Martin Ødegaard: El Capitanø

[Tir Na Nog]

Fair play he's showing a willingness to make more of a positive contribution now in terms of end product. I've not been blown away by his performances as a whole but he should act more like a 10 rather than the fake 8 he usually plays like.

 

[samspade]

I didn’t watch the game as I’ve been sulking about arsenal but he looks to have had a good one. Well done.

 

[tap-in]

I've said all along that he should be judged after a full season. Sure he's had some poor performances but even in those games he still managed some lovely touches. I hope he continues to start because he's growing with each game now, and 3 goals in 3 games has to be acknowledged.

I said before the season started that 10 goals this season in all comps from each of ESR, Saka and Ødegaard is what we need. We cant rely on our CF to score all the goals, and now we cant rely on our CF to score any goals. 16 games played and no goals scored in the first 3. I never thought they would get 10 each but with a good 2nd half of the season, its possible. ESR should pass it no problem.

ESR has 6
Ødegaard 4
Saka 3

 

[tcahill]

I've said all along that he should be judged after a full season. Sure he's had some poor performances but even in those games he still managed some lovely touches. I hope he continues to start because he's growing with each game now, and 3 goals in 3 games has to be acknowledged.

I said before the season started that 10 goals this season in all comps from each of ESR, Saka and Ødegaard is what we need. We cant rely on our CF to score all the goals, and now we cant rely on our CF to score any goals. 16 games played and no goals scored in the first 3. I never thought they would get 10 each but with a good 2nd half of the season, its possible. ESR should pass it no problem.

ESR has 6
Ødegaard 4
Saka 3

Tbf Ødegaard has been on the bench for around half this season.

ESR looks to be on track.

Saka gets into good positions, but hasn't yet got the finishing ability.

 

[Farzad Stoned]

I was doubtful on Ødegaard; to be fair he has made some mistakes and had matches where has looked completely tuned out, but he is shaping up. Out of our midfielders him and Sambi are the only two that look to do something and can do something with the ball. Partey shooting is comical and Xhaka gives you little going forward. Arteta needs to drop those guys who are not earning the shirt and give AMN, Sambi, and Ødegaard a chance. Both Partey and Xhaka should be dropped, Partey can be allowed to win back his position when he earns it, otherwise there are capable players that deserve a chance.

 

[Wrighty4eva]

Arsenal fans are so reactionary, one decent game against a half defeated side in Southampton and some of you lot are putting it on like he's the next Toni Kroos, any kind of pressure this guy goes missing, like half the rest of our squad, I wanna see him beat the press, be able to dribble his way out of tight situations, not spaying passes and scoring against a team who have accepted their getting relegated. Seems the euphoria of one win have given some posters amnesia.

 

[Barry]

If, when, if Ødegaard ever clicks into the player we want him to be then it massively helps what we are trying to do as a team.

Despite a few too many errors by White, I think our defense has genuine promise for now and the future. ESR & Saka are both quality and should improve as well... It's the midfield and CF that are still misfiring.

*If* we have a number 10 or shadow striker with creativity & a decent number of goals it will help so much with everything else. I keep seeing Ødegaard at Sociodad & in Holland and willing him to be that player for Arsenal... Dunno what I'm saying really but it's such an important position for the team.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Arsenal fans are so reactionary, one decent game against a half defeated side in Southampton and some of you lot are putting it on like he's the next Toni Kroos, any kind of pressure this guy goes missing, like half the rest of our squad, I wanna see him beat the press, be able to dribble his way out of tight situations, not spaying passes and scoring against a team who have accepted their getting relegated. Seems the euphoria of one win have given some posters amnesia.

Or people simply went over the top.

We're a team in construction which doesn't really excel at anything, and suffers greatly against top opposition. That applies for everyone in the team, and especially a 10 who always play better and always look better than they are or worse than they are in function of the team's play.

Ødegaard is a very good footballer and had a little rough patch where he was off the pace and uncharacteristically insecure with the ball.

Well, I think Ødegaard is the best option we have to play any kind of possession game. He is not a prime Cesc/Özil for sure but Chelsea keep control of the game with Mason Mount there who is not Cesc/Özil level either. My point is that we need more passing between midfielders. I am not suggesting that Ødegaard will turn us into title contenders here but he is definitely good enough to improve us IMO. Play enough games with ESR, Saka and Ødegaard and I think we will improve in attack.

Some people like blrgooner and @Blankety Blank and @Barry maintained a balanced look at him though, during that little rough patch, while others called him ****...

 

[samspade]

Or people simply went over the top.

We're a team in construction which doesn't really excel at anything, and suffers greatly against top opposition. That applies for everyone in the team, and especially a 10 who always play better and always look better than they are or worse than they are in function of the team's play.

Ødegaard is a very good footballer and had a little rough patch where he was off the pace and uncharacteristically insecure with the ball.

Some people like blrgooner and @Blankety Blank and @Barry maintained a balanced look at him though, during that little rough patch, while others called him ****...

Balanced because they agree with you? I agree the posters you mention were balanced because they didn’t and don’t let small changes of fortune sway them too much. But some (like myself I would argue) are consistent in their more negative view of the player.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Balanced because they agree with you? I agree the posters you mention were balanced because they didn’t and don’t let small changes of fortune sway them too much. But some (like myself I would argue) are consistent in their more negative view of the player.

That's fair! But the post I was responding to was calling Arsenal fans overly reactionary and I was pointing out that, like, as you say, there are a number of posters who are not reacting to this performance but simply holding the same view they held before, even when he was in a minor bad patch of form...which, after all, was all of 3 games or so--when the majority of this forum was positive toward Ødegaard as I recall over the summer--so the reactionary thing he was accusing people of actually was more the movements in the other direction, not the one he was accusing. Anyways, for people like yourself who have always not rated him, that's fair enough, even if I disagree, and this doesn't really apply.

 

[GDeep™]

You guys seen Maddison’s little touch for the Daka goal. Had me jumping off my chair.

 

[balthazar]

You guys seen Maddison’s little touch for the Daka goal. Had me jumping off my chair.

man wins a penalty, gets a pre-assist with his flick, an assist, and a goal. -- But he is poor-man's Todd Cantwell and not good enought for the Arsenal...

 

[Macho]

man wins a penalty, gets a pre-assist with his flick, an assist, and a goal. -- But he is poor-man's Todd Cantwell and not good enought for the Arsenal...

I think a lot more would have been open to madders had it not been for the ridiculous fee bandied about.

Questions about consistency and fitness but quality on his day nobody can deny it.

 

[SA Gunner]

His age gives him time to further develop. What I'm enjoying about Ødegaard, ESR and Saka is that there seems to be an attempt to turn them into consistent goalscoring creative players. If that can be achieved, adding in consistency developed by our forwards, then we are looking really good for the coming years.

Ødegaard has negative traits to his game right now of course. But he also shows some good potential, still a fantastic signing for the price paid.

 

[Barry]

I think a lot more would have been open to madders had it not been for the ridiculous fee bandied about.

Questions about consistency and fitness but quality on his day nobody can deny it.

If you were talking about £30m fee for both of them then I would have favoured Maddison. He's more direct than Ødegaard and is more of an end product player but he's never worth more than double the amount. He blows very hot and cold over a season and if Ødegaard gets it together he has a much better vision, range and weight of pass than Madders.

If we gave £70m to Leicester for Maddison, there's a very real risk that we would have strengthened them more than us. Tielemans though...

 

[bingobob]

Interested to see what he does for the rest of the season. Scoring goals is a very under rated attribute.

 

[berric]

Look at the passing and movement of Leicester players for the goals Maddison was involved. You think we'd see the same here under Tets?

 

[GLITCH]

Saka gets into good positions, but hasn't yet got the finishing ability.

It was said that Arteta improved Sterling's finishing. I've not seen any improvement in Saka's or anyone else's.

 

[Macho]

If you were talking about £30m fee for both of them then I would have favoured Maddison.

This is it really, had we just gotten Maddison before his move to Leicester then who knows.

To be fair to the club, Ben White aside they have atleast tried to get infront of this in other areas. That's why I am patient with ODG despite him not really playing well in my opinion.

I imagine our signings this summer will be in a similar vein.

 

[Sebastes]

If you were talking about £30m fee for both of them then I would have favoured Maddison. He's more direct than Ødegaard and is more of an end product player but he's never worth more than double the amount. He blows very hot and cold over a season and if Ødegaard gets it together he has a much better vision, range and weight of pass than Madders.

If we gave £70m to Leicester for Maddison, there's a very real risk that we would have strengthened them more than us. Tielemans though...

I hear you mate. Best player we could get that’s somewhat attainable (excl Rice here for example).