BACK TO HIS BEST! Rejuvenated Odegaard has changed his approach and is helping to transform champions Arsenal for the better

Martin Odegaard has already smashed his stats from last season. And if the rejuvenated Arsenal captain stays in this form, he will quickly surpass the past two seasons put together.

Odegaard has been the driving force in Arsenal’s impressive start to the campaign as he has overcome trust issues and “playing safe” to get back to his very best form.

Norway midfielder Odegaard has already scored four goals this season - one in the Community Shield, two in the Premier League and one at Napoli in the Champions League.

But his all-round game has really caught the eye. He is playing with a new freedom which he showed at the World Cup with Norway and has carried on into this season.

Last season, Odegaard managed just one goal for Arsenal in an injury-disrupted campaign. The previous season, he managed six in all competitions. But he was also dogged by injury after damaging his ankle on international duty in September 2024.

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At that point, Odegaard was seen as absolutely irreplaceable for Arsenal. His injury lay-off was seen as a massive blow. And, quite frankly, he struggled to come back to his best that season.

Last season, there always looked to be an issue of trust in terms of Odegaard did not look entirely happy on the pitch. It looked as if he was not quite sure of his own body and whether he was about to break down again. He was troubled by a knee issue.

He played in the run-in but was not at his best and yet the World Cup seems to have given him back his confidence, his belief and his super power.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville identified it after Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea when Odegaard scored the winner. Neville said: “He did get into a cycle of being too safe. If anything, he got into a languid, playing it sideways, playing the easy pass.

“He’s capable of being sharper and making those late runs into the box more than he does. That’s what he did against Chelsea.

“Can he get the ten or 12 goals, the ten or 12 assists in a season which means he would be one of the best in the league? When Arsenal need goals, he needs to look for danger. He knows what to do, he’s got the capability.”

Odegaard is showing it again now. He is the player driving Arsenal forward. He ran the game in Naples. He played 107 passes which was more than anyone else and completed 92 which was second only to Declan Rice. Not perfect but it actually shows he is taking risks.

He covered an incredible 11.6km (joint top with Piero Hincapie) and did not stop working, running and looking for goal. It was no surprise he scored the winner and got the breakthrough.

We should not forget that Arsenal were playing Napoli who were champions of Italy just 14 months ago. Arsenal had an XG of 4.05 and had just 0.22 XGA. That is an incredibly dominant performance.

And it was driven by Odegaard who is keeping the ball better, making things happen and is the focal point of Arsenal’s team again.

Arsenal were branded Set Piece FC last season. They have yet to score a set-piece goal this season in five matches, the Community Shield, three Premier League games and now one Champions League game.

That cannot be a coincidence. It is because Odegaard is back. He was one of the best midfielders playmakers in the Premier League. He can be among the best in Europe. Arsenal are so much better with a fit and firing Odegaard in the team.

They play a different way, they keep the ball better and are far better to watch. The gang of three - Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka - have a brilliant connection which Arsenal have missed so much.

Arsenal’s win over Chelsea was the first time since December 2024 that Odegaard, Havertz and Saka had started a third straight league game together.

They are connected again, Odegaard is at the heart of it and Arsenal look such a better team for it.

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