Martin Odegaard believes Arsenal will be rewarded with silverware so long as they maintain a collective desire to keep improving.
After running Manchester City close in the last two years, there’s a belief the Gunners can go one better and prevent Pep Guardiola’s dominant side from winning a fifth consecutive title.
At the same time, with so little margin for error, it’s set to be a tense start to the campaign with key players returning late from international duty and the Premier League handing Arsenal tough away games against three of last season’s top five in the opening five weeks.
In preparation, manager Mikel Arteta has taken the unusual step of hosting an obligatory training camp in Spain for those players not involved with their countries; a sign he already has the bit between his teeth.
Speaking from Marbella, captain Odegaard emphasised the need to hit the ground running.
“It’s always important to get a good start and feeling straight away,” he told reporters.
“The work we put in now is going to help us a lot to come back fit and sharp and be ready. You have to push and prepare in the best possible way.”
He added: “The work ethic and mentality in the team and how connected and aligned we are, we’re all thinking about the same thing.
“We want to win something and get better. We’re a young team as well so I’m sure that experience and another year is going to help us. It’s easy to find the motivation because we all want to win and we’re pushing each other so hard every day.x
“Staff, players, supporters and everyone are pushing in the same direction. In the end, I’m sure it’s going to be rewarded with a trophy.”
Arsenal ended the last campaign with their second-highest points tally in the league and with more wins (28) in a 38-game season than the Invincibles. They performed remarkably well but ultimately paid a heavy price for a mid-season wobble that included defeats to Aston Villa, Fulham and West Ham United before and after Christmas.
“We made history and we have to be proud of that, but it wasn’t enough to win it and that’s what we wanted to do, so we all felt a bit disappointed with being so close,” reflected Odegaard.
“In football there are small margins. It’s easy to look at one game but I think you have to look at the whole season. We didn’t have the consistency to win it and we have to earn it and we know we can improve, get better and that’s what we’re working on. We were so close but we’re going to come back even stronger now I’m sure.”
He added: “You learn something every day, especially when you’re so close and you can taste it on the last day.
“It gives us all the motivation we need to come back even stronger this year and win it. If you compare last season to the season before, we looked a lot stronger, especially towards the end.
“We looked a lot more mature and confident and we had a really good ending, so I think we’re taking a lot of good steps but we just need a little bit more to win it.
“Every setback can make you stronger. For us to be talking about last season as a disappointment shows how far we’ve come and what we’re all about now. It shows the mentality that we’re not satisfied if we don’t win.”
Arsenal’s pre-season preparations officially begin next Monday although it’s believed some first team stars returned to London Colney today.
Can’t wait to get Arteta-Ball back up and running, these England games have been such dull watching.
I’ve watched no Euro’s, it’s Arsenal or nothing for me. Football just isn’t as entertaining as it used to be
I know exactly what you mean. I’ve felt for some seasons now that I’m not really a football fan – but an arsenal fan.
I’ve no real interest in watching anyone but the Arsenal, unless it’s an absolutely massive game.
There was a time when I would happily sit through one and a half hours of match of the day. But not anymore.
Unless a rival gets battered, it’s arsenal or nothing these days.
Arsenal or nothing 👊
Although the euros were fun when there were 3 games a day to waft in and out of. However none of that comes close to this incredible arsenal team.
When you get more excited about Arsenal transfer rumours than England games, you know your journey to the light-side is complete.
Everything you just said!
I used to watch football constantly on weekends, at one time, I was a La Liga expert, but now I fast forward through match of the day
Same here more or less, I’ve watched about 3-4 halves of these Euros and regret even that time wasted, other than maybe one half of Spain. I can rarely enjoy any non Arsebal football anymore, on a club level because the other top clubs tend to range between somewhat c*nts to complete dirty cheating c*nts, and international because the level of play is mostly either bad or depressingly tactical and conservative.
You should have watched Germany, their games were good 👍
A massive season coming up. We have to win something. There’s not point in having a great side if you end up empty-handed at the end of every season.
For me, the key signing will be a quality striker. We need that lethal finisher who can make all the difference in those tight games.
Who would you sign fats?
I keep going round on Toney. I think he’s a killer and offers something a bit different but he does also seem a bit spursy. Just can’t make my mind up on him but I do agree, an attacker of some sort must arrive this summer.
He’s definitely Spusy, reminds me so much of Darren Bent. Toney to me feels like the exact sort of striker which we’d buy and people will go quiet for a bit because he has the look of a top striker, and then half a season later Fats and others would be on here again saying “we need to sign a top striker”. He’s 28 and has had ONE very good season at the top level. Is that really where we wanna cash in our chips? For me all the talk about needing a striker mostly ignores the reality of the… Read more »
If we can get him, Osimhen. Great striker and a real statement of intent if we managed it.
Definitely Osimhen. We need a quality PROVEN striker who could hit the ground running and score 25+ goals in the PL next season.
It looks like Brentford wat too much money for Toney and I’m not too sure that he could make the step-up anyway.
I don’t know enough about Osimhen, but aside from one season his goal scoring stats don’t appear to equate with the financial figures associated with his transfer value. Haaland had been banging in a goal-a-game pretty much for a few seasons before City landed him. Declan Rice was a guaranteed transformational player for his price; is Osimhen? Moreover, does Osimhen play Arteta-ball? I think we’ve seen enough from Jesus and Havertz to understand the type of all-around play he demands from his centre-forward. Finally, does he have the right team-personality to fit the aggressive modesty and work ethic currently lifting… Read more »
We already have one in nketiah
This team will win together
This guy is improving with each season
The coolest thing here is that Marty has had a nice relaxing summer. Come back fresh and continue to grow into the greatest #10 in world footie! Phenomenal player and brilliant captain.
Yep, and benny Blanco.
Big gabi best have those big feet of his in a hammock somewhere as well as martinelli.
I am worried about Dec next season tho. that lad has played so much football, as well as B. I want them both to get a good rest in at some point. it would be fantastic to stagger some proper rest throughout the season maybe give him or Dec December or January off entirely, depending on fixtures. probably a shit idea, but I do worry about how much intense football those lads have played, there season is still going!
And the Chumpions league will go to extra games this season… FFS…
They should definitely both be left out of all domestic cup games at the very least. Maybe Saliba and Kai too.
I’ve slept through all the euros matches so far, been good for my health but can’t wait to get my heart racing again. COYG!!
The team is very capable. When ø starts talking silverware, it’s easy to belive