Martin Odegaard criticism highlighted as dreadful 19-month Arsenal record is matched against PSG

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Martin Odegaard has a lot of questions to answer after his performance in Arsenal’s defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The highs of Arsenal’s resounding win over Real Madrid have worn off, as the Gunners were sent back down to earth by PSG. 

PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates to end Mikel Arteta’s unbeaten streak at home in the Champions League, watching on as his side were well-beaten. 

One of the worst performers against PSG was Odegaard, who, along with several of his teammates, had a night to forget when the stakes couldn’t have been higher. 

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Martin Odegaard records lowest number of passes since 2023

French media slammed Odegaard, who failed to make an impact anywhere near the level expected of the club captain. 

It was a poor outing for the Norwegian, who, after the game, attracted attention from those watching on from his homeland.

Norwegian media outlet VG compiled a piece reacting to Odegaard’s performance, opening with the statement, ‘Odegaard to undergo review after Arsenal slump’. 

What stood out most from VG’s report was the emergence of an unwanted statistic, as it was relayed that Odegaard had recorded his fewest number of successful passes since August 2023. 

VG drew attention to the fact that Odegaard hadn’t recorded as little 23 passes when playing 85 minutes or more in a match at the Emirates in 19 months, which is a real concern.

While the statistic being relayed is alarming for Arteta, who must find a solution to his playmaker’s slump, it’s unfortunately unsurprising, given just how poor the Arsenal captain has been.

Norwegian media shocked by Odegaard vs PSG

Odegaard has had a poor season since being ruled out of action with an ankle injury early in the campaign. 

The midfielder hasn’t found a way to consistently produce at his best level, something that was evident during the Gunners’ defeat to PSG. 

Media in Norway picked up on Odegaard’s lack of influence on the game, as commentator Oyvind Alsaker shared his verdict.

“He has hardly been involved. It’s unusual for him to be. We are used to seeing him dominate football matches, but he is far from that tonight,” Alsaker said on TV 2.

It’s been Odegaard’s worst season at Arsenal, and sometimes, to bounce back up, a player has to hit rock bottom, but for the Gunners, there’s a deadline for their captain to return to his best with the decisive second leg looming.