Norway’s medical team believe Martin Odegaard has escaped an ankle fracture but the full extent of the Arsenal captain’s injury remains unknown.
Representing his country on Monday evening, Odegaard fell under pressure from Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner – his ankle buckling at a nasty angle – and required treatment before being substituted.
He was said to be in considerable pain in the dressing room and the following morning boarded a private jet for London with the assistance of crutches.
While Arsenal await the results of a second MRI test, preliminary findings shared with Norway team doctor Ola Sand suggest he’s likely suffered a sprain rather than bone damage.
“What we have so far obtained from the MRI examination in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle,” Sand told Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang.
“Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks [to heal]. Anything other than that is just a bonus but it can take longer.
“Both Stale [Solbakken] and I know that that inclusion [in October’s Nation’s League squad] hangs in the balance. It is not out of the question but we have to wait and see both what the MRI images show and how quickly he responds to treatment
“Ankle injuries are very painful right away. With Martin, it was extremely painful. He became very worried.
“They are studying the MRI now, and have sent them on. No [bone] violation is suspected. In the event of a fracture, we would be talking about him being out of action for six weeks plus.”
It sounds like one of the reasons why a prognosis is taking longer than usual is the fact Odegaard has injured the same ankle in the past. Three years ago, while on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid, he twisted the joint playing for Norway against Gibraltar. He subsequently missed four games in the space of a couple of weeks.
“He has had it before,” added Sand. “It is always a bit difficult to interpret an MRI when you have had an old injury. But Arsenal are almost certain there is no breach [fracture]. But this may still take some time [to figure out].
“Regardless of what the MRI says, his response to the rehabilitation in the next few weeks is the most important. It will start carefully on the bike, carefully in relation to what he can tolerate from pain. Then you take it gradually.”
With Arsenal playing every three days, Odegaard could miss seven matches in the run-up to the October Interlull.
That includes three upcoming away games with Sp*rs, Atalanta and Manchester City, the Carabao Cup clash with Bolton, two home league matches with Leicester and Southampton and PSG’s visit to the Emirates. Realistically, we won’t see him in action again until the trip to Bournemouth on 19 October.
Superb. I’m sure a 17 year old who has played a total of 15 mins first team football can carry us through this insanely difficult period though right?
Lol…that’s what you get from stockpiling defenders with already stretched transfer resources….Tierney,tomiyasu,calafiori,kiwior,zinchenko and even timber and we had to let smith Rowe go….lol again..
If we had Fabio or Smith Rowe in the squad, they would not be starting in the NLD or at City over Jorginho.
ESR would more than likely start in a case like this, but more out of necessity rather than tactics, he’s not an Arsenal player anymore so it’s all academic.
I kind of see where the OP is coming from though, we seem to have an awful lot of left backs, for whatever reason and not enough in midfield.
I still maintain though that the lack of a an out and out goal scorer is what will end up costing us.
We have a lot of LBs who you will see playing in midfield! Did you see where Timber has been positioning himself? We also have 5 specialist first team midfielders for 3 positions, plus Nwaneri, plus Havertz.
Saying we have LB’s that can play midfield is more of a worry than an assurance. The 5 “specialist” midfielders are not 10’s. Havertz should not be anywhere near our midfield – didn’t people learn anything last season?
Which is a good thing because we don’t play with a 10.
ESR has been good in Ode’s position before.
Something tells me Jesus if fit, will be so good there that Arteta will have trouble bringing back Ode in the same position and will play him as a 9 like Spain did with Fabregas.
Disclaimer: I once predicted Kane would disappear from the PL in three months.
Raya at full back and Havertz in goal.
Your disclaimer saved you a downvote😂😂
Jorghino will start because rice is not playing – not because MO will be out.
Maybe,but that’s still an awful number of players who can play left back!😂😃
Tend to agree with you but for the first two on your list, do you expect them to be fit over the season?
We were light in midfield even before Rice’s red card and Ode’s injury. Elneny, ESR & Viera out and only Merino in was never going to be enough.
We were all types of lucky last season that Saliba, Rice, Ode & Saka played almost every game.
Let’s hope the boys can see us through this tough period COYG
Wilshere stepped up for Cesc when he went down, Bellerin stepped up for Debuchy – we’ve seen teenagers called from nowhere work before, he certainly looks ready. And bar the NLD, he’ll have experience around him with Rice, Havertz, maybe Jorginho – baptism by fire, all we can do is hope he’s up to it.
He’s not going to play. Maybe at Atalanta, but I doubt that too.
I get being reluctant to give him minutes, but you put faith in him by clearing the path – the door of opportunity opened earlier than anyone wanted, I’m sure – but that doesn’t mean it won’t be successful. We don’t need our team to revolve around his creativity – we need him to play his role, and gain influence. I’m sure Ode and Mikel can prepare him for taking this on with the right perspective. To say you don’t expect him to play or start at all in the next 7 games (bar the Bolton game, which surely he’ll… Read more »
I think it’s just a normal path for a 17 year old. Spurs and City away are two of the highest stakes games we will play. Not the time to make your first PL start.
I agree with you – its a big moment. I think City first up, I would support you 100% because of the pressure on those games this season. And obviously, the NLD is huge, but its a different kind of stage. I think we have to try an integrate some kind of creative solution, so that we can go into City with more clarity over what can work, and what can’t. I cannot see the 4-2-4 working against City’s midfield
Pep is impossible to prepare against at the best of times. He’s got a big squad full of quality and can throw new looks and wrinkles at you from the start or after X minutes, whatever. We have to play to our strengths and figure out the game as it goes, like we did at Villa. Rice will be back so we also have flexibility for that game, can be a 2 or a 3 in the middle or both at different times. I’m less worried about creativity and more about staying compact and dealing with their pressure. The chances… Read more »
Absolutely agree – We need to be solid against City – if they accused of playing for 0-0 draw last year, I can’t imagine what they’ll say this year. Was really hoping we could take it to them this time, but it isn’t lining up for that at all. Would love Jesus back for that one. But we’ll see, going to be tricky – we’ll certainly need Nwaneri in some capacity – I’d love to see what he’s got sooner than later, but obviously, don’t want everything to go south. We need results in all 3 of the comps in… Read more »
I think you’re right that he won’t start, but I’d be very surprised if Mikel doesn’t bring him off the bench if it’s tied or we’re behind, that way no pressure and if he does well he might earn a start.
Yep, the impact attacking sub role, same as what ESR would’ve been. It’s perfect for a 17 yo talent.
I think that time is gone where even a Cesc or a Wilshere, both incredible prodigies mind you, can come in at 16 or 17 and take over centre midfield, the game has evolved so much tactically and become so complex. And that manager is gone too, Mikel is so different to Wenger’s “just go out and express yourself” philosophy and his tactics so demanding there’s no way a teenager that young with almost zero experience can carry it out consistently. Maybe a game or two against lower opposition but not at Tottenham or City, and not week after week.… Read more »
Kobbie Mainoo has kinda done it this past year. However awful United are he’s looked awesome.
Anytime an academy player looks like your shining light, it’s damning for the rest of the team. We went through this at Arsenal. We anointed our next saviors in succession while the walls around them crumbled. A high functioning team like City can sit on talents like Palmer and Lewis and not really notice if they play or not. They can sit for months and nobody cares, nobody’s worried because the team doesn’t *need* them. That’s what we should aim for with our young talent. Use them but don’t rely on them.
Also Mainoo is 19 rather than 17, a bit of difference. Even last season when he was starting to get a run he was 1.5 years older than Nwaneri. If things go really peachy Nwaneri could even be on course to do this season as a 17 year old what Mainoo did last season as an 18 year old, which is slowly stake a claim to start some matches by the second half of the season, that would be a phenomenal achievement for him.
The best ever replacement was: Freddie replacing injured Pires.
it didn’t look like it but Wenger could be ruthless. There was no reason for Debuchy not getting his place back. He was solid but Wenger wanted the young guy for the future.
Relax. No chance he starts. It’ll be 4-2-4 with TP and Jorginho double pivot.
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber, TP, Jorgi, Saka, Havertz, Trossard, Martinelli. Strong team.
In general when you lose an important player in any sport the best thing to do is not to try to find someone to replicate what he does to a worse standard, but to adapt to the team around different strengths, different system if necessary.
If you do that though, you lose continuity and flow – the relationships are broken and we’re disjointed. Mikel has talked several times about not trying to change too many things at once. The solution there, would be to try and keep the system, and introduce Nwaneri. He’ll fill the role, but that doesn’t necessitate him playing out of his capabilities. We don’t need to ask him to do anything he isn’t accustom to. I think dropping Havertz to the left 8, Trossard as 9, and putting Nwaneri in the Ode hole is the least disruptive, and puts the kid… Read more »
No chance! The problem isn’t talent, it’s a lack of reps/continuity and the potential for bungled assignments and incoherent handoffs. Spurs will test us on that with their crazy FB forward system. This is the same reason Calafiori hasn’t played much and why guys like ESR didn’t play much down the stretch. As you say it’s about continuity/automatisms but the guys who have been on the team last season already have that in the 4-2-4 shape from last season. Ethan might do fine but there’s no reason to risk exposing him when you have an option like Jorginho.
I get that – but the mobility of TP and Jorginho, holding down midfield gives me nightmares. Sp*rs will be licking their chops, and we’d have to play counter attacking football anyway. I appreciate wanting to play experienced heads, but what is the exposure risk to Nwaneri? I see an exposure risk (high at that) for TP and Jorgi, but not further forward. I just think you can protect him. I would play Jorginho for Partey (despite his mistake in last year’s derby) and give us more control and slow build up. The only real argument I could accept is… Read more »
Yes, you give up some physicality with Jorgi, so you adjust to the personnel. You drop a bit deeper. Play a double instead of a single pivot. With Ethan, the risk is that he doesn’t have the nous to track and switch assignments, doesn’t maintain proper spacing, doesn’t have cohesion with the press, doesn’t have the timing for when to sit, when to jump. At this level mistakes like that are costly. I wouldn’t base anything off of what Jack Wilshere did. Different player, different moment, different demands.
Obviously I wasn’t saying, ‘Because Jack worked, Ethan will work,’ – that would be foolish, I was merely stating that we truly don’t know how ready Ethan is. We don’t what his levels are, and simply dismissing him because of the 15 minutes of football he’s played is just a foolish. If he’s good enough, he’s old enough, and no stage is too big – even the NLD. No one would blame him if a mistake he made cost us points in this game, but the legend of many Arsenal players were built on foundations of a performance in a… Read more »
I’m the biggest fan of Ethan believe me, I love that kid. I see massive potential. He may be ready even now, as you say, maybe even for that big stage. I just don’t think anyone should have to find out the hard way if he’s not.
I think your narrative is sound but you are over stating it IMO. If Arteta is satisfied with Ethan’s ability to track and switch assignments, maintain proper spacing, has cohesion with the press, has the timing for when to sit and when to jump, then why not play him. It’s likely Ethan is not going to start but if the manager kept him instead of going to the market for a squad player to raise the floor, then he needs to play him. Look for him to come of the bench but if he’s not of the quality then why… Read more »
I don’t know if he can do any of those things consistently in a top tier match and neither does Arteta. We don’t want to have to find out in crunch matches like the NLD and at City. As I said, none of this is about talent. He will get his time. The aim should be to use him at the right level and right amount for where he is in his development we can get a better sense of that in some lower leverage minutes and fixtures.
Raya
White Saliba Gabriel timber
Partey havertz
Zinchenko
Saka trossard
Jesus
Book it…
And you haven’t included Sterling either!
He’ll play off the bench, so will Nwaneri. There will be lots of opportunities for both. However, throwing in too much new from the start here is too much upheaval. That first XI is all super experienced and the only change to something that hasn’t been done is Zinny at #10, but he’s so versatile, often plays around the edge of the box, is a tactical genius, and is our second most creative player. I think he’s easily the most similarly player we have to Odegaard – sure not quite at Marty’s worldy level, but Zinny’s work in possession has… Read more »
Either way, the next two games are going to be a very difficult watch. If Mikel manages to get 4 points from the next 2 big games away from home with the options he has at his disposal, the man’s deserves a medal.
Four points behind Man City, no way. We’ve got to win both games.
How are we four points behind Man City if we get four points in our next two prem games?!
Do the maths again, man!😄
You might be surprised. This is still a great team with a great coach. The bookies still give us a 42% win probability against Spurs (32% for them, 26% for a draw), at their place, with all the injuries and suspensions. We are still much better than they are without Martin and without Rice.
And there’s Sterling…
Havertz in midfield is almost nailed on. Jesus, Sterling, or Trossard up front.
I just cannot for the life of me see why we would start Saka at #10, when (1) He’s so integral to our capacity to create from his position at RW because he essentially requires two defenders every touch and he’s one of the best right wingers in the EPL (and the world); moving him would fundamentally change the way we play. (2) he’s never played #10. For my money, we’re gonna see Zinchenko playing #10. As the second most creative player in our squad, it is almost essential that he does. Nwaneri would be a big gamble, and isn’t… Read more »
Martin’s a much better 8 than he is a 10. He has an elite throughball, no doubt, but lacks the dynamism on the ball to carry through contact which limits his impact in crowded spaces, and, his shooting accuracy is good but not great, cannot/will not use his weak foot. In other words, lacks the output you need from a true 10. Moreover if you watch where he plays since the middle of the season last year, he’s dropped deep to knit the buildup. He’s world class in those deeper zones especially. Saka would give you that output because he… Read more »
The best way I can make this simple is Odegaard is like Bernardo but Saka is like KdB. This is not a diss on our captain, it’s an acknowledgment of Saka. I love ’em both, but I know which one I’d build my team around.
I’d build my team around both personally.
lol I already forgot we have Sterling.
Martinelli on the left against Spurs’ high line and Trossard in AM. Fine by me.
Hindsight is 20/20 and all that but no doubt freak injuries have suddenly put us under pressure and the squad management should be looked at over last couple of months. Personally, I had no problem targeting left back and left 8 as priorities in the transfer window. We can save whether we should have went for a ball playing 8 rather than someone like merino for another day but irrelevant anyway given his injury. However, no doubt the injuries coupled with the squad outgoings have left us incredibly light in midfield cover for MO. That was a needless risk imo.
We‘ll be weakened but we‘re not a one man team.
I’m thinking Saka right 8 to mimic Ode’s left foot, technique and pressing, and Sterling on the right. Nwaneri back up.
we are anything but a one man team. But losing Odegaard, Merino and Rice at the same time is our whole first choice midfield,
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
FUUUUUCCCCKKKKK!
I approve of this message.
Looking on the bright side, seems as though he might be back for Norway’s next round of fixtures.
Fuck that.
Well shit
No surprise. Seeing those images, this was a long term injury, fracture or no.
The irony of course being that a fracture could be less serious than some soft tissue injuries.
Shit
It’s what you get in the Toilet Bowl after all!
Realistically I am sure that oaf of a manager would select him for Interlull in October. Physio is laying the groundwork for that by claiming 3 weeks and that he’ll be fit in Oct.
They can fuck right off.
It’s great news that he could be back for the Norwegian games in October.
Thanks so much for the good news mr Sand
Fuck interlulls in the lungs!
I fucking hate these stupid poxy waste of time shit stick internationals.
Also I blame PGMOL.
Just because fuck them too!
Favourite part of this, is the ‘UEFA Nations League’ took over from friendlies. So they create a pseudo tournament, which is pointless but has more reason for national associations to take them seriously. Therefore, top rank talent is always picked, and thrashed with a faeces covered stick, leading to more injury risk. Still uefa get to sell sponsorship, and it has it’s own anthem, so it’s well worth it.
Oh WELL SAID!
Totally agree!
Rice-Merino-Odegaard was our likely starting midfield this season. Having none of them for an NLD is a brutal sequence. Injuries are luck/bad luck. But that red card was just corruption, and we now have a kangaroo KMI panel pretending to do “good process”.
You can always argue refereeing decisions aren’t corrupt, because even if they make an utterly absurd decision that baffles every other person in the stadium, they have to make the decision in the heat of the moment. You can begin to argue VAR isn’t corrupt, because even if they forget something as basic as to draw the lines on an offside, they’re still under time pressure. But if a panel of people can all sit down with all the time they like and the opportunity to try to put all biases to one side, and unanimously decide the validity of… Read more »
Hear, hear.
Better than expected – he was always going to miss the matches at Spurs and City.
We should have enough to beat Leicester and Southampton at home without him, and thanks to UEFA’s bizarre reforms there’s no real jeopardy in the Champions League until January (just don’t finish in the bottom quarter of the league, how exciting lol).
Maybe we can ask one of our 900 LBs to fill in his spot for those games.
We can actually
Tbf – LB has been a problem spot for a long time for us and needed attention. I personally don’t categorize Timber as a LB, more a utility player but in that spot right now until Calafiori is ready I suppose. Tierney is still on the books because we couldn’t shift him while he’s injured. And Tomi is a natural right sided player and shouldn’t be thought of as a LB. That leaves zinchenko I suppose…he plays midfield for Ukraine…maybe we can use him for MO cover now.
And see how good he really is?
Odegaard must be gutted especially when he was so in form for so long.
We have to support him mentally if he doesn’t hit match fitness running as soon he recovers.
He’s had alot of mileage in those legs from 15 years old.
A good agent and physio might discuss the management of his load especially with so many internationals coming up
(Obviously not the international doctor, he shouldn’t even suggest Martin could possibly have played the second international, should have sent him home immediately)
It sounds like good news to me after expecting a lot worse. Just our luck that we have 5 left backs and only one 17 year-old replacement for Odegaard.
Looking optimistically, this could be the making of Nwaneri, if he gets some game time. Wilshere and Fabregas started young and were brilliant.
As long as he’s available for Norway in October to play Malta and Armenia (or whoever)… give me strength.
Maybe Norway will pick up the bill for his wages whilst he’s injured?
“Both Stale [Solbakken] and I know that that inclusion [in October’s Nation’s League squad] hangs in the balance.”
Basically they only care about whether Odegaard can participate in another meaningless national team game. No f*ck was given about the player or his club.
They’ll have been asked about the next international fixtures specifically to be fair to them.
what were you expecting?
This is our Achilles’ heel. We have solutions for everybody else in the first XI except for Ödegaard. There’s nobody who comes close to doing what he does, this will lead to a significant change in how we play.
Jorginho / Partey / Trossard for Spurs?
Then Partey / Rice / Trossard?
Trossard, Kai, Nwaneri, Zinchenko, even Saka coukd play there. We have lots of options, none are as good as Odegaard but it’s impossible to have a backup of equal quality in every position.
which worldclass player has an equal backup in his club?
We need to make sure he is unavailable for the October Interlull.
Come on Arsenal!!!
Well, as long as he’s fit for the next interlull ….
Zinchenko, tp5 and havertz?
Martinelli, trossard and saka up top?
Timber, Gabriel, saliba and white?
I realise that is completely not in the preferred order, but I think that could be an OK midfield, with nwaneri waiting to come on.
Fuck this Norwegian coach. I hope he finishes rock bottom in the qualifiers and gets sacked. No common sense, risking their best player for a meaningless friendly knowing full well he’s unfit.
Under no circumstances can we release Odegaard in October for international duty. Simply out of the question
I had to laugh at the Norwegian doctor’s comment about the prospect of Odegaard being back for them in October. Obviously their priority is to themselves but the comment shows they have no consideration for Arsenal whatsoever. If he’s out for us until then there’s no chance they’re having him back. He can stay with us and get himself properly fit again.
Yeah we all hope he gets healthy as soon as possible but Norway can piss off if they think he should play their next Nation League games in October.
They were accusing me for going for similar type players versatile and ball competent who could play any midfield position or even wings if necessary (cesc, nasri, jack, aaron, hleb, rosicky, santi…even song/denilson). They were accusing me for fielding five 10s in same 11. Ancelotti;s Milan at a time played with four 10s in same 11: Seedorf, Pirlo, Kaka, Rui Costa.
This was no Interlull. We might need a new name for it. Intercull?
“Both Stale [Solbakken] and I know that that inclusion [in October’s Nation’s League squad] hangs in the balance. It is not out of the question but we have to wait and see both what the MRI images show and how quickly he responds to treatment.”
Uhhh no. It is out of the question.
Timber- 6
Partey- 8
Zinchenko- 10
Calafiori- LB
Nwaneri, Jorginho on the bench
Thank you Chelsea for Sterling. His signing will be immense over this cursed month. Maybe this is also the moment to play Zinchenko in midfield for Spurs game to cover Rice and revert Havertz in the midfield with Jesus back if fit leading the line. Big test for Arteta this one to find right balance. Could we play back 3? Please let me know your best line up for Spurs and City games. Could we play back 3? I am sure there is a good combination within the squad for both games. But at least we are playing an easy… Read more »
Yep, as much as it divided opinion, Sterling looks like a useful signing at the moment. And while Zinchenko in midfield makes sense to the likes of us, he would have been used in midfield by now if he was ever going to be used there.
………..Raya
White.Salibs..Gabi..Timber
………Jorgi…Parti
…………….Kai
Saka……..Sterliniho……Leo
Interchangeable false 9 from leo outside to in, sterling inside to out , kai 10 to 9, Leo lw to 10.
Keep it fluid trust the forwards but have stability in 2 CMs of old biys Jorgi and parti.
Luckily it seems that serious damage (months and months out) was avoided, but still going to be something that will certainly cause issues even after he returns. Will really be interesting to see how Arteta decides to adjust tactically both this weekend with Rice out and going forward until Odegaard returns. Wonder if he might give Saka a try in Odegaard’s spot at some point given we have Jesus, Martinelli or Sterling on the wing that can come in. We are so much better with Havertz up top, but my guess would be he will get much of the time… Read more »
I’d say so it’s logical as he played that role for Germany too just this week. Toters won’t bother our midfield , parti and Jorgi with kai as right 8. But maybe a double pivot isn’t the worst thing to play in advance of the citeh115 game ? Zincky is surely putting his hand up to say he can play that role and be interesting as if he gives zincks the start over Jorgi , probably spells end of Jorgi. I think Jorgi can do a job and will actually complement parties shortcoming s and a double 6 v city… Read more »
Anyone think we might try Saka in Odegaards position and Sterling outside him? Saka has such fabulous football intelligence, and so much experience of playing with Martin, that I think he could do it to a reasonable level. Would also enable him to shoot more often.
Saka can do anything but would it no be better drop kai in there and play sterlinhio or Jesus at 9?
I don’t fully know why this hasn’t been done yet to be honest. It seems so obvious to me that that’s his destiny. He needs to play a free role in those inside channels with the ability to drift wide if he needs to, like Foden, Bellingham and Palmer instead of being shunted out wide to face double teams and tracking fullbacks. If he moves inside and stays fit I will eat both my shoes if he has anything less than 30 goal involvements over the course of a season.
There was this article a few months ago about managers saying Arsenal were the toughest team to play against, and one of them specifically said Saka would naturally evolve into a 10. Could this be the moment? Especially now we have proper cover in Sterling.
Selling ESR suddenly seems really daft, doesn’t it?
Why is this such a pervasive idea… the two guys are nothing alike
FFS. Look at Haaland in the photo thinking “5 in a row in the bag”.
The injury God is obviously a Sp*rs fan.
Cunt.
Now we’ve moved out the two obvious replacements in ESR and Vieira we can only hope Nwaneri or maybe Trossard can fill the gap.
Trossard was talking himself up as a 10 when he signed so perhaps let’s see what he’s got.