It’s irrelevant though, wearing the armband doesn’t mean you’re superhuman and even when he’s by far our best attacking player on the pitch people speak about him like he’s been a ghost. He’s not back to what he was two years ago but it’s like he needs to drop a 9/10 every week or he’s complete shite now apparently.
He was trying to turn the game around himself at one point.
What are we doing here? He made one big mistake but aside that he was very good, especially in the second half. That’s in his second full game in months.
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I’m not going to nit pick here, sure he was fine. Other players do deserve criticism though.
Hasn’t lifted a (proper) trophy since becoming captain and he’s back in the team not scoring, not assisting and not leading.
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Yeah, tbf when I saw the highlights he looked very good and was heavily involved in basically all our good moves (including the goal).
Almost scored his best goal for Arsenal. That strike in the second half that Emi barely just tipped over the bar was brilliant. Lovely technique. He’s putting some meat back on those strikes again.
Odegaard didn’t perform badly. It was a classic display from him. He was heavily involved in Arsenal’s general play, but that’s part of the issue. Our game becomes too focused around him, and at the moment I don’t think he should be starting unless he’s operating behind an Eze.
EDIT: Bingo
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https://x.com/isaac_afc_/status/1998398727782879244?s=46
Ignore the lame tweet, but the video itself is funny.
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The vegan needs dropping 
The sudden clamor for Eze at #10 is funny. Aside from the Spurs hat-trick (which was an outlier), he looks unsure centrally and struggles to impact the game. The same people canvassing for him at #10 are the ones who previously wanted him on the left for more impact! I know most
Funny how true this is lol
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Let’s be honest, both Eze and Ode can and should do a whole lot more, especially in big games. Ode needs more time after his long injury lay-off and Eze is still only a few months into his Arsenal career and I can appreciate that, but the season won’t wait for them to get into the groove. Games are coming thick and fast and we need them to start making a difference.
So far, Saka, Rice, Trossard and Merino have done the heavy lifting in terms of assists and goals. Eze has 6 G+A (hugely helped by his hat trick against a poor Spurs). If we are to win the league, we need them to start affecting games on a more consistent basis. One or both of them have to have great seasons.
Must have seen 100 theses online overanalyzing Odegaard off of that performance at Villa.
From the goal we conceded, to his reaction afterwards, to how he dropped deep during the game, to how he didn’t allow Zubimendi and Rice to get involved, etc.
It’s honestly incredible. I feel I watched a different game because Odegaard nearly turned the game around on his own in the second half.
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Definitely 
Both are among the most frustrating players in the squad precisely because they are among the most talented one’s but are performing way below their potential.
How did Ode fare against Brugge? Any signs of him finding his best form?
Unimpressive again. It is nice to see him shooting from outside the box though.
Feels like he’s mastered the art of looking busy but not doing much. I don’t want my attacking midfielder collecting the ball off our CB’s, leave that to Zubi. Right this minute I’d play Eze in the #10 because he’s more likely to get a goal and support the striker.
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deep down I know Ode is finished, but I keep dreaming that he can get back to his 22/23 heights. Trossard and Martinelli seem to be back in action, Ode needs to return also…
I feel attacked by this phrase
He’s started taking shots from outside of the box but I never feel like one is going to deliver a goal. You’ve got Madueke and Martinelli slapping in screamers whilst our captain is hitting hope.
I’d genuinely rather Eze or Merino played in the 10.
Yeah the one that went just over the bar after a tip from emi the other day never looked like going in did it.
Just watched the replay of the game and Ode was really disappointing. He was the most deep lying midfielder on so many occassions, picking up the ball from thr back 4 and playing simple passes. Can only really remember one forward pass that opened up their defense and that was in the first half.
Nwaneri looked more impressive in those few minutes he got and he didn’t do that much.