Paul Merson has urged Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to start Martin Odegaard in their upcoming match against Chelsea if rivals Liverpool and Manchester City win their fixtures at the weekend. With Arsenal experiencing a dip in form after back-to-back losses, the pressure is mounting on the team to secure a victory, and Merson believes Odegaard’s presence could be crucial in such an important game. Given that Liverpool and City play before Arsenal, Merson suggests that if both teams win, the pressure on Arsenal to perform increases even further, making Odegaard’s inclusion essential.
Odegaard, who has been sidelined since the September international break due to injury, has left a noticeable void in Arsenal’s midfield, impacting the team’s creativity and leadership on the pitch. His absence has coincided with Arsenal’s recent struggles, and his return in the closing moments of the Inter Milan match provided a welcome boost to fans. Although it may be cautious to ease Odegaard back by keeping him on the bench, Merson argues that Arsenal cannot afford to take that approach if they want to keep pace with their top rivals.
As Merson explained to Metro Sport, “If they’ve [Liverpool and City] both won then I think Odegaard has got to start the game. Ten and nine points, if both those teams win, that’s a lot of points, and, for me, it would be a must-win football match, and you take a chance [on Odegaard].” Merson’s emphasis on the points gap highlights the urgency Arsenal faces in maintaining their competitiveness this season, especially as rivals continue to build momentum.
Odegaard’s vision and ball control have been integral to Arsenal’s style of play, allowing them to dictate the pace and break down defensive setups. Without him, Arsenal has lacked a true playmaker, making it harder to unlock opposition defences and leaving Arteta’s side to rely on individual brilliance or wide play to create chances. Merson’s recommendation to start Odegaard, therefore, comes from a belief that Arsenal cannot afford to go into such an important fixture without their midfield maestro, particularly with the risk of falling behind in the title race.
For Arsenal, this weekend’s clash with Chelsea represents an opportunity to get back on track. However, it also presents a potential pitfall if they fail to address recent shortcomings. As Merson points out, a third consecutive defeat could leave Arsenal well off the pace, making it even harder to contend for top honours as the season progresses.
Ultimately, Merson’s comments highlight the stakes for Arsenal and Arteta this weekend. With Odegaard available and Liverpool and City potentially stretching their leads, the question for Arteta is whether he can afford to leave his star midfielder on the bench. For Arsenal fans, the hope is that Odegaard’s return, even if premature, might just provide the spark needed to turn the team’s fortunes around and keep them in the race for a Premier League title.
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Merson got a point with Odegaard. But the big picture is not seen – or told. He ousted ESR (by not giving him minutes) and is not playing Nwaneri and people wonder where is the crucial creativity go over the line when it matters?
MA has become another Gareth Southgate: he has improved the team by doing many things right but at the same time lacking the crucial final incredient. Ugly truth is that MA will NEVER win PL due to this.
I dont necessarily agree with the article. We cannot just rush Odegaard just because Arsenal is desperate for points. The man is human and has just returned from a serious injury and we cannot aggravate the situation. If creativity is the issue, start Nwaneri and Jesus and bring on Odegaard in the second half. However, if the medical team feels Ode can start than so be it, but dont rush him in.
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All these Arsenal fans that think that having Odegaard back will solve the current problems in the team.
They seem to forget that early in the season when he was in the team, Arsenal were winning some games, but were hardly pulling up trees in doing so.
Odegaard is good, but the way certain fans big him up makes me laugh. It will help having him back, but the way the manager has the team playing won’t help Overgaard’s creative side.
And just a footnote, if you think the Nwaneri was underused before, with Odegaard back his chances look like being even more limited.
I think Arteta’s in danger of treating Nwaneri the same way that he treated a certain Smith Row, and we all saw how that ended didn’t we.