Ian Wright has claimed that Martin Odegaard is exactly ‘what we need’ after Arsenal were 3-1 winners in the North London derby on Sunday, as he told Premier League Productions (26/09/21 at 6:35 pm).
The Highbury legend admitted that he couldn’t believe Arsenal managed to sign Odegaard on a permanent basis this summer, because he thought the club ‘wouldn’t have been able to afford him’, or there would be a ‘higher pedigree’ of teams wanting to sign him.
Odegaard initially joined Arsenal in January on a six-month loan deal, before returning back to Real Madrid in the summer.
And whilst the Gunners didn’t snap him up straight away, they eventually managed to get their man towards the back end of the summer transfer window.
Whilst Odegaard didn’t score or get an assist in the North London derby yesterday, he was at the heart of what Arsenal produced, especially during the first half.
All of that impressed Wright and the forward-thinking nature of his play.
“The progressive passing, Martin Odegaard in particular,” said Wright. “I think he is somebody, when he came on loan, I thought we wouldn’t have been able to afford him or someone else of a higher pedigree, from where Arsenal are, would try and get him.
“But, for us, to get him, with the way he played and will play, he’s exactly what we need. With Thomas Partey, alongside him. With the pace of Smith Rowe, Saka and Aubameyang.
“He is somebody who gets in there and he controls the game. Gets himself into clever little pockets of space and he’s so technically good. He’s not rushed and always make the right pass. That’s what we need.”
Those opening three defeats, that thrashing at the hands of Manchester City now seem a long, long time ago for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.
The international break has done the Gunners the world of good because they have come back a different animal during that period.
Whilst Arsenal fans and the players can’t afford to ride too high on this current wave, there is finally some life at this club.
A lot of it comes from the younger players, the summer signings, sprinkled with the experienced pros.
Perhaps, perhaps Arteta just needs time to turn this Arsenal ship around because things, for once in a long while, are looking rosy.
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