Ødegaard Makes Arsenal Better: But His Signing Is Not Without Peril

Arsenal have got their main man this summer. They have secured the creative-midfielder they’ve been craving like a toothless Modesto meth-head since the start of the transfer window. Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have signed 22-year old Norweigan Martin Ødegaard to a permanent deal for £35 million pounds. It is a major win for the manager and technical director by every metric.

Ødegaard is a player with a very high ceiling and comes with bags of experience for an extremely young player. After bouncing around on loan from parent club Real Mardrid since the tender age of 16, Arsenal’s new playmaker has finally found a home in North London. Often lauded for his silky technical ability on the ball, velvety left foot, and cerebral game awareness, Martin Ødegaard is the type of signing that the one and only true Professor, Arsene Wenger, would be proud of. That should say a lot for all of Arsenal World.

I will admit that here at American Arsenology we have not favored the signing. That flies in the face of what has just been written above. Arsene Wenger (in addition to Thierry Henry) is the single biggest driving force behind the existence of AA. It’s time to support Martin. We have already made that shift. However, we would be remiss to ignore some of the foundational reasons that the signing of Norway’s captain is not without peril.

Here are three of the biggest question marks surrounding Arsenal’s no new no. 8.

The Return of Ødegaard May Signal Farewell to Nicolas Pépé

Many pundits would refute the idea that having three left-footed players who appreciate and thrive in the same half-space is of no consequence. It is a luxury rather than a burden. It is something that can and should be sorted out tactically by any decent manager. That logic resonates. However, there is also no denying of the fact that Bukayo Saka, Nicolas Pépé, and Martin Ødegaard are all at their best when driving the touchline, and then coming inside on their dominant foot. Inverting these players creates unique angles for Arsenal to exploit. But pretty soon their is going to be one odd man out.

That man will likely be Nicolas Pépé.

It is a gut feeling, but it’s been there ever since the Norwegian came on board as a loan signing last winter. Bukayo Saka should be given priority as the first choice no. 7 in this squad. Mikel Arteta won’t play him as a 10, and it has been clear in the opening games of the season that Saka is more comfortable on the right, coming inside. I cannot see Arteta leaving Emile Smith-Rowe out of his best 11 when everyone is fit. That leaves Nicolas Pépé as the ugly duckling. I’m not so sure the Ivorian will stick around long-term, or if Arteta will really care, on way or another.

Losing Pépé would be foul business by the Gunners. Here at American Arsenology we are betting on Nicolas Pépé to be Arsenal’s top scorer in all competitions this season. Even with the Ødegaard signing potentially restricting his minutes. He’ll be that good if given any semblance of sustained burn and a chance to prove his worth.

Alas, it feels like the incoming drift of Norwegian wood is going to signal the eventual end of the Ivorian’s time at Arsenal Football Club. It would not come as a shock if the Spanish manager jettisons Pépé in the near to mid-term future, if he’s still around to make those decisions…

Here at AA we rate Nicolas Pépé as a world-class winger on his day. We don’t have many players in the team you can say that about. Let us hope and pray that Arteta’s ego doesn’t get in the way of nurturing Pépé, and bringing out the best in him this season.

Goals From Midfield Needed

Martin Ødegaard scored one (1) goal in 866 minutes of Premier League football last season. He had two (2) assists in that same timeframe. There is a concern that while Ødegaard does enhance the players around him, making them better with minute details like weight of the pass, playing to the appropriate foot, knowing when to reset, or break the line, etc., there is a concern that he doesn’t have a whole lot of actual end product. Meaning he might not get us many goals or assists this season. That is an issue if he is our marquee no. “10" signing.

There were several key chances last season that Ødegaard blazed over the crossbar(s). The Aston Villa miss was a big one. There were countless others. But the Villa one sticks in the mind. And while he did blast his somewhat lucky thunderbolt home in the Europa League, and score a deflected goal against Spu*s, the Norwegian does not bring a genuine goal-threat to the team.

Over the course of the last few seasons Ødegaard has scored:

8 goals in 31 Eredivisie appearances — 2018–19 with Vitesse

4 goals in 31 La Liga appearances — 2019–20 with Real Sociedad

1 goal in 14 Premier League appearances 20–21 with Arsenal

Given his age and the sample size there is plenty of room for improvement.

Ødegaard is only 22 and he will get better. That being said, one of Arsenal’s transfer goals this window should have been to secure more goals from midfield. More goals. Now. Ødegaard doesn’t really fit the bill (Newcastle will find out if Joe Willock does).

It will be interesting to track Emiliano Buendia against Ødegaard this season. The Argentine was AA’s first choice for attacking-midfielder this window. It will be fascinating to compare these two players in their first full-seasons with their new clubs.

Ødegaard The Prodigy & Arsenal’s Culture of Comfort

Worries exist that when it comes to the culture of comfort that has plagued Arsenal for so long, Ødegaard will fall victim to that same soft, coddled blankie-song that has infected the club for so long. Play for AFC. Live the London life. Do the social media bits, the Adidas adverts, make £60–100k pound a week, and it hasn’t really mattered how you’ve performed on the pitch. Let’s be honest.

Ødegaard is a child-prodigy. And like Drew Barrymore, and other child-prodigy’s before them, we’ve learned that the pressure, incorrigible media attention, and glorification of child-actors often leads to a complete and utter meltdown at some point early in life.

Norway’s captain has left Real Madrid for Arsenal at 22. That is a big change in scenery. A big change in level of football (sadly). Let us hope that when things get tough for Ødegaard this season, when consecutive results don’t go the team’s way, it doesn’t lead to a Fukushima-type collapse.

This is not a swipe at Ødegaard’s manhood or professionalism.

Psychologically a lot has happened for the young man. He deserves things to go his way and for the team to get off to a strong start with his influence being praised. Given the options at center-back for Arsenal, I’m not so sure that’s going to happen this season.

Let us all hope that Gabriel Magalhaes and Ben White can form a dynamic partnership. If not, Ødegaard could easily be corrupted by the serpent mistress who sings a song of cultured comfort.

Silence those banshee snakes with your sword Martin.

All of us here at American Arsenology wish Martin Ødegaard the best in his Arsenal career.

May all the good things people hope for, namely Ødegaard having a Dennis Bergkamp-type impact, come true and good for Arsenal Football Club this year and the next.

COYG.