Madrid-focused daily AS report this evening that Martin Odegaard’s transfer to Arsenal is imminent.
Real Madrid are close to reaching an agreement with the Gunners to sell the Norwegian captain, and the 22 year old trained alone today – apparently to ensure he didn’t pick up any kind of injury which might scupper the deal.
No fee has been mentioned as yet, but throughout the summer a price-tag of between €30 and €40m has been mooted by the Spanish press.
Arsenal are in need of strengthening the team for the new season, and having suffered an opening day defeat, reinforcements are required ahead of games against Chelsea and Man City.
Odegaard made 20 appearances last season, scoring twice and providing two assists – although he did play through an ankle injury sustained on international duty.
Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the attacking midfielder, and will be hoping this evening that there are no last minute hitches.
If things progress quickly enough, Odegaard could be in the squad for Sunday’s first home game of the season against Chelsea.
I am excited about this and I don’t care who knows it.
Me too Andrew! I’m really hoping we can now move ESR back out to the left position. He looked rather good there.
Poor old Pepe. It’s just not going to happen for him is it?
Worlds most expensive impact sub.
Pepe has the talent to be the best player in the league. Although It doesn’t look like its going to happen. Id love to see him play number 9 and the ‘system’ set up to play to his strengths. With the likes of ESR and Odergaard playing around him. I’ll continue to daydream.
I totally agree. He’s able to hold the ball up. He is a chaotic player that finds good positions. His finishing is probably the best we have as of today.
But I don’t think Arteta fancies it. He’s had enough chances. It feels like Pepe is used to stretch the play and not much else. He’s probably stopped bothering to wipe the touch line paint off his boots in between matches.
I feel the system is letting our forwards down. Both Auba and Pepe are not receiving the ball quick enough to be effective.
When’s the last time you’ve seen us thrust forward with our forwards vs the opponent’s back line.
Weirdly enough we manage to this under Arteta pre covid but ever since the post covid break, we’ve played slow possession football.
If only Pepe was a Liverpool player. I love him but he is just being misused and mismanaged at the Arsenal
Pepe is a winger and they both played together often and were key in our improvement in the second half of the season when we gained the third highest number of points.
Right, but Saka will be the primary starter at RW with ESR at left wing. He’ll play only if one of them is out AND Arteta doesn’t decide to go Laca at 9 and Auba at LW.
Sorry am I missing something with these comments? Pepe’s consistently been starting for us since about March, and has been putting in arguably the most impressive performances of our front four in that time. And he went the full 90 again against Brentford and was the only player to force Raya into a top save. Why are we talking as if he’s being frozen out again?
Maybe you’re right. I’m just looking at a front four which will definitely contain Saka, the Smith and Odegaard and wondering where he fits in.
Yh, I think it’s great for all four of the players. They’ll be kept fresh and in time hopefully playing with the buzz that comes in a winning team.
My focus is on the striker and right back positions. If we can bring in decent players there, then it’s been a very productive transfer window. Edu and Arteta have made mistakes when it comes to transfers, but they deserve some credit so far this summer.
I agree he looked good @ LW because he has good movement to find pockets of space. However, his end product from left-wing dropped off considerably, especially when Ødegaard was in the team.
Smile Smith Rowe:
4 goals, 6 assists, 24 key passes in 23 appearances at CAM
0 goals, 1 assist, 10 key passes in 9 appearances at LW
Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t
numbers true – but his role was different. That’s like looking at Laca’s goal tally as a false 9 vs Laca as a central striker.
When you are asked to do different things, you get different outcomes. His role kept defenders occupied and he retained possession and moved it infield, unlike Martinelli and/or Saka who go on runs themselves resulting in either a shot/cross/loss of possession.
I think it was clear last year that we were at our creative best as a unit in the weeks following Odegaard’s introduction, prior to his ankle problem, with ESR playing wide.
How about ESR at 8? Links up play very well, moves the ball quickly, plays the right pass most times, very effective with the give and go, pretty able dribbler. Then the front 4 makes up for themselves, Pepe, MØ, Saka, Laca.
And as I type that I realize Arteta will never take that risk. Unless we’re trailing 3 or 4-0. So here’s to slow build up play, watching the opposing teams get back to shape as Xhaka finally finishes his turn and finds space. Exciting times.
I am reasonably excited about this. However, I do care who knows it – hence me posting about it on the worldwide web!
This just opens the door for Haaland next summer!
BTW, Spuds tried to get Messi. Some dreams are doomed to fail.
Hopefully we get to see the best of him he kind of has a point to prove now.
As the saying goes, hell hath no fury like a Norwegian attacking midfielder potentially slightly miffed.
That could be said of a certain Danish forward who used to frequent these parts also
Me too!
I saw practically all his games for us on loan…won’t have started in any Wenger midfield over a 10year period…the bar is set really low at arsenal…what does he do exceptionally well? Defence splitting passes? Penetrating dribbles? I hope my scepticism is proven wrong…I would spend that money on aouar and any other unproven playmaker in a small league
I think you could argue that he does both of those things very well. To come in midway through last season and insert into the team so well says a lot of him, so while I am not sure that he will save Arteta’s job, the idea of him, ESR and Saka together excites me. I liked the idea of Aouar as well, but it seems like he was an option and Arsenal are not interested at this point.
Happy to see him come in but Possibly too late to save Artetas job even after one game in there’s a surge against him and it doesn’t look like he has the supporters or players with him to buy the time he needs.
Some of the patterns Mikel will think up to get Tierney in space will be amazing. All we need now is ceballos back for another year and the 8th placed band will be back together. It will be crap to watch, but I’m very excited. Some of the advanced metrics will be off the charts.
Couldn’t have said it better. I don’t think signing Odegaard changes much except it maybe ensures we don’t run ESR into the ground.
We are very hard to please,arent we
Not really, but didn’t think he done anything last season to justify bringing him back for that sort of money. Been an arsenal fan since the 70s, this is the 1st season ive had no hope before a season. Think this signing is just more of the same, nice player, nice lad, will not improve us much.
I couldn’t say it any better Alan! Not earthshaking,not cataclysmic! Give me aouar and coutinho for less money….proven goal threat, experience and technical security……let’s hope he didn’t cost too much in the first place….
I think what you could argue is that he definitelly has the potential to make exceptional dribbles and passes but he has not done it when playing for us on loan. Why such a talented and gifted playmaker was paying much more attention to his positional play without the ball than on creation (with penetrating passes or opening spaces with his dribbles) is question for Arteta. I understand your excitment because it is more than obvious that Oodegard has huge potential but my personal excitment is heavily restrained due to the fact that Arteta so far has not really managed… Read more »
Yup …my sentiment exactly…I’ll add Partey to that list too, I don’t think I’ve seen what he is really capable of except in the MU match. And he has had really poor games too, 2nd match vs Aston Villa and 1st semifinal vs Villarreal (where we could have been down 0-3 in the first half) In the Villarreal match, the pundit embarrassing excuse for his poor display was that he was playing alone in front of the defense. Kinda ridiculous really when you think that players such as the (old) Flamini or the Coq was put in that position for… Read more »
I actually think he is a proper Wenger player. Arsene would have loved him. He’s got a considerable amount more work ethic than Ozil but he looks like he could have a similar knack for finding a pass and a good dribble too. Ok, he’s still a bit raw. But if he wasn’t he’d cost way too much. Aouar burnt his bridges last summer and, while I agree he’s a real talent, Arteta is not a guy who suffers fools lightly. I think this is a great move. But I still think we need more. An RB and a goalie… Read more »
Is Arteta the man to hone his skills though??
Arteta clearly loves him. Sometimes that’s all you need.
I wish he’d show Auba the same love.
Whatever you think of Arteta he can develop young talent – look at SmitH- Rowe, Saka, Tierney
It’s the overpaid older ones who are the problem
Tierney was an international with a lot of European experience we paid 25 million for. Saka and Smith rowe were both given their debuts by Emery and looked very good. Ljungberg started Smith rowe over ozil. Natural progression from young players that previous managers played doesn’t make him good at nurturing talent. How have Eddie Reis and willock got on under his watch. Believe Arsene gave all 3 of them their debuts.
Just because someone is given a debut by a manager that doesn’t mean they will go onto be successful. Clearly both Saka and Smith Rowe have improved under Arteta…put your bias or agenda away and use your eyes.
Smith rowe and saka are 20 and 19 of course they’re getting better. If sam alardyce is our manager for the rest of the season, they’ll keep on improving.
Hahahahahahahaha. I never get tired of people giving Sam some shit
Not really. They would shoot themselves.
ESR from age 18 under Emery under 3 goals, 0 assists in 6 appearances – 0.5 attacking contributions per 90
ESR from age 20 under Arteta achieved 4 goals, 7 assists in 33 appearances – 0.33 attacking contributions per 90
Bukayo Saka from age 17 under Emery achieved 2 goals, 5 assists in 14 appearances – 0.43 attacking contributions per 90
Bukayo Saka from age 18 under Arteta achieved 8 goal 16 assists in 70 appearances – 0.34 attacking contributions per 90
That’s a small sample vs large sample bias if I’ve ever seen one.
6 appearances vs 33. 14 appearances vs 70. That’s going to shift your numbers no matter what.
Fresh vs tired legs, the opposition you’ve been put on the pitch against, how a player is used in cameos vs week-in week-out starts, whether or not the opposition has had a chance to study and suss out the player, dozens of reasons 6 or 14 appearances will skew.
L😁L as if the quality of opposition we faced in the Europa League and cup competitions under Emery weren’t just as good. Okay fine since I’m so biased, let’s compare a youngster with inconsistent minutes.
(-)Gabriel Martinelli under Emery achieved 6 goals, 2 assists in 6 starts.
(-)Gabriel Martinelli under Arteta achieved 3 goals, 2 assists in 15 starts.
Not to say that Gabi’s output under Emery was sustainable but I would have backed Unai to get more out of our younger players than Arteta.
🤷♂️ I will be happy if this gets done. I think he brings a lot of balance and creativity to the pitch and we haven’t seen the best of him yet by a long shot.
Arteta acts as if he’s Pep with an emir backing him.
It works for pep with the resources at his disposal. Not sure how it’s going to work for us. Doesn’t seem to suit the 2 players we have that could make a difference, aubameyang and pepe. If he can’t get those 2 going it’s going to be a long season.
I don’t dislike Arteta I just do t think he’s currently got the skill set to bring us forward
No.
Arteta couldn’t hone a pub side.
The trouble is we don’t have an experienced manager that incorporates a Wenger style kind of fluid attacking football.
Yet….
#Arteta Out
Wengerball died when Wenger left…not sure why people haven’t worked that out yet…I don’t hear people clamouring for Chapmanball even though he was our most successful manager before Arsene.
I just want us to win and don’t care too much how that happens, although I don’t want needless passing the ball around the defenders so I agree that Mikel needs to sort that out.
But passing between defenders is Artetaball. Perhaps Emeryball too.
You must not have seen Villarreal in the Super Cup the other day. If this weekend we could keep up with Chelsea like they did, I would be very happy that we are progressing. Right now we are so far from these winning clubs.
Well you’ve just contradicted yourself.
When you can actually make a valid point without then going back on yourself, I’ll be all ears.
Good for you, you don’t have to watch matches every week, you just have to keep an eye on the table.
But there are a group of us, who like to ‘watch’ real ‘football’ and not just the table! So, we would like the football to be more attractive.
Arteta is trying Pepball, which is a crazy expensive version of Wengerball without the resources. He isn’t doing anything unique – so it’s fair for people to ask him to use what he has in his disposal effectively – square pegs and an expensive oil well kind of situation.
Usually enjoy the silly J4H comments, but the considered ones are also very good!
Humour has been hard to find of late. Friday was so dire, I don’t remember a game affecting me so much for a long time. I couldn’t sleep that night.
Luckily the catharsis of listening to the Arseblog and the Arsenal vision podcasts back to back today has allowed me to put the game behind me. I can never really get over a defeat until Andrew, James, Tim, Clive, Paul and Elliot have provided a solemn but rejuvenating wake.
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Titch.
Andrew n james r still not at the end of their tether with artetaball. I predict some passionate podcasts in the not too distant future when they do.
It’s in the post.
Blogs made a joke about Utd playing fast attacking football the other day.
I think he’s beginning to feel the strain of endless LEGOball.
He’s only human, after all.
I got so annoyed after the loss that I had to temporarily unsubscribe from arseblog and arsenal vision podcasts but I think this news of Odegaard coming back has enlivened me. Think I’m ready to dip my toe back into the waters of Arsenal commentary…
Arsene did want to sign him. He was on our radar, albeit not so strongly before he signed with Madrid. Arsene woulda loved him.
Those were his first games in a new league aged 22 in a team on the ropes, in that context he was unbelievable, do you recall Bergkamp’s first games, is it fair to judge him on those?
I mean when you compare him to how Saka, Smith Rowe and Martinelli performed in their first batch of consistent games, it’s not so impressive.
I guess more time is needed to judge as you say.
Saka and Smith Rowe grew up in the club. They already trained with the first team umpteen times, so there was little to no adaptation period. Martinelli was signed beginning of July, so he had a proper preseason to train with the team. Odegaard walked in in the January window, halfway through the season. And even if we ignore the injury he played through, if the stats didn’t rave, I thought he almost immediately brought something to the pitch we didn’t have. A right side, and some serious composure on the ball and on the turn. I’d love to see… Read more »
I can understand the injuries limiting him but I’m not sure I agree about him requiring a pre-season to produce performances on-par with the other guys. Saliba looked better than Daniluc at Nice despite a lack of pre-season. Willock looked better than Sean Longstaff despite a lack of pre-season. Jesse Lingard looked better than Pablo Fornals despite a lack of pre-season. When players are determined to prove a point, it will show in their performances. I don’t know how an aggregate heatmap would work but I have seen his and ESR’s heatmaps. They mostly just drift to the wing. Emile’s… Read more »
With all due respect to Steve Bruce and Nice (in the French League where Saliba has played nearly all his professional minutes) they’re different prospects.
I think that is a very honest comment, the guy is not a game changer that we at the moment to save our season may he is a signing for the future and for that too he has alot to prove yet.
Think he does what arteta tells him to do. He’s trying to recreate the Wenger head boys eleven of his later years. A team arteta was captain of. We might not win anything, but they will be very polite in post game interviews.
Not to mention Wenger only had the likes Bergkamp, Fabregas, and Santi to be fair! Scrubs!
Plus to OG MÖ (as opposed to the new MØ)
The first of ‘the 3’ signings. So, were looking at Odegaard, Ramsdale and a right back?
Fantastic news. Now… A goalkeeper or two, right back and striker… Then sell Aubemeyang Lacazette Nketiah Maitland Niles Torreira Kolasinac Willian Nelson Cedric Bellerin and Leno. Then loan Runarrson to Chelsea to thank them for Willian, Gallas, Cech and Luiz.
Love your optimism, but I think most of the players you listed are seeing out their contracts, or we’re paying part of their wages to play for someone else.
I think for me he’s better than nothing, but I’m still not sure he will be enough.
We struggled to create goal scoring moments when he played for us as well. No doubt we were better with him in the side, but he’s going to have to have a phenomenal season to help us finish anywhere remotely respectable.
I think that’s why it’s important to not hang our hopes on one acquisition to turn our fortunes around. I think we all know there is no one player that’s going to do that unless we drop 100m+, and probably not then either.
I share in the excitement Andrew.
When Odegaard joined last season we had an upturn in form and the team performed so much better. He’s intelligent, young and technically brilliant.
Welcome back Martin.
What a load of bollocks! He had one good game against west ham and that was it! Posted MIA in every other match. Worryingly reminiscent of late- couldn’t give a fuck era – Ozil. This is a bad signing and could be the nail in the coffin for Arteta’s chances of surviving the season. The negative impact this will have on playing ESR and Pepe in their best positions is extremely worrying.
The only probable reason Ozil “couldn’t give a fuck” was because he was being ordered to relentlessly pass backwards and sideways by a rookie coach who didn’t – and still doesn’t – know what he is doing.
You really don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes here to figure out what went on in training before the first lockdown.
Ozil’s game was about incisive through balls and defence splitting passes.
Arteta’s game is about allowing the opposition to get eleven behind the ball when a break is on and boring the world to death in your own half.
Wow, you’ve built up quite a rabbit-hole narrative for yourself.
So now Arteta is responsible for Ozil? What about his decline and conflict during Emery? Late Wenger?
If by ‘what went on during training’ means Arteta held Ozil to expected standards, that’s wrong?
It seems from outside that your entire Arsenal worldview right now is shrouded in the red mist of your hatred for Arteta. It’s twisting history and logic a bit.
Well, you know what they say. Seeing is believing. So, here you go, Mesut Ozil during his so-called ‘decline’ in 2020. Yes, 2020, playing for Arteta.
https://youtu.be/ZHxFXQ3zQ0M
Have a look and then ask yourself who’s ‘twisting history’ here.
And if you think that me wanting Arteta gone is all I think about, then scroll down on this very page and you’ll see some of my thoughts on stats, watching Arsenal in the 70’s and 80’s, Jimmy Hill, Brian Clough and Notts Forest’s FA Cup run in 1991. Enjoy. 😉
If you had the chance to look back on my history of comments here you would see I held Ozil in high regard. But we just cannot deny that his effectiveness went down despite delivering some nice highlight skills. And if the managers had plans that he couldn’t adapt to, that’s the way it is. Arsenal is far from the first club he experienced that at. Seeing can be believing, to an extent. Here’s Odegaard for us last season. There seem to be quite a number more decisive passes in here than some of the “institutional memory” around here would… Read more »
Is that true?
5 gameweeks before Ødegaard, our form was W-W-D-W-W (13 points from 15). The 5 gameweeks after Ødegaard, our form was L-L-W-L-W (6 points from 15)
First of all, your records are a week off. Odegaard’s first week with Arsenal he subbed on in the 0-0 draw with Man U. The five league weeks were: D-L-L-W-L. That looks bad, but let’s break them down: D – 0-0 v Man U. He subbed on in the 83’ days after signing. L – 1-2 v wolves. He didn’t play, we got 2 reds- Luiz at halftime, Leno in the 72’ L – 0-1 v Villa. He subbed on in the 65’, it was a draw from there, as Villa scored in the 2nd minute. W – 4-2 v… Read more »
Fine. Starting from matchweek 21 or matchweek 22. Yes or No, did our form improve after his arrival?
I don’t think I said anywhere that he was the cause of our downturn in form. I just don’t agree that it improved after he came.
My point is that 5 week window doesn’t tell the story of his impact, because he didn’t play a hell of a lot in it. Our form DID turn up when he was more regularly playing. But as you have pointed out, correlation is not directly causation. It could be myriad things- the lads finally getting comfortable with a new system, players bedding in properly, lots. And in truth it’s surely a jumble of many things.
I’m Happy if this deal happens, and not ready for managerial conclusions just yet.
I like him, it wont solve all of our problems I feel we are certainly better with him than without him.
Agreed. Don’t like him as much as everyone seems to, but we’re definitely better with than without him.
I enjoyed watching him play. He has great quality – able to do things few others can do. He needs to do that more often, but in the meantime he was good at leading the press and looking like he was trying hard and cared.
Still a very young player with lots of experience already, i think he adds a lot.. if we could only get a Partey partnership in mid without injuries to both with ESR/Xhaka we might start looking to have a better shape, but yeh sign him..
This sums up my feeling as well.
Well that’s a start 😊
I really hope this happens.
Yes please!
Really pleased with this, think he’s going to be fantastic for us.
Fwiw signings over the last few seasons have been a genuinely mixed bag, not everything has been bad (credit where credit is due for martinelli, Gabriel m and Tierney).
Signings under Wenger were also mixed (has anybody seen park chu young?) but it feels like the flops weren’t as expensive so we didn’t care as much.
Is that the big difference?
I don’t think Wenger ever spent huge amounts on flops.
the Ricky signings that didn’t work were always cheap.
Jeffers?
Arshavin, a few great memories though he provided, was a flop
Mustafi. Xhaka.
I like him a lot. Moves the needle a tiny bit but still need a CM that isn’t Xhaka/Elneny, a RB Tierney doppelganger, a goalie that’s not a liability and striker that can actually score goals.
I don’t think Auba, Laca and Leno are bad, they’re just in a bad form. Would go for RB and CM where our real liability is, Chambers and Xhaka on the first 11 are top 10 at best.
Aubemeyang is very overated. Lacazette tries hard but can’t run. Nketiah is very limited and not good enough. A top striker would be transformative. Making that happen would be very difficult though.
Making Arteta take off the handbrake would be even more difficult.
Unless said striker is Henry 2.0 who can dribble past 4 players and score 4+ free-kicks a season, no new striker is going to be transformative in this team.
Lacazette has indeed lost his legs but even Mbappe is not scoring any hat tricks when we only create 1-2 high quality chances each game.
The midfielder could be Lokonga, the goalie could well join before the end of the window, but I wouldn’t dream too much on the rest…
*should be Lokonga. If Xhaka starts over a Lokonga-Partey combo once Partey is back I might starting drinking and never stop.
I hear drinking is good
Ha ha, cheers to that!
Even if it is lokonga we still need another cm for cover when partey goes. We need a cm better than lokonga so he can be 3rd choice
Disagree. Lokonga looks like he had it all. Why get In his way. In one game he greatly outshone xhaka. Xhaka can be our number 3. Who’s better than lokonga? Some other overpaid overrated mercenary? Nah, I would much rather see lokonga given the chances and room to grow into the role
We are building quite a squad for 2025!
When xhaka is gone?
You wish…
Arsenal general manager Granit Xhaka and technical director Nicklas Bendtner lead Arsenal to Champions League glory.
That’s a plot 2 a very disturbing horror movie
Man U fams think
They should win a trophy every year, as do Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool fans etc
Football is cyclical and diificult compete with financial might iof Chelsea and City
Building a squad to compete for Premiership and Champions League in 2025 – great
“Difficult to compete with Chelsea and City.”
Why? We have a billionaire for an owner and, apparently, he spends a fortune on us….
Please happen, we need a little positivity in this slog of a week!
He’s a sort of anti-Grealish, in that he goes about his job calmly, efficiently and clinically, with no time for theatrics – in sharp contrast to the flashy curtain-haired, low-socked Brummie balleticism of City’s latest FFP-defying, sportswashed purchase. Or his Tesco Value equivalent at Leicester, who didn’t make it into their starting line-up for the cup final. We’ve dodged an over-hyped AFTV-backed bullet there.
Odegaard is exactly the kind of signing we should be making – he has a high-ceiling and is future-proof, for when Arteta (and hopefully Edu) are inevitably shown the door.
“Future proof.”
Like it. 👍
Hilarious😁.
Not sure how future proof Ødegaard would be though. Say a new coach wants to play 3 at the back or 3 central midfielders, or 4-4-2, as he’s a classic that’s him øut of the line-up.
Maybe we can then go and get his Norwegian mate Haaland after he signs 😀
More chance Alf Inge.
Arteta is going to get his man! That said I’m not sure whether any new addition is going to make that much of a difference to Arsenal’s predictable and pedestrian playing method.The newly re-installed captain slows up ball progression even further and Odergaard’s inclusion will make it even more difficult for Arsenal to either press the opposition or to defend from the midfield. Unfortunately..until the “Powers That Be” relieve this poor tactician,man manager and strategic incompetent of his position Arsenal will continue to struggle and never be the “sum of it’s parts”. BTW Living in Bournemouth and having seen a… Read more »
MØ can press
And he’s not predictable either. His technical quality and creativity levels are very high, not to mention that he’s very young and still has lots of room for growth.
Plus…it seems the young man has a bit of maturity and steel to him. Martin needs to be the balance that makes it all mesh. To play this style, Arteta style, requires creating and unleashing multiple scorers. Balance, effort, skill and steel blended together do that. The job is to get balanced, creative, consistent scoring…like last season when we were improving. Injuries, player satisfaction and fake fans will have as much or more effect on Arteta continuing than he will with his coaching … in this environment. I think I used the word balanced too many times and unbalanced this… Read more »
We lost Ramsey, Mikitaryan,Ozil,Iwobi……we still haven’t replaced the goals and creativity…unless we’re also bringing in coutinho or aouar then forgive me for being underwhelmed with thiis odegaard business..
Coutinho? You want us to sign another unmotivated Kia client?
I do agree that Ødegaard doesn’t feel like a transformative signing
I would love this as our first team! (4-2-3-1)
Laca (or new striker)
ESR Ødegaard Saka
Partey Sambi
Tierney Gabriel Holding Chambers (new RB)
Leno
Subs:
Runar (or New GK)
Mari
White
Tavares
Xhaka/Neny
Pepe
Auba/Flo
We gain more match dominance with White in the team. We don’t need to talk about defending so much if we’re holding onto the ball for longer and using it to create goals.
Think you might find the match dominance we gain from white won’t matter much when he’s getting abused by every high ball or long throw into the box. Is it just me or is he Chambers 2.0. Overpaid for him from a south coast club, nice lad from a good family. Can play cb,rb and defensive midfield. Bit small for a center back, bit slow for right back, not really mobile enough or good enough on the ball for a midfieder. They both very expensive versions of giles grimaldi to my eyes. Maybe you could call them a poor man’s… Read more »
Yeah, play the much taller holding. He’d never get beaten in the air by Raheem Sterling, would he?
Heh.
White, Auba and Pepe on the bench….
Thank Christ you’re not in charge of the team.
🙄
Great news! He will certainly add some much needed creativity to our play in the final third – he looked very positive during his loan. Hoping he can build on those G + A numbers though.
Now, on to some selling as well, please Arsenal!
Thank God! But he’ll have to isolate, surely…We won’t see him until Norwich game.
Spain is on the Amber list; Amber list rulesWhat you must do if you have been in a country or territory on the amber list in the 10 days before you arrive in England. Before travel to EnglandBefore you travel to England you must: take a COVID-19 test – you must take the test in the 3 days before you travel to England book and pay for COVID-19 tests – to be taken after arrival in England complete a passenger locator form You must do these things whether you are fully vaccinated or not. On arrival in EnglandIf you are fully vaccinatedAfter arrival in… Read more »
Will he have to quarantine? That would make him unavailable for Chelscum
Only if he’s not vaccinated. (Amber list rules).
Cool, cheers man!
I can’t wait for 50% of fans to moan and gnash their teeth about this!
You didn’t have to wait long.
Overrated.
Couldn’t cut it at Madrid.
And we have aspirations of challenging?
We have failed to learn from the Baptista/Ozil deals.
Alexis and Fabregas couldn’t cut it at Barca. Players who were amazing for us struggled with the step up.
Just because a player doesn’t make it at one of the worlds top teams doesn’t make them a bad player. And it’s not like we are anywhere near that level anyway.
Anyone who thinks we are in a position to sign any players who would cut it at Real need to give their head a wobble.
Bottom line is Odegaard improves us, perhaps not as much as we would like but it’s a step in the right direction.
Barca had no conception of how to use Fabregas (broadly, in a midfield pivot or as a number 10, neither of which featured in their 4-3-3). Which made their relentless tapping up all the more insane.
That club deserves all the tears and more. Despite the positive things Pep et al. did for football tactics.
He doesn’t improve us. In fact, he will make us worse because ESR will be shoved wider, a position that’s not his best. The two of them do not play well together. And Pepe will be bumped onto the bench when he should actually be starting every game. Bad bad signing.
Nope. It’s a good signing.
With the exception of Willian and Xhaka, we have a good bunch of lads, most of them internationals.
It’s just the manager who has got them all playing a shite system that’s never worked and will never work in a thousand years.
True. When someone doesn’t make it at a big club at the age of 22, that’s pretty much the end of the road for them.
It’s a pity that De Bruyne, Salah, Lewandowski and others never made it in life after being rejected and sold.
Yeah….Bergamp was all washed up when we signed him!!😂
Bergkamp was a SUPERSTAR before Inter.
He scored 22 goals in 74 appearances for them.
Before that he scored 122 in 237 for Ajax.
Scored 26, 30, 33 goals per season before joining Inter.
What did Odegaard do?
2 goals and 2 assists in 20 games for Arsenal, less than ESR had last season.
And we’re celebrating as a fanbase?
😂😂😂😂😂😂
De Bruyne, Salah had in form legends blocking their path to the first team.
Mr Odegaard can’t get past a 36yr old Modric.
Doesn’t fit into their future plans as well.
Guess we’re okay with being mediocre.
Last year, this site was all over Aouar, cause that was the in-thing.
Now, it’s Odegaard?
Next year, who?
To be fair, even today there are very few footballers in the world that would start over Modric (in that position.
Is that the Modric who won the Ballon d’Or just 3 years ago and has won the Champions League 4 times – the one of the greatest playmakers of his generation Modric, that one? Or another one?
You could add Bergkamp Henry and Vieira to that list.
Well, this is certainly a take. Poorly informed, but a take nonetheless.
The weirdest thing on the aforementioned comment is the “challenging” part. What are challenging for this year?
Kindly elaborate.
Please.
😁😁😁
That is not saying much.
Everybody knows Madrid’s financial issues.
They’ve sold Varane to United; or is that because he couldn’t cut it too?
The sale has nothing to do with Ødegaard ‘s ability. Madrid need the cash.
Don’t forget their initial stance was that he wasn’t for sale.
He is a good purchase for Arsenal, and will only get better in the coming years.
What makes you so sure he’ll only get better in the coming years. Excluding Ben White, 6/9 signings we’ve made above £30 million did not live up to expectations. If Ben White and Ødegaard flop, that ratio will be 8/11.
6 of 9 signings above 30m have flopped? Pepe – not done yet by a long shot. Showed big progress last season. Auba – had a bad season, hardly a flop all before that Ben White – we don’t know a thing yet Lacazette – mixed results, agree not a total win Partey – still new to us, certainly doesn’t look floppy though Ozil – depends 100% on who you ask, but nobody can deny he had a couple blinder years for us Xhaka – mixed opinions abound Alexis Sanchez – was astounding for us, even if a head case.… Read more »
That’s quite fair. For me it’s Özil, Sanchez and Auba so far. Can’t include Ben White obviously. Pepe is still a work in progress but I’m not convinced he’ll ever replicate his 2018-19 Lille form at RW. I think Nico is truly a CF deep down. As we’ve seen with Auba, just because a player has good speed and decent dribbling, it doesn’t make them a natural winger. He’s wasted doing that hero-ball stuff near the touchline . Nico reminds me of Van Persie in many aspects – dead-ball ability, heading, taking shots on the half-volley and a capable but… Read more »
I agree we’re not getting the best of Pepe yet out there, he’s too often isolated and doubled. Hopefully Odegaard can help with getting him more stitched into the game. We still really need that RB situation figured out to get real balance on that right side.
And also agreed Auba, though really effective from the left channel, should not be playing a full on wing role. A waste of energy that could be causing major trouble for opponents..
It’s not so many years ago we got Sanches and Özil from the Spanish giants who were actually playing for them. Hence I get your frustration about it. This is our level mate.
About 99% of elite footballers don’t make it at Madrid. You can win the Prem with a team of them.
Henry couldn’t cut it at Juventus, Bergkamp couldn’t cut it at Inter, Vieira couldn’t cut it at Milan. Thank God we never signed any of them!
👍👉💰
I don’t know what the fuss is about, his stats last season weren’t anything special
Neither were Saka’s – 1 goal every 6 games, 1 assist every 8 games in the league.
Stats don’t tell the full story.
And Odegaard played several games with an injury. After being shoehorned into a mid-table team, in a new league, half way through the season.
Saka and ESR have something that Odegaard doesn’t have.
The ability to carry the ball long distances as well as make great runs off it.
Odegaard just flits into the inside right channel, looking to pick out passes.
He needs runners.
When the runs are closed off, what happens?
This will be the issue against the Citehs, Chelsea’s, and United’s.
Then we’re cooked.
Don’t forget Liverpool too. That game and against Villareal were where he looked the most anonymous.
I’ll tell you lot something, I’m so glad that I spent my youth watching football in the 70’s and 80’s. Stats, in those days, were just a boring topic in double maths, where I was either thinking about Brady’s curler at White Hart Lane or Jenny Latham. Football was all about the moment, the unexpected, hearing John Motson screaming “It’s there!” when’s goal was scored in the FA Cup Final. The only stats you got were from Jimmy Hill – and everyone knew he was just a big chinned earnest prat with a silly little fussy goatee, who Cloughie (Brian… Read more »
Yeah Clough and Forest were a proper good team at a time when football wasn’t ruined by rich owners!!!
Well said, young man.
I was absolutely gutted when Forest lost the 1991 FA Cup Final to those utter cunts up the Seven Sisters Road. The FA Cup had hitherto eluded Clough; he’d won the lot with Forest – apart from that. A Des Walker own goal won the cup for the Spuds but we gained revenge for the semi final defeat of ‘91 by beating them in the ‘93 semi final – again at Wembley – with a lovely Tony Adam’s header. 🎵“Two years, we only waited two years, and now the scum are in tears, we only waited two years.” 🎵 What… Read more »
I thought the point….in an 11 man team sport….was how well the team did with the players playing???
Anybody, anybody who does not recognise what a transformative talent Odegaard is must be watching an entirely different sport. He’s truly exceptional. Look at our league form with him and ESR in the side. Consider he did that in a new league and, for most of it, carrying an injury. He’d comfortably be our best signing since Alexis Sanchez.
Tierney says no
Good call. 👍
Lol – such a transformative talent that could never break into Madrid’s b team nevermind make the match day squad. Loamed out every season until we buy him…I hope I’m wrong but you know…
Since Sanchez?! My god. So much hype. In Alexis Sanchez’ 3 seasons at Udinese, he had 20 goals and 10 assists by age 21. They achieved two top 4 side while he was there. Udinese went straight to being a bottom table side just a mere two season after he left. Whilst Ødegaard was there, Sociedad finished 7th. He had 7 goals and 9 assists in all competitions, which was less than what Sanchez managed is his last season at Udinese at the same age. After Ødegaard left Sociedad, they finished 5th last season with a far better points tally… Read more »
You’re joking right?
2 goals and 2 assists in 20 odd appearances….. not whelmed! #Announceconte
Stats don’t tell the full story.
Smith-Rowe’s stats are 2 goals 4 assists in 20 odd Premier League games.
Meaning the problem is tetaball n not the players
Or meaning our strikers were shit.
Finally, some good news.
This won’t fix everything – we still need to be rid of Arteta, Edu and Kroenke – but it’s a step in the right direction.
The new manager, as and when he is appointed, will be able to bring out the real potential in this lad.
But, like I said, this is no quick immediate fix. Arteta still needs to go, ASAP.
I tried to believe in Arteta. He could develop into a good manager someday, but if Arsenal are going to develop managers it should be at the youth levels. Arteta needs to go and we need to bring in an established manager.
By the way…. Big thanks to all at Arseblog…. You guys keep us entertained amidst all the gloom surrounding the club. Thanks and stay safe.
Jumping into the shower right now so I can sing a happy song without shame!
He would have to be signed by midday on Friday to be registered for the Chelsea game.
I think this is a good move for us – assuming he can develop some consistency – he was brilliant at times last season. Is there any clarity about the striking situation? Are Laca and Auba actually up for sale? If so, and one or both leaves, who would replace them?!
Great!
Ødegaard has found a home where he is loved and valued.
I see him repaying Arteta by leaving it all on the pitch everytime he plays.
Madrid’s loss is Arsenal’s gain.
Get a right full back, a goal keeper and a striker, and the season might just become interesting.
COYG
🤣 Do you honestly believe Kroenke is going to cough up for all of that lot….?
It doesn’t change the fact that we need them.
Besides, we have some players for sale. Who knows?
Don’t hold your breath.
I love Oodegard but a part of me is still skeptical I remember wen Ceballos spent the 1st season I as desperate for him to come back but by the 2nd season I couldn’t wait for him to leave
Odegard is better but I would still prefer a loan with set fee option to buy
Ceballos had a very few good moments that flattered to deceive. I was never enamored with him. He doesn’t have enough athleticism to play at the top level, regardless of his football IQ. Odegaard doesn’t have elite athleticism but it is more than sufficient when paired with his skill set.
I hate the fact that the Kroenkes have
succeeded in reducing our expectations so much why can’t we have Odegard and Aouar?
How many premier league teams have spent more money the past 2 seasons than Arsenal (albeit poorly)? Spending money hasn’t been the problem. The problem has been with who they have put in charge. They have made very poor decisions in that regard. The biggest mistake IMO by far was not supporting Sven Mislintat and give him time to build the team, instead giving Sanllehi all the power. It will take a while to dig out of this hole.
On the contrary! Kroenkes raised the expectations with some famous phrases.
What they actually did was ruin the organisation. Which shrieked the reputation and the budget and hence our capacity to attract top talent…
My intent was not to defend the Kroenkes, merely to point out that Arsenal have been spending poorly. Why should we think that just by spending money on Odegaard and Aouar it would make a difference? It wouldn’t. The problem is organizational. And now I’m going to say something more controversial – in the end Wenger hurt the organization more than the Kroenkes. Go back and read some of his quotes. He did not support spending money to build the squad. His idealism (as much as we like how it sounded) and his complete control IMO had a huge impact… Read more »
Odegaard is a real talent, right age but what I love is he wants to play for Arsenal ( it’s not about the money). That is refreshing
Pepe is often doubled up on. With more talent in the team it will help release him
Still need goalkeeper
Possible right back unless ANM changes his attitude
Central midfield worker
Really good all round striker who can also hold the ball up with back to goal. Not Kane but a 23-24 yr old version – all about scouting across Europe
So much he wrote the dear John letter saying goodbye?
Cool.
I totally agree with your points.
Especially the comment regarding Pepe. The reason teams can afford to double team him and often triple-team him is that there is relatively less threat elsewhere on the pitch. It’s also indicative of how good Pepe is – the opposition know you can’t give him space – or he will score.
We let Willock leave for £20m and buy Odegaard for £30m.
Willock 8 goals vs 2 goals for Odegard.
Joke of a club
8 goals…. playing for Newcastle. I realize that we are striving to become the Newcastle of London but for at least one more season the standard and pressure is higher at Arsenal. How many goals did Willock score for Arsenal in the PL?
And yet many on here preferred for Saliba to go on loan to Newcastle or Crystal Palace etc. That’s the irony of it all.
Have you ever been in Newcastle? The fans are just as intense, if not more, than anywhere else. You could argue the pressure is felt even more up there than in north London! 8 goals in a shitty team with a shit manager is pretty good return. This assumption that Odegaard > Willock is just nonsense.
I like Odegaard. He’ll be a good addition to the team for sure, but he will not solve all the problems in attack. We still need another creative attacking player, preferably one with experience and leadership as well.
…Bernardo Silva please…!
meh..we need more. Not sure why we dont go for cut price Aouar as well
What about this for a midfield 3 in a 4-3-3: Partey Odegaard, ESR. Better than Yaya, Xavi, Iniesta in my humble opinion…
GET EXCITED!!!11!!!
Ok whatever happens in the short term, it’s good to remember we have a squad that includes a lot of exciting under-25 yr olds: Tierney, ESR, Saka, Martinelli, Sambi, Gabriel, White, Tavares, Balogun. Hope that they can grow strong together.
Can we also sign Onana, Martinez, Maddison and Trippier plz Mikel? Kthxbi
Above Arsenal standard at the moment, anyone who feels jaded by this transfer needs some perspective on where this side is at. Thrilled he’s coming back and hopefully it’s a sign of a longer term turnaround.
Above Arsenal standard yet we were the only club not named Real Madrid to offer him regular European football. Where were all the Champions League clubs? Is that enough perspective my fellow Gooner?
Meanwhile his fellow Castilla peer, Federico Valverde was able to push through the ranks at Madrid despite “supposedly” being less talented and world class.
As far as I’m concerned, so far Ødegaard is just another Deuleofeu. Good player from a renowned academy but no where near the level of hype he was given.
What exactly did he do for us last season? Underwhelming signing just like all our other signings this transfer window.
Can he play right back?
Good player and a good signing. Not quite as good as many on here seem to think, nor some of his alternatives, but a welcome addition all the same and at a reasonable price. At 22 has plenty of room to grow, provided our manager hones his attacking and creative instincts.
Cheap option as usual. Mind you, he is better than most of the pocket lint that are his teammates. Age is good, potential to flip him in a few years makes this an ok signing. Not inspired by it, but then I haven’t been inspired by Arsenal since Wenger left.
“a price-tag of between €30 and €40m has been mooted”
€30 would be a cracking price
Nooo.. he is more of the same just a little better.. sign maddison.. we need more personality in this squad
Happy with this signing, he is good and can be better. But we had him half the season, so it doesnt really feel like an improvement to the squad.
Also, all this talk of he could play Sunday if move is done shortly, what about quarantine and that… Doesnt seem possible at this point.
Good point – I am not too sure about quarantine rules in the UK but I think that coming in from Spain is now fine, no quarantine needed providing he gives a negative test. I could be wrong however.
I am really happy with this signing, I’m a big fan. However, there’s still a lot of work to do – Odegaard was with us for half of last season so doesn’t feel like a totally new addition to me. Ideally, we still need a backup goalkeeper, central midfielder and a striker to compete for the top six. A real right back would also be nice, but it’s looking unlikely we’re going to be able to shift anybody first.
Get that man a deodorant ad!
Ødegaard: No Sweat.
I don’t rate him… Eat me! 20 apps 2 assists 2 goals… Mediocre at its best. Can’t really say what his good at…
Maybe now its about time to pronounce his name correctly. First its Ødegaard, not Odegaard (I know you need our keyboard). And “aa” is the same as “å” in Norwegian. So the Ø is pronounced like “sir” without the r. And aa/å is pronounced like “more”. Remember : role the r’s
GO MARTIN!
Ahhhr-day-guard?? Talk like a pirate. Arsenal now has a ffffing pirate in our midfield, how cool and fun is that! I wanna hear that song sung for all to hear! Being a fan, our job is to make this shizzz fun! Thinking A very slight r after Ahhh and more pronounced and rolled rrrr ending? I will be looking for this blog to create the first ever Pirate Song….”Odegaard Odegaard Odegaard one oye oye. Kicks like a mule and he makes the wenches drool!”
Only two Odegaards not three, but with a crazy pirate growl. That young man…hearing that cheer or a better one… he will run through a wall for us and the team will be stoked. We need to Make it happen, THAT is our job as fans. Make him so proud he glows! Make other players and fans envious. Andrew, the whole season and career of this brilliant young man….it could be in your/our hands, Carpe Diem! 🙂