him and Saka were tasked with heavy defensive work this game, they tracked back constantly and did a tonne of running back and forth the both of them. Ödegård was really good off the ball more or less all game, which probably is why his offensive contribution was below what we are used to.
That Saka still gave us two goals is just because he is a fucking beast, but I think it was part of the strategy and it could have worked out well if the individual mistakes didn’t topple the plan. I guess.
I hope that he hasn’t joined the…
‘Captain who signed a new contract then suddenly turned shit’ crew.
I’ve never really noticed Ode’s lack of chance creation/assists as a negative. I think he more than makes up for it with goals of his own. He has 22G/As from last season if I’m not mistaken. 7 of which were assists.
He’s the player who pulls the strings and connects our play from deep in midfield to attack.
This seems to be an issue with the whole team because for big chances created we’re sitting in 15th and above only Bournemouth, Forest, Burnley, Fulham and Sheffield United
This can’t continue and we’ve been riding our luck a bit, this is why not signing Maddison may prove to be quite the mistake because Havertz for the qualities he does possess does not look to be very good in possession and facilitation, Maddison could have allowed some of the burden to be taken off of Odegaard and played with and without him.
Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton, Spurs and Chelsea are top 5
Hard to tell tbh how much of a concern that stat is. I very much remember Nasri and Rosicky not being particularly great assisters yet instrumental in the play.
As a team we haven’t really gotten going which is a concern. PSV was the first time we ran riot and they gave us all the space in the world to kill them.
Absolutely. Havertz is not a creator and neither is this iteration of Ødegaard. The team misses a player who plays the final pass with regularity, as the forwards in this team are out there chasing their own.
It’s partly why I’d put Saka more central and switch Odegaard to the left side of midfield. Opens up the right wing to be more of a creative slot.
I think this criticism lacks a bit of context.
His chance creation numbers have been low this year so far but last year he had 8.1 xA, which was 12th in the league.
If you look at the players ahead of him its basically a bunch of wide players (either wingers or ball playing FBs that have a lot of the attack going through them) plus KDB, Bruno, and Maddison.
The way defenses set up now packing the middle you often have to attack into wide areas and then either cross or play cutbacks for the final ball. You’re not going to get the same level of chance creation from players in more central areas as you might have gotten 10 years ago because they’re more likely to be putting somebody through or looking to get on the end of a cutback than to be playing the final ball themselves.
I think the central creators who still generate a lot of assists and expected assists (ie, KDB, Bruno, Maddison) tend to be guys with lots of license to play risky balls and also to drift around the pitch. I’m not sure that is what Arteta wants Odegaard to be doing.
Edit: Its interesting to look at Odegaard’s heat map from last year compared to those three, for example. He is much more constrained to one side of the pitch and I imagine that’s by Arteta’s design.
Odegaard
KDB
Bruno
Maddison
Using Understat, from Odegaard’s last 19 games last season he’s at around 3.17 xA (top 30) which works out at around .17 xA per 90 (top 100). The 19 games prior he was at 6.04 xA overall (top 5 in the league). .35 xA per 90 (top 20).
So is it better to shoot from 20-25 yards out? Odegaard is a pretty good distance shooter, but there have been times when the pass to a Martinelli has been on.
Big part in our Jekyll and Hyde.
Some games he is the best 10 I have seen at the club right up there with fabregas.
Other games he’s invisible.
Why bro
At his very very best, Ozil is still the best playmaker 10 to have played for Arsenal. Cesc is second but he functioned better in a slightly deeper position. Odegaard is in the goalscoring number 10 category.
I was looking at FBRef. Understat says he was 8th over the course of the entire season so that’s a little better but the first 19/second 19 difference you point out it interesting. I don’t know why that changed but it certainly suggests that we’re at our best when he is doing more play making.
I agree that he has been looking for his shot a little too much. Its tough because he is obviously a great shooter but nobody is really good enough shooting from outside the box that its superior to a pass that might set up a high quality chance from another player.
I don’t think Odegaard is a selfish player or a guy who cares more about his stats than winning so I think its more likely him feeling too much responsibility for scoring and needing to adjust the dial back toward setting up others.
Ode has the same creative ability as Ozil, imo
He’s been asked, and is being coached, to play a more direct role and he’s been productive in terms of pressing and scoring
Seeing them both Ozil is the superior playmaker IMO
Thats not a knock on Odegaard, I just rate Ozil as almost otherworldly at his peak.
Honestly, I can only think of last Sunday and maybe the home game against Southampton last season
Otherwise, he’s consistently good. Can’t fault him.
Ode is good and we all love him, but his vision (and passing) is not yet on Ozil’s prime level.
Be realistic. Ozil’s prime was among THE BEST, even it was only a few seasons.
Silently involved in all 4 goals today.
Made the ball to Jesus for the first, made the pass to Nketiah who won the pen and then converted that pen, won the second pen and then made the assist for the fourth.
Came through with another saucy away performance
My captain
Europe’s top seven leagues? EPL, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Eredivise… who am I missing? 
Portugal?
