Martin Odegaard Arsenal response speaks volumes for Mikel Arteta despite controversy

A show of frustration from Martin Odegaard during Arsenal’s 1-1 stalemate with Brighton has garnered praise from fans for his leadership qualities. The Norwegian, who had a challenging outing and fluffed a prime opportunity to score, repeatedly required medical attention during the match for an injury he sustained.

Following his replacement in the 74th minute by Gabriel Martinelli, visibly upset, Odegaard buried his face in his hands, creating an image that resonated with supporters on social media. As Declan Rice’s contentious sending off turned the tide in favour of Brighton, with Joao Pedro drawing things level, Arsenal were left to share the spoils.

While other players also showed disappointment, Odegaard’s reaction struck a chord with fans, reflecting the high standards he holds himself to as captain. Support flowed in from Gunners fans, including one who addressed criticism directed at Odegaard on X (formerly Twitter): “Everyone saying he needs to play better… he picked up a knock. He saw the physio four times and still played on. Give it a rest”.

One fan hailed Odegaard’s influence at Arsenal by saying: “He has been one of the reasons why Saka ticks and how the team shifts gears. Puts in shift and presses like crazy. Some fans lose all their sense in a fraction of the second. Odegaard is one of those who has true passion.” Another supporter delivered a rather different opinion, commenting: “yeah well maybe if he turned up we wouldn’t have dropped points, he was abysmal”.

Despite joining on loan in 2021 and not yet securing a major trophy with the Gunners, Odegaard remains confident of silverware success this term. Speaking to the Evening Standard before the season kicked off, he emphasised the squad’s mindset and growth: “The work ethic and the mentality in the team – we are all thinking about the same thing: we want to win something.

“We are so well trained now with the system and everyone knows it so well.” He added: “We are a young team as well, so the experience of another year is going to help us. In the end, I’m sure it is going to be rewarded with a trophy,” reports the Mirror.

With the international fixtures on the horizon, Odegaard will get a two-week respite ahead of the first intense north London derby of the season against Tottenham Hotspur, scheduled for September 15 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.