The Norwegian looked back to his best immediately after returning from injury, but he's not been involved in a Premier League goal since November
With Gabriel Jesus facing a significant spell on the sidelines and Arsenal's lack of a cutting edge once again exposed in Sunday's FA Cup loss to Manchester United, it was inevitable that Mikel Arteta would be asked about signing a striker ahead of Wednesday's massive North London Derby at the Emirates Stadium.
"We have to first believe that doing something will make us better," the Gunners boss told reporters on the eve of the crucial clash with Tottenham. "And not just in that position, as we have other issues." Rather surprisingly, Martin Odegaard is one of them.
"What is going on with him?" former Arsenal defender William Gallas asked in an interview with . "He doesn't look like the same player we've seen dominate games over the last two years. I know he had an injury, but he has been really poor by his standards.
"When Arsenal have challenged for the title over the last couple of seasons, the players were at the top of their game. This season, there have been too many mediocre performances. They don't really realise the opportunity they have to win the league. They’re not performing in every game and that is what you have to do if you want to win the Premier League… Arsenal need to wake up. Odegaard needs to wake up."
And, in fairness to Gallas – who knows a thing or two about a captain going missing during an injury-provoked title collapse – he's got a point.
Getty ImagesPremier League's best?
Odegaard is obviously a tremendous talent. Less than a year ago, he was being touted as the best attacking midfielder in the Premier League.
"Right now, Odegaard is the number one," former England international Jamie Redknapp argued on . "Normally, you'd say Kevin De Bruyne is the best, and not just in the Premier League, but in the world. But something isn't quite right with him and he's not playing as many games as he'd like.
"Odegaard, though, has this thing which all great players possess: it's like time stands still when he has the ball. He's the captain, he's the leader. When he hasn't got the ball, he goes and gets it back. He's leading that Arsenal team."
Not anymore, though. Or, at least, not with the same efficacy or conviction as before.
AdvertisementGettyStruggles without the skipper
Odegaard's importance within Arsenal's emergence as a major Premier League force over the past few seasons cannot be questioned. With his intensive pressing and pinpoint passing, he is integral to everything the Gunners do in the final third of the field, both in and out of possession – which explains why he was so sorely missed during his two-month spell on the sidelines earlier this season with an ankle injury picked up on international duty.
Arsenal played seven Premier League games without their skipper, and dropped points in four of them, suffering their only two defeats of the 2024-25 campaign to date, away to Bournemouth and Newcastle.
When he finally returned to action in November, all appeared well in Arsenal's world for a short while, with Odegaard registering assists in his first two games back, against Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, before then opening his account for the season against West Ham. However, that penalty at the London Stadium on November 30 remains Odegaard's most recent goal involvement in a Premier League fixture – which, in spite of everything else he brings to the party, is just not good enough for such a gifted attacking midfielder.
(C)Getty ImagesNot the same without Saka
Obviously, Odegaard suffers from not having a genuinely world-class striker ahead of him. So much of his fine work often goes to waste. He's also been hindered more than most by the loss of Bukayo Saka to injury.
Odegaard's on-field relationship with the winger is extremely productive – but also seemingly co-dependent. Take one of the two out of the starting line-up and it looks like that neither man is capable of performing to their usual level.
"There could be an element of that," Arteta acknowledged on Tuesday. "It's inevitable to think when you have such chemistry with a player and you're not together next to each other, you’re going to notice that something is different.
"But Martin came back from an injury and, in the first week or two, you have that extra energy, and then you play every three days. He was ill as well for over a week and that plays a part, so there are a lot of circumstances."
Indeed, Odegaard was struggling to exert his usual influence over games even before Saka was sidelined with a hamstring injury last month.
Getty Images SportEscaping scrutiny
Arsenal's dynamic duo started the Premier League clash with Everton on December 14, but even though Arsenal were in dire need of a moment of inspiration, Odegaard, their creator-in-chief, was hauled off midway through the second half.
"It was a tactical decision to try to change the rhythm," Arteta said afterwards, "especially on that side of the pitch." The stark implication was that Odegaard wasn't offering the kind of pace, poise or penetration that Arsenal required to win the game. It's been a recurring issue for the 26-year-old this term and yet it's gone unnoticed for the most part.
Phil Foden, for example, has copped far more flak for his dramatic dip in form for Manchester City, but he's still created more chances in the Premier League this season than Odegaard – despite starting fewer matches.
It's also interesting that for all the questioning of Bruno Fernandes' captaincy credentials at Manchester United, he looked more like a real leader at the Emirates on Sunday than Odegaard, who missed a glorious chance to win the game for Arsenal from the penalty spot.
