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The tip of the Premier League weekend sees Arsenal sitting in fourth, some extent forward of Man Utd however with three video games in hand. It appears to be like very wholesome proper now, however the go to of Liverpool tomorrow supplies a really stern problem for this workforce.
Final night time, Crystal Palace held Man Metropolis to a goalless draw, so if the Mugsmashers win tomorrow night time, they’d sit only a level behind the leaders, the title race properly and really on. Whether or not that gives additional motivation for them isn’t actually a lot of a problem for me. We all know what Liverpool are about anyway, and whereas this would possibly make them much more targeted, I don’t suppose it has any vital bearing on how troublesome our job is. When you’re going to slug it out with a heavyweight, it’s going to be powerful regardless what else is in play.
Mikel Arteta will maintain his pre-game press convention this morning, the place I don’t count on a lot by way of workforce information. Assuming everyone seems to be okay after Leicester, that is going to be per week that the supervisor and his workforce could have been properly ready for. It feels just like the story of this season has been the large, lengthy gaps between fixtures, whereas this week is sort of the alternative. After Leicester on Sunday, it’s Liverpool on Wednesday, then Aston Villa away early on Saturday. It’s going to require a giant effort, mentally and bodily, not least as a result of the fact of our small squad is that ‘rotation’ isn’t actually an possibility.
We’ve got gamers who can are available and do a job as and when required, a few of them higher than others, however we don’t have the depth to take a look at both of those video games arising this week and take into consideration how we’re going to shuffle issues round until we completely need to. The one exception is discovering a solution to embrace high scorer Emile Smith Rowe, however after Leicester Arteta spoke about how he’s been feeling the bodily results of Covid and a few niggling aches/strains, so they may properly be cautious with him.
Extra on that sport in tomorrow’s weblog, and we’ll have a preview podcast on Patreon later immediately.
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In the meantime, Martin Odegaard has spoken about Arsenal’s current kind and the way a lot he’s having fun with being a part of it:
It’s actually enjoyable to play with this workforce. We’re a bunch of gamers that know one another properly now and it’s getting higher and higher. The system works higher and higher as properly, it flows rather well now.
And for the second time in per week, he referenced the development of the team:
I’ve not witnessed something like this earlier than, we positively have one thing particular right here. You possibly can inform throughout the entire membership that we’re constructing one thing particular and it’s a bunch of gamers that likes one another and likes taking part in soccer collectively. You possibly can see that on the pitch.
I’ve to say, regardless that I used to be very eager for us to signal him this summer season, I didn’t count on him to succeed in this stage fairly so shortly. His mortgage spell was respectable, however not spectacular – though I do suppose he was hampered considerably by an damage. Nonetheless, I do know there have been individuals who had doubts, and that’s comprehensible. What’s under no circumstances comprehensible is persisting with that opinion having watched him this season and witnessed his growth and rising significance to this workforce.
One of many nice issues about soccer is that we are able to all have opinions, it sparks debate and dialogue, however it’s essential to do not forget that your place doesn’t need to be fastened. It may well change. It ought to change, particularly within the mild of proof on the contrary. Isn’t somebody like Aaron Ramsdale an ideal instance of that? Many individuals had doubts in regards to the knowledge of the signing and considerations over the scale of the price, however right here we’re a way down the road and people have been dispelled to a really nice extent.
I don’t fairly perceive the mindset of somebody who had doubts about signing Odegaard based mostly on his objective/help tally and his creativity, who then persists with these despite his numbers this season. As I stated to James on the Arsecast Extra yesterday when speaking about what’s actually thrilling about this workforce – it’s not merely a case that enchancment will come from signings and changing gamers in a few key positions that we’re all conscious of. I believe there’s extra to come back from key contributors like Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli, and that’s an attractive thought.
The £35m we paid Actual Madrid for the Norwegian appears to be like like an absolute discount, not least as a result of the opposite possibility for that place final summer season would have price almost double that and I don’t suppose James Maddison is nearly as good. An honest participant for certain however I believe Odegaard has extra to his sport, and the context of his signing is one thing we have now to contemplate. I believe he’d already proved throughout his mortgage spells that he was a positive footballer, and as Sid Lowe wrote in October 2019 throughout his time at Actual Sociedad, “Martin Odegaard has most likely been La Liga’s greatest midfielder.”
When you think about among the massive names in that league, that’s no small factor. Nonetheless, there’s a weight that comes with being at a membership like Actual Madrid, and whereas not breaking via forward of among the gamers they at present have is much from a failure, he was at some extent in his profession when he wanted to make the precise choice, and to discover a membership the place he may actually showcase his potential. Generally a participant and a membership come collectively and it doesn’t work, not as a result of the participant isn’t adequate, however as a result of the elements aren’t fairly proper.
To me prefer it appears to be like like Martin Odegaard discovered the precise membership at precisely the precise time, with the precise teammates and the precise supervisor. A spot for him to be an essential a part of a mission the place he can really feel and relish the duty his expertise deserves. His show in opposition to Leicester was nearly as good as something you’ll see from a inventive midfielder this season, and as I already stated, at 23 years outdated simply we’re seeing the tip of the Odegaard iceberg right here. Hopefully what lies beneath the floor might help Arsenal take out a number of of the Premier League Titanics alongside the way in which.
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I’ll depart you with the model new Arsecast Further, having fun with the Leicester win and much extra. Until tomorrow.
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