Arsenal star Martin Odegaard has been lauded for his recent display against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Arsenal club captain Martin Odegaard was in sensation form against Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Norwegian midfielder played a number of exquisite passes which cut through the Seagulls’ defence, and also dazzled with some fancy footwork at times. The only thing missing from his performance was a finishing touch, as he let one very presentable goalscoring opportunity pass him by. This is not the first time in recent weeks that Odegaard has been guilty of being wasteful in front of goal.
Martin Odegaard is well reviewed
Overall, though, Mikel Arteta will be delighted with what the 25-year-old contributed on his birthday. After the match, the Spanish coach was full of praise for the former Real Madrid man.
As quoted by the club’s official website, he said, “he wanted to celebrate his beautiful birthday today in a great way – and he’s done it, with a win, with a huge performance.”
The manager was not the only one to hail Odegaard for his efforts against the south coast club. The Standard named him their “star player” of the match, and said of his display: “an excellent performance. Opened up Brighton so many times with his passing. Unlucky to not claim a goal or an assist.”
Football.london gave Odegaard a 9/10 rating and named him “one of the best in the Premier League when he’s feeling himself like this. Some superb passes to break through and the Brighton defence and moments of lovely skill to set up transitions. All that was missing from the display was the goal.”
Arsenal now need Odegaard to maintain this form. He had some struggles with fitness and fatigue earlier this season which saw his performance levels dip. He is an integral figure in this team. Arsenal need him to be at his best.
Arsenal midfield clicks into gear
The Gunners’ midfield contingent now looks to be really starting to click. Declan Rice has been a revelation since his arrival in the summer, and whilst Kai Havertz took a little longer to settle at the Emirates Stadium he too is now playing with confidence and making a tangible impact on matches. With Odegaard included, this trio represent an excellently balanced blend of creativity, physicality, defensive security, and goal threat. If all three can stay fit and in form then they have the capacity to play huge role in driving the club towards a Premier League title triumph this season.
The likes of Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Leandro Trossard, and Emile Smith Rowe, amongst others, will need to ensure that they are ready to step up and support this midfield unit when they are required. With Arsenal fighting on multiple fronts this season, and with suspensions and injuries always a factor, these squad players will be needed and will have big boots to fill when they are called upon to start.
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