Martin Odegaard has been confirmed as the new Arsenal captain.
The midfielder takes over the armband on a formal basis ahead of the 2022/23 campaign having sported it during pre-season and on several occasions at the tail-end of last season when Alex Lacazette was benched.
The Frenchman had taken over from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the start of the year after his pal was stripped of the responsibility due to disciplinary issues.
Arsenal supporters will be hoping the captaincy is in safe hands with Odegaard. The 23-year-old is already captain of his country and is very well-respected in the dressing room, and the game in general, having shot to prominence as a 15-year-old in Norway.
Congratulations, Martin. Do us proud.
Arsenal’s captains during the Emirates era (via The Arsenal History)
2006-07 Thierry Henry
2007-08 William Gallas
2008-09 William Gallas (Until 24 November 2008)
2008-09 Cesc Fabregas (From 24 November 2008)
2009-10 Cesc Fabregas
2010-11 Cesc Fabregas
2011-12 Robin van Persie
2012-13 Thomas Vermaelen
2013-14 Thomas Vermaelen
2014-15 Mikel Arteta
2015-16 Mikel Arteta
2016-17 Per Mertesacker
2017-18 Per Mertesacker
2018-19 Laurent Koscielny
2019-20 Granit Xhaka (Appointed on 27 September 2019 although had captained the team until then. Until 5 November 2019)
2019-20 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (From 5 November 2019)
2020/21 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
2021/22 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (until 15 December 2021)
2021/22 Alex Lacazette (9 February until 30 June 2022)
Great stuff.
He thrives on the responsibility and his game hasn’t suffered; quite the opposite in fact.
In fact, I’ve only one small gripe to make – the females in my household won’t stop going on and on – and on – about him…!! 😂
Same situation here with the females, plus my son won’t stop talking about him either. To be fair, he’s only 9 and he looks a lot like Odegaard, so much so that the other day he proclaimed that Odegaard could be his dad. His mother was silent on the subject….
Your wife may be in need of a good lawyer. My calculations would make him 13 at time of conception. 🤣
This made me chuckle
Yes..😆😆😆
Never in doubt. Hope he breaks the curse of the Arsenal captaincy!
Such a shame Gilberto Silva was screwed for Gallas.
Øtherwise cøngratulations to the new captain
Unfathomable
Awesome news
Good luck to the fella, clearly very talented, intelligent and respected by his team mates, I just think it’s a season too early myself but I’m sure Ode will stand up to the scrutiny and added pressure that Captaincy can bring. I trust Mikel’s decisions completely.
I understand the slight hesitation, perhaps because as an Englishman the idea of a captain is somewhat different to a quiet, seemingly a little introverted player.
But it’s worth remembering that other players can still be influential regardless of who has the armband. It doesn’t stop Gabriel from barking orders, Xhaka from offering advice or Benjamin White from punching Ramsdale in the face every time he makes a save.
Odegaard is a great conduit from manager to team and I think that’s really what Arteta is looking for.
Fair points Johnny 4 but I’m not really thinking old school Skipper at all, Ode definitely has all the credentials of a current style Captain and will do a good job in the role working with others in the team much like a Cricket Captain does, no problem with the choice at all, I just thought that Granit would wear the Armband for one last season before he leaves and then if things go to plan Ode could take it on from there for years to come, Ode had a lot of good games last year but as a player… Read more »
Although he doesn’t bark at his teammates, he actually does have more of the old-style captain style than anyone else in the squad–in the sense of being an on-pitch coach (Xhaka is the only one close). Watch him indicating proper positioning, pointing out runs to make and where to put a pass. I mean he is like Arteta as a player, except with significantly more talent (without in any way underestimating Arteta’s ability as a player).
World class talent and seems like a respected and decent down to Earth guy.
He’ll be lifting the Europa League trophy in 10 months time.
🙏🏾
More grace to lead this legendary club.👊🏾💪🏾👏🏾🙏🏾
Nice! Hopefully he can brake the curse!
Completely off topic: Mad Jens was at it again. He apparently got so angry at his neighbors, because they blocked part of his seaview, that he got his chainsaw and just destroyed their cottage.
Any idea who is deputy captain?
xhaka, tierney and saka in that order probably, based on who also wore the armband last season
I’d imagine the more experienced players probably sharing duties. Xhaka, Partey, Tierney? I’m hoping not Saka, he’s got enough responsibility being our star, not sure he needs more on his plate right now.
Deputy to the captain.
This reminded me. Mcginn is Villa’s captain and Young is their skipper.
What is the difference? I always thought they were the same
Nice! Hopefully he can brake the curse!
Completely off topic: Mad Jens was at it again. He apparently got so angry at his neighbors, because they blocked part of his seaview, that he got his chainsaw and just destroyed their cottage.
[Link for german speakers: https://www.nw.de/nachrichten/panorama/23315416_Fuer-den-Seeblick-Jens-Lehmann-soll-Garage-des-Nachbarn-zersaegt-haben.html%5D
Fear not, The Daily Mail has covered it for English speakers:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11056813/amp/Arsenal-icon-Jens-Lehmann-damages-neighbours-garage-CHAINSAW-frenzy-rage.html
A good choice, congratulations to Odegard, quite the turnaround for the player since his loan move from Madrid.
Smart move. Odegaard leads by example in his pressing, is vocal on the pitch and has real technical ability. We haven’t had such a good captain in a long time.
Probably the best man available.
Hope he works out better than the others.
First time that the captaincy has been offered to someone who is here to lead a new era (and can be committed to it long term) rather than just as a negotiation or because he’s the most experienced, since Patrick Vieira.
Well deserved, him and Xhaka are the 2 natural leaders on the pitch. Here’s to hoping the weight isn’t too much at his age, although he displays the maturity of a man much older.
Agreed with you totally. I think he will do just fine, he is the captain of his own country for crying out loud… and he has lifted his first trophy for the club already! Please do it more often!!!
Here’s hoping he can be a long-term captain, could lead this club for 10 years. Never felt so optimistic that we’re at the start of a great era.
Irrespective of what you think about this decision, it’s nice to see the club being decisive in all sorts of matters nowadays – transfers, this captaincy decision, etc. Things are getting done early with a minimum of fuss – thinking now of that prolonged captaincy saga during Emery’s days. Seems like there’s a plan for just about everything and that makes things go much more smoothly
11 captains in 16 years, what a mess.
Hopefully number 12 doesn’t stink the place out some some before him.
Very excited for this season of hopefully much more ups than downs
I’m not gonna lie, I’m really disappointed Fabio isn’t even in the starting lineup today. This is extremely annoying now. Maybe I’m displacing my frustrations from ESR, Tierney and Tomiyasu.
To actually compete I think we need to cut out the sentiment if this persists, it’s an issue. In any other profession if you’re ill for an extended period of time you’ll be let go, nevermind paid hundreds of thousands a week and cared for.
Vieira fractured his foot on international duty
Facts. Really interferes with rants.
Really knowhere near first name on the team sheet for me…
Good luck to him and the team tho up the gunners
Well, I guess MA will fill in the team sheet…
Well, in the sense that Ramsdale, Gabriel Jesus, and Saka are akmost always going to start every important match, I guess that’s true. Also irrelevant.
Great choice. Huge year ahead for him.
It looks like the armband has a permanent arm for years to come.
I hope he lifts many trophies for the Gunners.
Congratulations, Martin Ødegaard.
One down many to come! 🙂
Very happy with this appointment. The buzz around this team is electrifying at the moment, let’s hope it can translate to good results when the season starts next week!
Good choice. Says a lot about this squad that it could have been handed to 2-4 worthy players. Hope the days of using the captain armband to stop players from leaving or reward them for signing a new contract has come to an end. Wishing Ode good health and good form, the team needs the captain always playing.