Martin Odegaard has been splitting opinion this season as Mikel Arteta continues to work out who Arsenal’s best number ten is.
Eberechi Eze starred in the central role in Odegaard’s absence, but once the captain returned, it was back to the left for Arsenal’s summer signing.
Some fans want to see Eze in the middle ahead of Odegaard, with the dream scenario being that Arteta finds a way to accommodate both.
With one attacking midfield spot up for grabs, the race is tight; however, there might be a surprise opening for Odegaard elsewhere.
You can pick any position for Martin Odegaard apart from central midfield – what is it and why?
Martin Keown noticed Martin Odegaard’s positioning against Club Brugge
Arteta heavily rotated his team against Club Brugge, making five changes, but Odegaard’s spot remained.
While the Norwegian lined up in front of Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi to take on the creative task, Martin Keown spotted him roaming in a different role.
Speaking on TNT Sports’ commentary of the match, the Arsenal legend admitted he found Odegaard’s positioning ‘interesting’.
“It’s interesting that Odegaard seems to be in the eight role rather than the number 10 he’s used to at Arsenal. Slight variations.”
What surprises you most about Arsenal’s positioning against Club Brugge?
When looking at the average positions that Arsenal’s starting XI took up against Club Brugge, it’s impossible to ignore how deep Odegaard was.
It was fitting that only the front three were ahead of him, but the surprising element was that he was, in spells, deeper than Zubimendi and Merino.
What makes Odegaard thrive in deeper positions
While seeing just how deep Odegaard plays is a surprise, when watching the playmaker in action, it’s clear to see why he enjoys occupying those areas.
The 26-year-old loves a through-ball, often playing disguised passes, and it’s fair to say he’s pretty good at it.
As data from FBref shows, over the past 365 days, Odegaard ranks in the top one per cent of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for his rate of through-balls per 90.
Averaging 1.03 per game, the midfielder is only narrowly behind leader Bruno Fernandes, who averages 1.11.
With eager runners in Arsenal’s team, it’s only a matter of time before Odegaard adds to his goal contribution tally.
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