Arsenal fans growing tired of this inconsistent summer signing

Mikel Arteta was absolutely convinced he needed Martin Odegaard in his team in the last summer transfer window.

Looking back at that long pursuit, was Arteta just under-appreciating Emile Smith Rowe because the Englishman was developed at Arsenal?

We all knew Smith Rowe was just getting started while Odegaard was busy escaping from Real Madrid, where he had struggled to make a name for himself.

Now the Norwegian cannot get a game while Smith Rowe is blossoming at the Emirates.

Football London reports that some Arsenal fans are questioning why the club even signed him in the first place.

The report curated the views of some fans on Twitter with at least one claiming the club could have signed a top winger with the money used to sign the Norwegian.

Just Arsenal Opinion

Odegaard is obviously talented and some of his passing is sublime.

However, some of us always wondered if he has the physicality to make it in the Premier League.

His struggles aren’t such a surprise if we’re being honest with ourselves, considering that he did struggle at a top club like Real Madrid.

It will be interesting to see if he can fight his way back into the team or if he will eventually ask to leave for yet another club. 

Tags Martin Odegaard

40 Comments

  1. He keeps getting outshone when replaced, ESR did it and Lacca did it but Arteta seems to think he has a place in the team. I dont, he is weak, not very assertive and brings nothing of note to the team. He just recycles the ball and keeps it ticking, that isnt enough, he isnt upto the rigors of the prem and is totally over hyped.

    1. You guys are always in a hurry to judge players. The Premier league is rigorous and this is his first full season. Cut him some slacks. Let’s see how he improves or declines by the next season then we can have our say. I see see of you defending Xhaka who has spent years in the club and has still remained a squad player quality, yet, you are in a hurry to judge Odegaard.

    2. Reggie, three agreements now in a few days .

      I could not agree more on Odegaard, esp the “recycling and keep ticking” phrase, which sums him up beautifully.

      WE NEED FAR MORE ALLROUND INFLUENCE THAN THAT, or he needs to be replaced by a new import.

      It seems, I suspect to many Gooners, that he lacks physicality and oomph for our fast paced and tough Prem!

      1. Jon, we dont agree on everything, thats just how it is, i say what i see and always try to explain, it doesnt mean people should agree with me but i usually add substance to any of my opinion, for people to get or not. I have said before also, i take a while to change my opinion, whatever it may be because football is fickle.

        1. Yes Reggie. There is no reason why ANY two fans should agree on everything. Nothing wrong with having differing opinions.
          HAPPY TO START DISCUSSING FULLY AGAIN IN A FRIENDLY MANNER, IF YOU ARE THOUGH!
          COULD NOT AGREE MORE THAT FOOTBALL AND WE FANS ARE, IN GENERAL, FICKLE. I of course include myself in that remark, in some respects, though not in others.
          We are all fallible, after all.!

  2. Except for his ability to press, Odegaard is the 2021 version of our dearly beloved Mesut Ozil. If allowed time and space on the ball, he will – occasionally – produce sparks of magic. He clearly lacks speed, sharpness and physical presence – qualities we desperately need in the middle of the pitch.

    Top 4 is achievable this season if we can replace Odegaard with the right attacking midfielder.

  3. Feel kinda sorry for him TBH
    He was this next big thing when he signed for Madrid but spent 2-3 years in the second team and then the next few out on loan and only actually played 8 games overall for Real Madrids first team in 7 years .
    Now he’s ended up here and to me it looks like it could end up going the same way .
    He’s undoubtedly technically gifted with a great eye for a pass but he has to many holes in his game for me that outweigh the good .

    1. @Dan Kit
      Exactly. RM went all out to secure his services. Then left him to atrophy , neglecting to nurture the young talent the saw in him. He needs someone to bring out his full potential and fine tune his overall play…

  4. Give the young man time please. Why are we always in such a hurry to write off young players with the whole of their career right in front of them.
    Come to!

    1. Time? We haven’t got time, CorporateMan. Our goal now should be getting back to Europe. We have to be more ruthless.

  5. My goodness, does anyone watch the games? Odegaard is outstanding. He had a slow start to the game then at about 10-15 min. He settled in and the offense flowed through him.

  6. growing tired of him? I was convinced he wasn’t the answer some time ago, during his first on-loan stint, when he showed very little…in my estimation, he was another misguided luxury purchase that made no sense considering our more pressing needs

    1. Martin is quality but not getting the consistent game time due to competition for the positions, he has to make most of his times when gets his chances,People seem to forget we need 22 top players not just 11 , preferably 2 players fighting for the first position with the second a top quality replacement incase to cover injuries or drop in form, we shouldn’t be looking to sell players like Martin or pepe for example ,we need a top quality squad of minimum 22 top players , yes the manager cant keep the subs all happy but it’s there job to compete with the players in there similar positions in the first 11 and take there chance when it comes like taveres and tierney, right now we need to keep the top 22 sell the 3rd/4th choices like elerny and look for another replacement to fight with martinelli should Auba or lacazette leave

  7. none of us here were really convinced by his first loan spell, so it was baffling we wanted him so badly in the summer. He doesn’t even seem to fit into the vision Arteta has for this team does he? He’s very slow with his possession, gets pushed off the ball a bit. As others have said reminds us of Ozil, just a more committed one, and without the special ingredient to change a game that made Ozil at least somewhat tolerable. Ode clearly gifted footballer, just dont see how he fits into this team in the longterm. We need a CAM that thinks quick, and that not what i’ve ever associated odegaard with.

  8. Arsenal fan…go slow we need him for better compatition in the team,remember the work still in progress not yet their

  9. We brought Odegarrd because we do need him, Smith – Rowe will need to be rested as will Saka. Odegarrd will come good just taking time to find his feet this time around but i am sure he will come good !!

  10. He lacks the physicality of the Premier league that will not change it is inherent. He may perform better in slower leagues when allowed enough time to pick a pass. I think arsenal should cut their loses on this one. To compete at the top, arsenal needs a new Atacking M and stricker

    1. How physical was you beloved Ozil? Every player in the team does not need to be physical. Some players are technically gifted its a matter of playing them to their strenght.

      1. Sparkles, as Ozils most implacable foe and one who has never been able to tolerate lazy players in the 60 plus years I have neen watching our team, I loathed Ozil and loathe all lazy non influential players too.

        Odegaard has failed to show any real influence in games at all and, unless we see real improvement this season. I strongly suspect he will not be here next season. That would be ideal for me!

  11. Not only Martin
    Edu and Sanhelli bought other below par players we don’t require at a time we needed to rebuild.
    Mari and Cedric were also mistaken purchases

    Mari was valued at 6.4m. They signed him on loan for 7.2m and bought him finally for 5.7m. Not good for EPL. Ivan Tony destroyed him Sanhelli, Kia and Edu should be ashamed. The three dubious recruiters for Arsenal who also bought Pepe for 72m.

    Cedric? An injured reserve player signed on loan at 29yrs and later given 4yrs contract. Very poor. Bellerin is even better.
    Not mention deals for Willian and Luiz.

    You should know the harm this clique has done within a very short time.

    Last summer, the three, Sanhelli, Edu and Kia were holidaying on a yacht together apparently after sharing a loot.

    1. Havyn
      You repeat this regularly.
      Edu scouted Cedric and Mari as loans which at the time was a reasonable plan.

      It was the discredited Raul who gave them enhanced contracts and we know he was responsible for the Pepe deal

      So far this season Edu along with Arteta have presided over a much better showing in the transfer market so I don’t get your point.

      Apparently was a sensible word to use as you have no proof at all that they were on holiday sharing ill gotten gains

  12. For me, he is one of the most overrated players in football.

    He has one or two very good games for us but far too many anonymous games.

    We are going to lose money on him. It will be interesting if Arteta is willing to see his error and move him on. If we want to grow into a team that can push for the top 4 consistently there is no place for him.

  13. Quality player but doesn’t suit us at all znd to a larger extent the EPL. He would probably kill it in the Italian league…

  14. Without MO8 we wouldn’t have beaten Burnley.
    During the Wenger era, He normally plays with 3 number 10’s in a game. E.g hleb, roscisky, fabrigas . or
    Nasri, Fabrigas, hleb
    Roscisky ,arshavin , Campbell. Etc.

    When AW stopped this and started using wingers, we started finishing below 4th.

    We need odegaard , matter of fact we need another no. 10 to complement him and Smith Rowe.

  15. I am not tired.
    I think he has talent and and he seems to be a hard worker as well.
    Once the rest of our attackers and midfielders learn to press as well as him, he may be a valuable player.

  16. While he possesses excellent ball skills and has an ability to retain possession in tight areas, his lack of pace, particularly without the ball, is so pronounced he is unable to contribute defensively and win the ball back.With him and Xhaka in a midfield three, we run the risk of being overrun, and on the counter attack they are simply unable to back up the front three, which happens in sides like Man City and Liverpool who both play with energetic box to box players ahead of a dedicated DM.In this way their full backs can play further up the park in the knowledge that the likes of Roddrie and Fabinho will invariably cover them.Like many others have said success in the EPL is now dependent on pace and energy throughout the side and sadly Odegaard and Xhaka are deficient in these areas.

  17. Most of our fans were patient with Pepe for 3 years who’s been absolute shite(am glad that people are now seeing the light). Again, the fans have been patient with Auba aswell who’s been massively underwhelming since he signed the ‘ting’.
    Why can’t they show the same patience and faith to a 22 year old lad with massive potential?
    Ødegaard will come good, he’s just on a poor form. We’ve got the most overreactive fans in the league. Back our
    players when things aren’t going well for them.

    1. Pepe Shite!!!!!! He scores and creates, Odergaard cant hold a candle to Pepes stats, goals and assists. How many goals last season did each score and how many did each assist. Look it up and eat your words, you will be amazed because you obviously dont know.

  18. You have to ask what is his instructions is he doing what’s being asked only the players know, so what we have again is armchair managers saying what there saying, do we not learn at all let’s win first gain confidence and then the flair will become evident

  19. Last I checked, we have no good freekick taker in that team but Odegaard has shown that he is more than capable in that aspect. Wether you like it or not, Odegaard has also contributed to the position we are in, right now. So, bashing him seems unreasonable to me🤷. Alot of chances he’s created that went begging and that our impotent attackers failed to score from, should he be blamed for their failure to score? Remember the Watsford game, where he almost got a goal and our inept captain knowing fully well he was offside decides to touch the ball. For christ sake! That was a goal bound effort from Odegaard, hw frustrating can that be?😲

  20. People compared Odegaard to Ozil. That’s a laughable Offence that😂😂😂. Even in Ozil last few years where he declined. He was still our most creative player and could influence games. Odegaard ain’t that creative. He’s more of a number 8 and needs the game in front of him

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