Martin Odegaard came off the bench to help Arsenal win the game at West Ham yesterday and Jamie Carragher has lauded the Norwegian’s contribution.
Odegaard was introduced by Mikel Arteta to try and win Arsenal the game and he did just that by laying the assist on for Leandro Trossard to fire home.
Odegaard has not quite been at his very best for much of the season but in one moment, he stepped up.
And for Jamie Carragher, it was a display of leadership that very much showed Odegaard’s value.
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Jamie Carragher hails Martin Odegaard’s ‘great leadership’ for Arsenal at West Ham
At times this season, Arsenal have needed moments from individual players and at times, they’ve been found wanting.
However, on this occasion, the skipper stepped up to the mark and in analysing his performance for Sky Sports, Carragher admitted to being really impressed by Odegaard’s drive to win.
“Playing little balls in. He always wants the ball, not going to get it in there so I’ll come out here, always demanding the ball, always wants it. He knows he’s the one that has to make something happen and Arsenal don’t have enough of those players,” Carragher said on MNF.
“And that’s where he took the responsibility and now, something’s got to happen and now that’s where it comes from. He could have cost his team but he won a league there virtually in my eyes.
“World class ability, yes. But I love seeing players take responsibility. This is the moment, he said afterwards he knew Trossard was there. He has to wait for Soucek to move but he has that little pause he waits and waits and bingo. We’ll think about leadership for Arsenal in terms of Tony Adams but that was a great piece of leadership there.”
With Odegaard wanting to go into next season fully fit and get back to the levels he showed last season, this assist is a timely reminder of what he can bring to the table.
Carragher mentions Arsenal not quite having enough players like Odegaard and he might have a point.
But for now, the Gunners are simply lucky to have just one player like him. At the end of the season, this moment could be pivotal.
For all the VAR nonsense and controversy, it was actually Odegaard who got the job done when his team needed him the most.
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