Arteta Explains Odegaard's New Role and Transformation

Martin Odegaard has undergone a significant transformation at the beginning of this season, with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attributing his captain's stellar performance to enhanced fitness and a revised positioning.

Odegaard once again proved to be the match-winner for Arsenal on Wednesday, scoring the sole goal in their Champions League victory against Napoli. This strike followed his decisive goal against Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, bringing his tally to four goals in five appearances across all competitions this season.

Last season, Odegaard only managed one goal for Arsenal during an injury-plagued campaign. However, his statistics are now significantly higher across various attacking metrics.

When asked about Odegaard's improvement in his post-match press conference, Arteta stated, "First of all, he needs to be available, and last year he missed so many games through injuries."

The Gunners' boss also emphasized the role of new combinations with his teammates. "He's got that edge and different relationships around him as well, and that helps," said Arteta. "He can start to operate at different heights in the team, especially in the attacking phase, and when we get him into those positions, he's a really dangerous player."

This is evident in Odegaard's increased involvement in the opposition's box, with his touches rising from 2.5 per 90 minutes last season to 4.3 per 90 minutes so far this term.

Arteta credited his teammates' ability to advance the ball in open play for Odegaard's freedom to move into more threatening areas, suggesting this was a quality that had been lacking previously. "We have a lot of players that can take the ball there and progress the ball much better than we did in the past," Arteta explained. "When that happens, [Odegaard] needs to occupy different heights and angles and positions in order to disorganize the opponent, and he's done that really well."

Christos Tzolis is likely one of the players Arteta is referring to. The summer signing already has four assists, three of which have been for Odegaard's goals, including the winner in Naples. The entire Arsenal attack, down the flanks and through the middle, looked exceptionally dangerous at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Arsenal registered 26 shots in total, their highest recorded number in the competition (since 2003/04), with an expected goals total of 4.05 indicating they should have converted more of their opportunities. However, Odegaard stepped up to deliver the crucial moment.

"That's what we need," said Arteta. "Players with the mindset to decide a game and play with personality, to keep taking chances and risks. He's getting into those positions much more in recent games, and now you feel he has the emotional state where he knows the ball can go in, and he scored an incredible goal tonight."

Odegaard Playing with Freedom and Flair

Analysis by Sky Sports' Nick Wright:

Odegaard is a player in form, which was evident from early in the match against Napoli. He exuded class and confidence, demanding the ball and subsequently finding gaps in Napoli's defense to thread passes forward. Everything flowed through him.

His brilliantly taken goal from the edge of the box, following a 29-pass buildup, proved decisive. He has now scored four goals in five games this season, a remarkable turnaround from the single goal he managed in 36 appearances last term. Unhindered by injuries, Odegaard appears to be a different player.

Beyond scoring, he showcased his finishing ability to his teammates. At the end of the game, he had more touches, made more passes, and created more chances than any other player on the pitch. Napoli struggled to contain him.

His scooped pass to release Ben White for a golden opportunity, which was ultimately missed by Piero Hincapie, was one of many examples of his ingenuity against Napoli's compact defense, with numerous other instances throughout the match. He played with freedom and flair.

"Martin is contributing goals," added Arteta after the game. "That is obviously impacting results, which is what we want from our attacking players – to be decisive, and he certainly was that today."

Arsenal continues to reap the benefits of his resurgence.