Between the wins over Chelsea and Manchester United, Martin Odegaard sat down with Malaysian broadcaster Stadium Astro to discuss life at Arsenal.
Here are a few of the best bits…
On wearing the Arsenal armband…
It’s a big honour to be the captain for such a big club like this one. To get that responsibility from the coaching staff and the manager is, of course, a big honour for me. It was a big moment, I was happy to step in when Laca was out.
On his experience captaining Norway being helpful…
It helped a lot, you know, the experience. I’ve been through a lot even though I’m still pretty young. Being the captain for my nation, for my country, it gives me a lot of experience and confidence to do it here as well.
On what type of captain he is…
To be honest, I try to be myself, I don’t want to be someone else. Of course, I’ve had some good captains through my career and some great players to look up. I try to be myself whether I’m the captain or not and as I said, I was happy to step in when Laca was out, but it’s not a big thing, it’s about the team. I’m just trying to be myself whether I have the captaincy or not.
On Arteta saying it will take time for Arsenal to reap the benefits of their work on the training ground…
I think he just means is that what we’re working on now is maybe hard to see for the next few weeks but with time it will show. It’s about the hard work we do every day, we work on small details in the game, how to find the right spaces, to position the body to receive the ball, where to attack and when to link up with the other players. We’re working on a lot of things and hopefully we’ll see all that in the future. I think already, I have a great connection with all the players and that will get better in time.
On what things in particular Arteta has the team working on…
It’s hard to say one thing, there are so many things in the game, every day there is always something to learn from him, there are so many details and ways of thinking. I just try to learn as much as possible, listen, and understand what he wants from me and the team. Just small details all the time, how to position the body, how to turn, how to move away when someone comes to the ball and all these small details we work on every day. A lot of things.
On room for improvement…
My game is about creating chances and to help the team to flow in the game, to create things, especially in the last third. Sometimes I have to a bit drop deeper to connect the defence and the attack but it’s mainly about creating things. That’s the part of the game where I want to improve even more, be more decisive, score more goals, get more assists and help the team to win games.
On how his time in La Liga has helped him…
Everything that happened to me, helped me a lot. All the good things, the bad things, you can learn from all those things. I feel like I’ve done that. I started really young, I played in the Norwegian league when I was 15, I have a lot of experience so I have to use that in a good way. It’s helped me to improve and the experience helps me to be more calm on the pitch and to take responsibility. I feel like everything has happened to me has helped a lot.
On being labelled a flop following his time at Real Madrid…
That’s part of football these days, especially with social media and these things. It’s hard for young players, one day you’re the best, the next the worst. That’s football and you have to deal with it. It’s never been a problem for me, Ive always just focused on my game, focused on the people around me, listened to the ones I wanted to listen to. It’s never been a problem for me, but it can be hard because it’s always ups and downs, it’s always black and white today, you’re the best or the worst and that’s it.
You can watch the full interview below…
Seems a bright lad, could be captain for a good number of years if he becomes it now and is a success.
Strong player, young so room to develop, bright, lots going for him.
Hope he continues his upward path.
We’re lucky to have him. Already top quality, when he has a few more tools around him– we’ll see the best of him.
I thought Arteta has got rid of a lot of the tools and we only have (mostly) class players left?
He’s lucky to have Arsenal as well cos he was rotten away at Madrid bench. It’s more like a perfect union.
Was thinking about his time at Madrid during the Champions League match last night. Ancelotti was going to bring on a sub in the 75th minute and we were wondering who it was going to be. We all had a laugh when the camera panned to Ceballos on the touchline. What he would give now to have been able to bring in Odegaard instead.
Give him the armband, not only the top player that he is which his teammates respect he has the proverbial old head on young shoulders and is a natural leader, can’t see him driving around the west end pissed at 2am unlike some other captains..
Given his meteoric rise to fame at 15, it would be so easy for Martin to be an arsehole, when in fact the opposite is true. When I heard stories that he demanded to train with the Real first team at 16, I was a little worried we were getting an entitled prima donna. But I see now that he is, and always has been, a determined and quietly confident lad. And it’s so rare for child prodigies to actually make it. I’m thinking of Jermaine Pennant and Freddie Adu. It’s such a testament to his resilience and professionalism that… Read more »
He must have listened to public enemy on that one.
I went to the same school as BROS….they were twats, Ødegaard isn’t Bros.
❤️
(Any news on Saka’s injury???)
No way! Did you see their documentary? Literally laughed as hard as I have at any genuine comedy. The real life Spinal Tap.
Totally. I get that there’s an element of an absence of self-awareness there (you could argue) but it was all so gloriously ridiculous, down to the cod philosophy, that I couildn’t help kinda liking them. Was brilliant.
Yeah. They actually came out of it well. I just wanted to hug them both at the end. I need to watch that again. Hope it’s still on iplayer.
So anyway, I hear we’re in a top 4 battle…?
All Spinal Tap’s music was supposed to be an awful joke and yet it was still better than anything by Bros.
The missus is a Lewisham girl – so it was inevitable that back in the day she was a Brosette. She lived around the corner from the twins mum. The music, I agree, was fairly nondescript, although a little known tune called ‘Chocolate Box’ had quite a funky groove to it. Mind you, by the time they brought that out, they were on the way out. I think Matt Goss had quite a good voice. The wife tells me that he’s now been doing Vegas and Ronnie Scott’s and the like, fronting a big band or something. Fair play to… Read more »
I would take him over Ozil.
Though I did grow up under the George Graham era…
FFS, can we put the Ozil hate to bed once and for all?
It’s over. He’s gone. Move on.
No hate there sunshine 🙂
Just an opinion I have about two guys who have both played for Arsenal. It was actually a compliment.
Not all of us got caught up in the Ozil “online” nonsense….
I think your Ozil worship has maybe made you a little snappy and defensive as soon as you hear his name now. Ozil’s white knight 😀
I just like a 10 with a bit of bite and workrate (eg Bergkamp). I liked Ozil too. Just less (if that is ok with you)….. Each to their own no?
Touched a nerve. Q has been very positive as of late.
Fun fact: Rocky Rocastle played for Malaysian club Sabah FA in 1998, moving there on a free transfer. He took Sabah to the Malaysian FA Cup final where he finished runners-up before retiring in the following year.
Was reminded of it when I read the words Stadium Astro.
Love that fact.
🎶 Oh Rocky, Rocky!
Rocky, Rocky, Rocky, Rocky Rocastle! 🎶
There’s a lot of things about Arteta coming through in this interview.
Hard work and humility are cornerstones. But so too is attention to detail.
Then comes the bit “ one learns from the hard times”. It’s tough to turn negative experiences into positive ones, but I seriously believe we are embracing it under Arteta.
Old fashioned coaches, rant and rave, and the house falls down…….
Arteta is the real deal. He makes less in game management mistakes now than 2 years ago. He’s learning and improving like the team. Future looks bright: manager tactically astute, good coach to bring out the best in players, exciting prospects coming through the academy in a variety of positions, young versatile attacking front line that will keep improving, academy players going out on loan, connection between Edu, Arteta and KSE appears to all be on the same page about transfers and KSE is providing funding as sole owners. How can you not be optimistic for the future?
Great player, think he will go to the next level with a proper CF in front of him
As much as I like Tierney, I think I actually prefer Ødegaard as captain. I was a little skeptical of him when we made the perm transfer but he’s come on leaps and bounds. What’s impressed the most I think is his work rate in the middle of the park, we’ve not had that since Ramsey. He’s also now playing with real personality too. He could easily become an elite player in his position and he leads by example.
Plus … not always injured.
eeesh! – careful now!!
Should we all be injured now? What’s the offical line the club is taking on this?
Love this guy. What a nightmare he would be to play against! When he starts scoring at a regular clip he can be one of the best in the world.
Not a single comment on how he mentions in the interview that Haaland is a brilliant player & that if he comes to England, he’ll play for us!!!!????
Not with this agent.
If we get top four, I still think we have an outside chance of an eleventh hour scupper bid. He would cost the earth, but my God he would be worth it in front of Odegaard, Saka and ESR.
You’re talking about a title bid then, no question.
COYG 💪🏻
Would love to get him, he would transform overnight our goal threat and our wingers would also become more productive. But his transfer fee, agent fee, father fee combined make me doubt KSE would sanction this deal. I agree w conventional wisdom that he’s going to Citeh and we are more than likely going to get Jesus which would also improve our goal threat.
Imagine him on 500k/week and then getting benched because he was late for training a couple of times. What a monumental shit show that would be
Level head.
Sounding a lot like Xhaka in parts there. Good mental strength needed and hopefully remains.
I was KT all the way, but I would now give this lad the armband indefinitely.
He seems to thrive with the responsibility and it certainly hasn’t affected his game.
The missus and my daughters won’t stop going on about how gorgeous he is – and I have to concur that his vision and passing are certainly easy on the eyes!!
Captain Odegaard, I salute you, Sir.
Proud to say that I always backed Ode and knew he’d come good. But kudos to those who admitted they were wrong about him, that takes balls.
He has a strength that most player at his age won’t have until years later.
.
He seems to have found his own solution which is too be himself at all times. Such a mature attitude which comes from hard experiences and also confidence in his own ability and potential
He is intelligent and able, and knows his limitations and need to improve.
Seems well motivated for the long term.
He was a great signing for Us, i like his Game,his cool and the leadership in him. I can’t wait for ucl anthem next season