The winter break came at the perfect time for Arsenal. After a run of one win in seven matches – including a three-game losing streak – at the turn of the year, Mikel Arteta had to regroup and get his team’s campaign back on track. Arsenal had dropped behind Liverpool in the title race and were also knocked out of the FA Cup by Jürgen Klopp’s team at the Emirates. A season that had promised so much was threatening to peter out.
The break was key. Arsenal returned to action with a bang, smashing Crystal Palace 5-0 at the Emirates. They won at Nottingham Forest, avenged their FA Cup loss to Liverpool with a 3-1 home win and utterly destroyed West Ham 6-0 at the London Stadium. They have scored 16 goals in their last four games while conceding just twice – one of which was an own goal. Arsenal are firing once more.
A number of their key players have begun to hit their stride again. Gabriel Martinelli, their joint-top scorer last season with Martin Ødegaard, is finding the net again; he has scored more goals in his last four games (three) than he managed in his 18 previous outings (two). Bukayo Saka is also in fine form on the other flank; he has scored or set up a goal in each of Arsenal’s last four matches. And Ødegaard is pulling the strings in the middle of the park again.
The Arsenal captain was their most productive attacker last season, scoring 15 goals and setting up eight more in the Premier League, but his numbers have not keep pace this campaign. He has contributed to just nine goals this season, scoring four and setting up five, but the good news for Arsenal fans is that two of those assists came in the mauling of West Ham on Sunday. He created seven goalscoring chances in the match – his best return in a league game this season. Matching last season’s numbers was always going to be a tough ask for Ødegaard for a few reasons.
Arsenal’s return to the Champions League had an impact on their captain. The Norwegian only started two games in the Europa League last season on Arsenal’s way to a last-16 exit at the hands of Sporting. The extra rest kept him fresh for league matches but he has not had the same time off this season, having started four of Arsenal’s six Champions League group stage games. Playing more minutes against tougher opponents led to an understandable dip in performances before Christmas.
Some acclimatisation was also to be expected given the changes in the Arsenal midfield, with Granit Xhaka leaving as Kai Havertz and Declan Rice arrived. Rice has proven an astute capture and, if Arsenal go on to win the league title, their £100m move for the England international will be seen as a big turning point.
But the arrival of Havertz has affected Ødegaard’s role. Ødegaard is making 50% more tackles than last season as he works harder to shoulder the defensive burden that previously fell on Xhaka. In addition, he is dribbling less (down by 36%) and is making more passes (up by 17%). He is winning the ball more frequently in deeper areas and, with less space to run into, is looking to his teammates with greater regularity.
The change in Ødegaard’s work is not just about his team’s shape but about how opponents view Arsenal. Arteta’s team took the league by surprise with their title race last season, but teams are more familiar with their approach this time around. Opponents are putting more players behind the ball to frustrate Arsenal, meaning Ødegaard has to drop closer to the defence to receive possession.
With more work to do off the ball, Ødegaard’s attacking numbers have understandably taken a hit. Nevertheless, if his performance against West Ham on Sunday is anything to go by, Arsenal are set for a strong second half to the campaign. With Ødegaard providing more in attack, and Rice and Havertz really starting to settle into the side, Arsenal are looking good as they gear up for their Champions League return and a title race with Liverpool and Manchester City.
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