In most matches, Odegaard raises his hands and asks the fans to be more enthusiastic, trying to motivate his teammates to put more pressure on the opponent’s goal.
Odegaard is at the heart of most of Arsenal’s attacks.
In the loss to West Ham on December 28, Odegaard eliminated four opposing defenders with a pass to Ben White, but Gabriel Jesus could not score after the English defender’s cross.
Arsenal’s winning goals at Everton and Brentford came from Odegaard’s `pre-assist` phases.
But Arsenal is in decline.
Regardless, Odegaard’s class has not diminished.
Odegaardi dribbled past two West Ham players Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse during Arsenal’s 0-2 loss to West Ham at Emirates Stadium in round 19 of the Premier League on December 28.
Among them, the most wasteful was the 0-2 defeat to West Ham at the Emirates home field, where Arsenal finished 30 times.
The warning signs were there, when Arsenal’s attack did not benefit from Odegaard’s creativity.
Like in the match against Brighton, Odegaard passed the outside of his left foot to let Bukayo Saka escape and then released it to Gabriel Martinelli.
Odegaard tore through Brighton’s defense with an outside pass to Saka, but Martinelli then missed the mark when assisted by his English teammate.
Similarly, Trossard and Eddie Nketiah both squandered Odegaard’s passes in the Wolves match.
Those moments don’t cost Arsenal points, but they are paying the price.
Odegaard assisted, but No. 11 Martinelli shot wide in the 1-2 loss to Fuham on December 31.
Every Arsenal striker has missed at least one clear chance that Odegaard has created in recent weeks, leaving the 25-year-old midfielder with just three assists in the Premier League, despite his expected assist stats.
That’s why Arsenal’s attack was criticized and Arteta was advised to bring in a high-class striker in the winter transfer window.
Arsenal’s wastefulness contrasts with Odegaard’s brilliance which has cost them six points in their last two Premier League matches.
Arsenal’s attack will continue to be tested in the FA Cup and Champions League in January and February respectively, before the Premier League title race enters the sprint phase in the following months.
`The orchestra conductor will be of no use if the performers are out of tune. If they want to become a serious competitor in many arenas, Arsenal needs the strikers to be in sync with the captain,` commented Sky Sports.