Why Martin Ødegaard is a Problem At Arsenal

Right on schedule, every year like clockwork, the season is looking like it's over early for the “mighty” Arsenal Football Club. An embarrassing 1-1 draw earlier today against Manchester United, has further cemented Liverpool’s lead at the top to 15 points, and it is likely that they will win the title in April. On top of that, Arsenal is already out of the two domestic cups, which Arteta basically threw away for the 4th year in a row, and they will have to face either Madrid team in the Semi-Final, and we all know how that will end. Shockingly, throughout this demoralizing period, Arsenal fans online have actually begun to point the finger at some of the right people, the most pressing being their captain, Martin Ødegaard.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Martin Ødegaard is the most overrated player in the Premier League currently and one of the most overrated players in the world. It is refreshing to finally see Arsenal fans starting to notice that their beloved captain is not all cracked up to be. Before we break this down, let’s get the excuses out of the way first. Some Arsenal fans will use Ødegaard’s ankle injury that kept him out for 2 months when he suffered as an excuse. Some particularly odd “fans” even mention some illness that he had last month as the reason for his poor performances. No… this is not even a joke.

In all seriousness, Arsenal fans need to face reality with regards to Ødegaard. The injury is not the issue. He was awful before the injury and hasn’t looked good since 2023. This is the hard truth. Martin Ødegaard has masterfully become an expert in looking like he’s so busy on the pitch when, in reality, he’s doing nothing. Analyzing his play is quite the task, to be honest. It’s a lot of spinning in circles for no reason, taking way too many touches, and making the same stupid floated pass to the backpost every single time he gets the ball. I wish I was joking, but this is what a “world-class” creative midfield player gets you these days. You would think you could get a player who can pass, dribble, shoot, and control games, but no. Instead, you get a player who slows down every single attack and a player who has no final pass or shot. It is no mystery why he has only managed 2 goals and 3 assists in 20 Premier League matches so far. He has the power of a Women’s footballer. The reason why every pass he hits is floated is that he physically can’t kick the ball hard enough. This is also why all of his shots are easily saved. He has earned the nickname “Pillow Foot” from some Arsenal fans on X, and it is really accurate. Without Saka on his right available to play off of him, this “creative” player is out of ideas. The truth is that he’s been getting carried for years, and now, without Saka and other players, he looks like a below-average #10.

Another aspect of his game is his positioning, or lack thereof. Ødegaard is always in the worst positions imaginable. Instead of being in the center of the pitch like a true #10, he migrates to the right corner of the penalty box. Here is where he puts in his “fantastic” floated cross, but it isn't where he should be. This space should be occupied by your winger and your full back, especially when pinning a team in, like Arsenal commonly do. There is no reason for your #10 to constantly take this spot, and that is why Ødegaard always finds himself making literal 1 yard passes to Timber or whoever the winger is. He’s just in the way. The real reason behind this is that Ødegaard has no confidence in his weak foot. He can’t even take a single touch on it, which is why he needs to be in this spot constantly so he can cut inside and pass on his left foot…which may as well be his weak foot. If he played in the center, he would find himself having to use his right foot, a prospect that petrifies a one-dimensional player like Martin Ødegaard. At certain times, it almost appears as if he’s hiding on the football pitch, and it is frankly bizarre to watch. A few weeks ago, against West Ham, he produced a viral clip where, on a potential counterattack, he simply ran away from the obvious space ahead of him and ran towards the defenders. Not exactly something that I would expect the captain of my football team to be doing in a must-win game when losing.

The fact that Arsenal has not been able to win a single trophy since 2022 under the leadership of Martin Ødegaard is no coincidence. This guy simply has no leadership qualities. He’s not the best player on the team and doesn’t lead by example, especially with him always ghosting in the biggest games. Physically, he is the opposite of imposing, to say the least, and he isn’t the most vocal of players on the pitch either. Personally, I just think that they made him captain because he loves waving his arms around to get the crowd fired up. Seriously, he does this every game, basically as a photo op. If there's one thing Ødegaard is great at, it is his PR. Arsenal fans don’t even debate who should be the captain, which shows just how brainwashed they have become. The Captaincy should go to Rice, Gabriel, White, or anyone else. If you were to choose the captain of Arsenal based on leadership qualities, Martin Ødegaard wouldn’t even make the top 10. The captaincy is, in a lot of ways, ceremonial, however, it should always go to the player most deserving of that honor. Leadership is a value attribute to a team that simply can't be measured, and it is evident that Arsenal will not be successful as long as Martin Ødegaard is at the helm.