Odegaard: There’s something going on here

We don’t believe Martin Odegaard is being paid to say nice things about Arsenal so we’ll take him at his word when he says he’s never experienced a dressing room bond like the one being forged at London Colney.

Having said from the moment he arrived that he wants to create an environment ‘where everybody respects each other’, it certainly feels like Mikel Arteta has made progress on this front since the summer.

After years of cliques, indiscipline and some genuinely odd blokes, there is now a sense of harmony and clear indications on the pitch that everyone is pulling in the same direction.

“The togetherness is something special here,” Odegaard told the Press Association last week.

“I’ve never seen something like this in my football career and there’s a lot of competition but still people just want the best for the team.

“We always want the team to win and the team spirit is really good and I think the connection we have off the pitch as well helps us on the pitch.

“It is definitely something special going on here and I feel like everyone really wants to get the club back up to the top, so that’s the feeling behind it.”

Speaking prior to the 3-2 win over Watford – a match in which he grabbed a neat goal and was generally ace – the player also reaffirmed his belief that Arsenal have what it takes to qualify for the Champions League.

“Obviously that is the target,” he said.

“So we will do everything to get there and we will take it game by game and try to win each one and then we’ll see in the end – but of course, that’s the big goal and I believe we can do it. I think we have the quality to do it.”