David Seaman cannot understand why Mikel Arteta decided to take Martin Odegaard off during Arsenal’s match against Manchester United yesterday. With the team chasing goals and trailing 2-1, the Arsenal manager replaced Odegaard with Mikel Merino, who went on to score an equaliser for the Gunners.
The decision raised eyebrows, given Odegaard’s importance to the side. As Arsenal’s captain and primary creative influence, he is usually central to their attacking play, particularly in moments when the team is searching for a decisive goal. While he appeared ineffective during the early stages of the match, his influence often grows as games progress, especially in high-pressure situations.
Substitution Sparks Debate
Arsenal required improved performances across the pitch, and the introduction of fresh players did help to lift their intensity. The substitutes contributed positively, even though their impact ultimately proved insufficient to secure a win in the fixture. The Gunners showed more urgency following the changes, but the disruption caused by altering the team’s structure was noticeable.
Arteta will likely feel that his substitutions were justified, particularly given that one of the replacements managed to find the net. From the manager’s perspective, decisions are often judged by their outcome, and introducing players capable of changing the game is part of that process. However, removing a key figure such as Odegaard at a critical stage inevitably drew scrutiny.
Seaman Questions the Decision
Seaman was unconvinced by the call and felt it altered the balance of the team at an important moment. He said on Premier League Productions: “Taking off your captain – it was a real surprise to me. He’s our playmaker. To bring him off at 58 minutes, it changed everything because Declan [Rice] had to drop back…It was a strange substitution, and bringing four on [at once] really disrupts the momentum of the team.”
When a match is not unfolding as planned, changes are sometimes necessary. Had the decision produced a winning goal, it might have been viewed very differently. Instead, the substitution has become a focal point for debate following a result that left Arsenal frustrated.
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Rubbish, Odegaard slows the game down, two or three times he was caught napping, he needs to be benched. Saka has not been the same player this season, four goals is a poor standard for him. We are playing too conservative and slow, the constant side to side and back passing doesn’t help. He needs to release the handbrake or we could end up with nothing this season. They need to deal with the pressure and as Keane said embrace it, not run from it. Our CL football has been so much better
Odegaard is a shadow of himself, not the creator he was couple years ago.
Dribbling in a circle, then dribble 30 yards sideways, then pass backwards. He should have been off at the half, along with Jesus.
Embarrassing performance again by a captain, and fully deserving of getting subbed.
Jesus, well back to normal; run around midfield, no goals or threat, same old. Scoring 2 goals was the fluke and surprise, chaotic heat map, 0 goals/assists is his typical performance.
Several fully deserving of getting benched for next PL match, but will they be benched?
What did seaman want, merino the man that was brought in as substitute scored an important goal for arsenal and is more offensive than odegarrd and what did odegarrd did right from the beginning. Artera did a good job only that man untd under carrick were too good.
Now I know that Seaman doesn’t know anything about soccer – with all due respect! If there’s any player that Arsenal need to sell, that player is Odegaard. He is not contributing anything to our attacking midfield.
Odegaard – needs to raise his standard and come to the party – or be benched .
Difficult to understand how Gabriel Jesus started the game when Gyokeres, Martinelli were fit.
Jesus slows the game …not fit for A team.
I think Arteta should have a first team, this seems to be missing, as he substitutes any time, any how. He should know when to substitute and who to substitute. This, to me was this reason for our defeat at home
Hmmmm…..I think odegaard and eze should have played together with zubimendi substituted or a back three with eze for hincapie….this may have won us the midfield and increased creativity
That mid field needed Marino,Rice and Norgaard to shut of Manchester united completely,zub together with Odegaard should have been left out, martinelli should have also started and Arsenal should have beaten Man U 4-0.
I’m sorry but I really can’t see why some people rate Odegaard so much. Yes he’s good but that’s all.
His best season for us was the 2022/2023 season when he scored 15 goals, and some assists.
But since then he’s done virtually nothing. In fact over the last three seasons, 2023/2024- 2024/2025-2025/2026 he hasn’t even scored 15 goals in total.
Last season all I heard regards his lack of form was, well he’s been injured, and he’s become a Dad for the first time. Wow ground breaking, who’d have thought footballer becomes first time Dad shock.
Then we have this season, yes he’s had injury’s. But he’s been back long enough now to be producing these so called good performances that people say he’s giving.
Apparently, for some people the fact he runs around a lot and is good at the press warrants his place in the side.
This remember is meant to be one of our most creative players, I must have missed that game.
As I said earlier, a good player, but nothing more. Overrated is more accurate.
So because David Seaman rates him you think he’s overrated?
David,
Make you’re question make sense.
Because David Seaman rates him I think he’s overrated?.
No David I think he’s overrated, because he is overrated. Doe’s that answer you’re question.
I don’t need to read David Seamans opinion, I see it with my own eyes.
The article was about Seaman’s comments from which one can deduce that Seaman rates Odegaard. So if you aren’t responding to Seaman’s comments who do you think is overrating Odegaard?
After each match he plays these days all we seem to hear now is how poor he has been.
David,
You asked me if, do I think he’s overrated because David Seaman rates him. And I gave you my answer.
Regards you’re last line, yes it is questioned after every game. With good reason, he’s clearly not doing what he’s in the team for. Where’s all this creativity he’s meant to have.
And don’t get me started on him being the club captain. Laughable at best. But no doubt you’re stout defense of him is soon to be on it’s way in you’re next post.
You claim he is overrated but you can’t say who is actually doing the overrating. You are just waffling.
No waffle David,
There’s been many a poster waxing lyrical about how he’s this for Arsenal and that for Arsenal.
I’ll tell you what he is, OVERRATED.
Win or lose is the name of the game.arsenal problem is consistency and and too many draws.if you count points lost because of draws😭
Arteta has a tendency to make bad calls at critical moments. Its ridiculous because each time that happens, he throws Merino into the mix. This is a player with no specific, specialized skill or position in the team; a stop-cork all-rounder who should not be starting with everyone available. He’s used to keep Nwaneri on the bench, Salmon, Norgaard, and even Eberechi Eze. Its just preposterous.
Also JulianTimber plays perfectly no 2. And if you have followed up the games he played number 3 , only draws and loss. Why can’t we built trust in our players?, Kelly would be the best perfect substitute in his number not bringing players to play where they are not comfortable
Nastori,
You’re reference to Kelly has confused me which doesn’t take much to be fair.
What has Kelly got to do with you’re post. You are talking about Chloe Kelly of the Women’s team aren’t you?.
Skelly Derek
SueP,
Thanks, told you it doesn’t take much to confuse me. Good job you’re here. What am I like. 😂👍
You’d wonder 😁
Most of our passes from the midfield were inaccurate and more so Arsenal as a team, don’t have players who can shot outside the 18 yard with snap shots. They play very slow football on counter attack and wait for the opponent’s to cover up as they play with the ball casually with no urgency. Saka plays well when he is supported up front which was not the case this time around. When the wings fail to function as expected, Arsenal players tend to loose direction. This is where the team manager has to come with change of formation like other managers do.
Eze should have started the game instead of Odegaard
If you look at Arsenal’s best performances this season against top opposition like
Bayern Munich and Inter Milan which Arsenal won both those games 3-1
Eze started those games and also when we thrashed our rivals Tottenham in the derby Eze started so this should tell you that Odegaard is ineffective particularly in these huge fixtures look against Liverpool in that 0-0 and 0-1 Loss to Liverpool Odegaard failed to captain and lead the team to victory.