Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard may not get much of a rest over the course of the international break.
The Premier League will now go on hiatus for a brief period to allow for a series of international fixtures.
A number of Arsenal players will be away from the club during this time, representing their nations. Martin Odegaard has now been called up to the Norway squad, though it is not clear at this stage how heavily he will feature for his country.
The Arsenal captain has only just returned from injury, having damaged his ankle ligaments during the last international break. The 25-year-old made his first start since returning to fitness against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.
Arsenal fans react to Martin Odegaard joining Norway squad
With Odegaard having only just returned to action, there is obviously concern about managing his minutes carefully.
Mikel Arteta will be keen to ensure that the final stage of the playmaker’s recovery is handled responsibly. There will also be concerns that exertions on the international stage could cause him to suffer a setback.
However, Arsenal fans on X, perhaps surprisingly given Odegaard’s importance to the Gunners, are focusing on the positive aspects of him being called up to play for his country.
One said: “I was so against him going but then I remembered merino after his shoulder injury Charles. As long as Norway don’t over play him (an hour per match max) I think arsenal will benefit from Odegaard coming back match sharp.”
Another claimed: “Obviously every time you play a football match you take a risk, but genuinely believe that with Odegaard we’re in the “he needs minutes” phase and not the “he needs rest” phase. If Norway use him responsibly (big if) this should be better than him staying behind.”
One fan added: “He needs to regain his fitness; he can’t simply return and then take a two-week break. He requires consistent competition to stay in form.”
Another stated: “I aactually don’t mind this too much, minutes will only help him at this point. Obvs as long as he’s managed properly.”
How Mikel Arteta needs to handle Odegaard
Odegaard’s importance to Arsenal can scarcely be overstated.
The former Real Madrid man is the creative fulcrum of Arteta’s team, is a leader for the club on and off the pitch, orchestrates the press, and possesses a relentless work rate. Odegaard has been called a perfect Arsenal captain for these reasons.
The Gunners have a number of hugely important fixtures coming up, and will need their skipper to be fit and sharp for them. If Arteta’s side are to stand any chance of becoming Premier League champions this season, then they will need Odegaard firing on all cylinders for the rest of the campaign.
Paul Merson has set Arsenal a target of winning their next seven Premier League games to get themselves back into the title race. Arteta will be hoping that Odegaard can return to the Emirates Stadium from his international sojourn ready to hit the ground running and help the North London club to achieve this objective.
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