
There wasn't much fuss made about it, a sign of the progress he has made, but the silky Norwegian was literally untouchable at the London Stadium.
odegaard He backed it up by unleashing the sweetest of left-footed half-volleys into the Arsenal half. 5-0 demolition of Burnley on Saturday and with 18 months of near-flawless attacking midfield magic under his belt, it's understandable that level has become the norm.
So, as Arsenal prepare to relaunch their bid for Champions League glory with a last-16 draw against FC Porto this week, live on talkSPORTI don't think it can be argued that Odegaard is now among the European elite. Like Madrid I had waited before collecting it.
magic numbers
People constantly drool over the magic of Kevin de Bruyne (and I'm not going to argue the validity of that), but Odegaard is comfortably the next best attacking midfielder in the Premier League.
Their numbers say it all. No one plying their trade in the world's strongest division, for example, has created more open play opportunities this season. Just ten shy of the 63 he achieved last season (third best in 2022-23), Odegaard has been disgustingly inventive.
Throughout his Premier League career to date, the 25-year-old has created a chance once every 37 minutes.
Since the 2003/04 season, Mesut Ozil (every 27 minutes) and Cesc Fábregas (every 32 minutes) are the only Arsenal players who can eclipse that figure, so he keeps good company.
7
7
A natural grafter
Driving Arsenal's play from the right-side '8' position, his role encompasses much more than simply staying in tight spaces.
Involved in everything, Odegaard has carved out a niche for himself as Mikel Arteta's integral orchestrator, inside and outside of possession. He is the antithesis of a luxury player, traveling an average of 11.8 km every 90 minutes.
When he claimed a vital 3-1 victory over title rivals Liverpool a fortnight ago, he upped the ante on that front, covering an impressive 12.75km to help get the job done.
Much of Odegaard's energy is dedicated to pressing, he is a true machine when it comes to closing. He is among the top five central or attacking midfielders in the Premier League at applying “pressure” to his opponents.
Incisive distribution
It's nice for your manager that that workload doesn't distract you from your daily job of acquiring quality ammunition.
The Norwegian currently leads the way with five more through balls than any other player in the top flight this season.
7
Odegaard, playing for a team built around fluid, interchangeable movement, loves nothing more than throwing a defense-splitting pass to a running back from deep.
Realization potential
Is Arsenal's captain world-class? Let's not get into that – I'm still recovering from the useless debate that Rio Ferdinand created by claiming that Bukayo Saka is not – but yes, of course he is.
Scoring goals, scoring goals, controlling high-level matches with his quality and decision-making, he is really good.
It's fast approaching nine years since Carlo Ancelotti made him the youngest La Liga debutant in Los Blancos' history at just 16 years and 157 days old.
7
At that time he was already a full international with Norway, having made his professional debut with Stromsgodset the previous year, just 118 days after his 15th birthday. Odegaard was considered a generational talent with the world at his feet, but he was not given time as a teenager.
Swallowed by Real's thirst for instant glory, he waited 679 days for his first start, in the Copa del Rey, and shortly after, with no chance of being used regularly, Odegaard jumped into the loan carousel.
Spells with Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad saw incremental progress, enough for Zinedine Zidane to start using him at the start of 2020-21.
But at 22 years old, and still settle in Madrid, the Spaniards were happy to reach a deal when Arsenal attacked three years ago. First for an assignment and then for a permanent transfer.
Captain's Material
Fast forward to 2024 and Odegaard is no longer a child; Instead, he is a leader of men.
7
Determined but calm, his captaincy is based on setting a perfect example for others, and it is a role that suits his personality and the culture that Arteta has carefully created.
He is comfortable with the bracelet and also has clarity in his decision making. Knowing that Kai Havertz needed a goal to boost his confidence, he handed the ball to the German for a “sympathy penalty” at Bournemouth. From then on he has been a different player.
Following a missed penalty by Jorginho for his country, he also gave the Italian the chance to bury that memory by allowing him to take a penalty against Lens. Thoughtful and bold, he seems to have an idea of what is needed in the group.
He also gets the fans. He is often a cheerleader in the game and is always the last to leave the field at the end of a game, win or lose, and thanks them for their support.
find a home
7
Looking back, while you can't blame Madrid for jumping to land the world's most coveted teenager in 2014, it was a move that proved too much, too soon for both parties.
Odegaard's development was a long-term project that required patience to bear fruit, but while he reveled at the top of European football, the Spanish giants were understandably distracted by more immediate priorities.
In football sometimes you have to let a promising young player go so he can flourish, and to their credit, Arsenal timed their move perfectly.
To the sound of the darts anthem 'Chase The Sun', Gunners fans love to sing about their captain and how when he's on the ball it's fucking magical – and they're not wrong.
Arsenal hit the mark with Odegaard. Growing alongside the team he captains, the North Londoners can now compete with anyone on the biggest stage.
