Martin Odegaard has not had the best week at Arsenal, struggling immensely when the Gunners needed him most.
There were few players as bad as Odegaard against Nottingham Forest, as the playmaker showed no sign of being able to influence the game.
All eyes will be on how Mikel Arteta handles his captain’s inconsistency, with Odegaard’s form constantly fluctuating.
The quality that the Norwegian possesses only makes his recent struggles all the more frustrating, as he’s looked a shadow of his former self for the majority of the season.
Prove me wrong, Martin Odegaard does not offer enough to Arsenal anymore.
Martin Odegaard caused Arsenal a problem by frequently passing to two players against Nottingham Forest
Arteta demands duel-winning expertise from his midfielders, which is a demand Odegaard just can’t fulfil.
We saw it against Chelsea and then again when Arsenal visited Forest, but it was something else that unfolded at the City Ground that was even more annoying to watch.
Being the recognised playmaker in Arsenal’s three-man midfield, the responsibility to break down low blocks is on Odegaard, but against Forest, he preferred to pass elsewhere.
It’s not just the eye test that will tell you that, as the 27-year-old was difficult to watch against Forest, but the numbers tell the extent of his desire to constantly play it safe.
Instead of playing the ball forward, Odegaard most frequently passed to Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.
The skipper passed to Gabriel and Saliba four times each, the most passes he played to any of his teammates.
Why the attacking midfielder was consistently in the vicinity of the two centre-backs is one question, but the other is, why wasn’t he passing forward?
Odegaard’s 57-minute performance ended with him recording just a single pass into the final third, making it no surprise that Arsenal failed to score.
Odegaard needs to earn his place in the Arsenal squad
The positive to Odegaard’s struggles is that Arteta has options, one of the Premier League’s best at that, as Eberechi Eze is waiting for his chance to shine.
Agree or disagree, Mikel Arteta will show a weakness if he doesn’t drop Martin Odegaard for Eberechi Eze
Competition is essential in a squad challenging for silverware, but only if it’s used correctly, with pressure on Arteta to rotate his playmakers to reflect their current form.
Eze has learned the hard way this term, sitting out six games entirely due to a need for improvement.
It’s now Odegaard’s time to take the back seat and earn his place in the squad again, as right now, his form cannot continue.
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