Mikel Arteta confirms why he took Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard off against Everton

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Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw against Everton at the Emirates on a frustrating afternoon in N5.

The Gunners were unable to seek inspiration from their 3-0 win against Monaco, suffering yet another draw in the Premier League.

Against Everton, Arsenal recorded their sixth draw of the season, already usurping their tally of draws over the entire 2023/24 campaign.

It’s back to the drawing board for Mikel Arteta, whose side were unable to capitalise on another week of dropped points for Liverpool.

• READ MORE: Three things you may have missed in Arsenal 0-0 Everton draw including Mikel Arteta’s rollicking

Mikel Arteta reacts to Martin Odegaard substitution

Several Arsenal players were poor against Everton and surprisingly, very few were as disappointing as captain Martin Odegaard.

The midfielder had a rare off-day at the Emirates, struggling in all areas of his game, particularly in front of goal.

Odegaard’s low-performance level wasn’t the only shock regarding the Norweigan, as Arteta hooked the skipper just after the hour mark.

The decision sparked surprise around the stadium as the number eight shone in red on the sideline, seeing the 25-year-old replaced by teenager Ethan Nwaneri.

Responding to the decision after the game in the post-match press conference, Arteta explained why he took Odegaard out of the contest so early.

“With Martin it was a tactical decision,” the manager said. 

“I understand. If Ethan comes in and scores it’s a great sub. If he doesn’t you’ve taken your captain off. It’s football.”

Odegaard was poor against Everton

In some instances, the numbers speak for themselves in a game.

Odegaard was ineffective in front of goal when his side needed him, missing arguably Arsenal’s best chance to score when the opportunity fell to him.

It was a poor day for the player, who has newly returned from an ankle injury that saw him sidelined for six weeks of action.

For now, the captain will appreciate some time to reflect on what went wrong against Everton, with plenty of opportunity to bounce back in the near future.