The Odegaard effect

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Eyebrows were raised when Arsenal brought in the 22-year-old Norwegian midfielder in from Real Madrid on a six-month loan. Just under two months and two crucial goals later, and Gunners fans seem to be convinced by Martin Odegaard.

Background

Before looking at how Martin Odegaard has specifically impacted this chapter of his complex career, it’s important to reflect on what has led him to featuring prominently for the Gunners.

In 2014, Odegaard became the youngest player to ever play at Norway’s senior level, at just 15 years old. In fact, he was training with the Strømsgodset first team from just the tender age of 13 back in 2012.

But it was in 2014 when the initial link to Arsenal was made, when he visited north London as a potential signing. He has since cited that he liked the atmosphere around the club when he initially visited, and things could well have turned out differently.

The hype was continuing to build around the youngster, as he was called up to the Norwegian national side in 2014 and in 2015, he then got his big move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. He struggled to break into the first team under Ancelotti and was even dropped from the reserve side, Castilla, in his early days in the Spanish capital.

This set up several loan spells for Odegaard, to try and find his best form. SC Heerenveen, Vitesse Arnhem and Real Sociedad made up the destinations for his next three years. The latter of the three clubs is where Odegaard shone and played a key role in Sociedad’s impressive season.

He returned to Madrid and once again, the struggles to dislodge their mainstay attacking threats remained the same. So, when Arsenal came knocking for a loan deal, an element of nostalgia kicked in for Odegaard and he signed with the promise of first-team football in England’s top-flight.

Thunderbolt in Greece

Arsenal’s season has been a tale of highs and woes so far. The Premier League campaign has spluttered along, seeing the club sit firmly mid-table. Manager Mikel Arteta’s sole hope of silverware this season comes in the form of the Europa League.

Last season saw Arsenal crash out in the round of 32 of this competition in one of Arteta’s first games at the helm. A calamitous course of events led to Youssef El-Arabi firing Greek side Olympiakos past the Gunners and adding to the ever-growing pile of European humiliations.

So, when Arsenal drew Olympiakos in the round of 16 in this year’s competition, a collective groan could be heard across north London.

This topsy-turvy season meant that this away first leg in Pireaus was at the exact same ground that had played host to Arsenal’s home tie of the previous round.

Arteta started Martin Odegaard, who had so far only shown glimmers of what a creative force he could become. He began the game sluggishly, giving away possession in the final third, often halting any attacking momentum.

Odegaard dragged an early chance well wide, and confidence in the midfielder seemed at a newly found low.

Then, picking up the ball in the final third once more, he turned onto his favoured left foot and hit a thunderous strike towards goal, dumbfounding Jose Sa in the Olympiakos goal to put his side 1-0 up. There’s no denying that the keeper should have done better with the strike, with the ball careering straight at his head height with not a whole lot of movement to accompany it.

However, the power and confidence in the strike showed, leaving Odegaard punching the air in a combination of celebration and relief, settling early Arsenal jitters.

From this point on in the game, Odegaard was at the centre of every attacking move Arteta’s side could muster. Continually picking up deadly positions between the lines and causing the hosts all sorts of problems, leading Arsenal to a 3-1 first leg win, putting his side into the ascendency for the return tie at the Emirates.

Derby Delight

It’s seemed as if Arsenal’s two biggest games in their season have come within just four days of each other. The prospect of a north London derby awaited the Gunners on their return from Greece.

Spurs also came into this massive game carrying a mixed bag of results so far this season, seeing them just a stone throw from Arsenal sat in seventh and 10^th place respectively.

Odegaard once again got the nod in that number 10 position, casting him as the fulcrum of any attacking move.

Despite going one-nil down thanks to an audacious rabona from Erik Lamela early on, Arsenal struck back just before the half once again through the Norwegian starlet. While this effort wasn’t quite as spectacular as his long-range goal in Europe, nor Lamela’s rabona, Odegaard’s scuffed strike deflected off Toby Alderweireld and past a flailing Hugo Lloris to draw the Gunners level counted all the same.

Going on to win the game 2-1, Odegaard was the creative spark that Arsenal needed once again to see them through. His off the ball pressing is something Arteta is clearly a big fan of too – hassling and harrying the opposition back line, forcing them into untimely errors. 

The Emile Smith Rowe conundrum

The elephant in the room when analysing Odegaard’s performances in an Arsenal shirt is the shunning aside of academy product Emile Smith Rowe.

Prior to Odegaard’s arrival, his role in the first team was becoming more and more paramount by the game. That number 10 position was held down by Smith Rowe, and he was really excelling. At just 20-years-old, his development was mesmeric to watch.

Since Odegaard came into the side, Smith Rowe was initially moved to the bench – a move that seemed both harsh and strange considering Smith Rowe is actually an Arsenal player and not a loanee like Odegaard.

Thankfully, it seems as if Arteta has found a way for them to coexist in the same eleven, playing Smith Rowe in a wider position where he caused endless damage in the North London Derby.

Arsenal’s young core continues to exceed every expectation and carry this otherwise average side through a period of transition.

Odegaard may well not be a permanent feature of that (yet), but his performances in an Arsenal shirt in the past week have been nothing short of sensational.

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