Creative genius & true leader – How Martin Ødegaard became Arsenal’s best captain in two decades

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North London derby Sunday 

For many years the captaincy of Arsenal football club had an air of disaster attached to it. Most football fans remember the famous incident where Granit Xhaka responded to jeers from the home fans by swearing at the supporters and was subsequently stripped of the captaincy in 2019. But for the last two decades the Gunners captaincy has bounced from one calamity to another. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang took the armband off of Xhaka, but then left it in unharmonious circumstances himself just two years later after a big falling out with the manager. Before that it was Laurent Koscielny, who left the club in bitter fashion himself. Preceding him, Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen, who although boasted decent leadership skills, were rarely in the starting line up. 

The now manager of the club, Mikel Arteta himself held the captaincy as a player for two years between 2014-16, but he also wasn’t a guaranteed starter each week. Cesc Fàbregas and Robin van Persie were adored whilst they were skipper at the club but both left in their prime and ended up playing for rival teams, and there was always speculation about them leaving North London. Then there was William Gallas, and the famous tears against Birmingham in 2009 which led to him being stripped of the armband. That said it all. 

For the first time in what seems an eternity, Arsenal now have a captain who portrays a true leader and is one of the first names on the team sheet. Martin Ødegaard appears to embody manager Arteta on the pitch. He is bringing the best out of those around him, whilst performing at a world class level himself. This Sunday Arsenal go to huge rivals Tottenham, knowing they will probably need to win the North London derby to keep their Premier League title ambitions alive – skipper Ødegaard could be the key.

How Martin Ødegaard has led with his performances for Arsenal this season

Ødegaard is Arsenal’s creative spark, on and off the ball. His quick feet are mesmerising at times and he possesses vision only few midfielders in world football can replicate. The Norwegian always seems to have more time on the ball than others in tight areas. This is partly due to his excellent skill of scanning what’s around him. In 2013, a study of 55 midfielders revealed that those with a higher scan rate also had a higher forward pass completion rate. A company called ‘Be Your Best’ created a virtual reality software as a means of training this ability to scan, and Ødegaard was one of the guinea pigs.

Ødegaard donned a headset and began using the software that logs the number of times a player checks their surroundings, when they check their surroundings, and the decisions that are made as a result. But Odegaard soon identified a problem, instead of wanting it set at 100% speed, he asked if he could do it at 120%. It emphasises the exceptional scanning ability the Arsenal captain has. According to Wyscout, In the Premier League this season only Mohamed Salah (35) has made more key passes than Ødegaard (34). No Arsenal player has made through balls (66) and no player in the entire division has played more ‘smart passes’ (a penetrative pass that attempts to break defensive lines to gain a significant advantage) than the Norwegian’s 52. Due to his world class scanning ability, he possesses the time to look forward and be productive on the ball more than most.

As can be seen above, only Bruno Fernandes (99) has created more chances than Ødegaard this season. In the Gunners 5-0 mauling of Chelsea on Tuesday night, Ødegaard provided two assists. He also completed 4 accurate through balls – the most in a Premier League match since Kevin De Bruyne v Bournemouth in 2016. The Norwegian playmaker now has 16 direct goal involvements in the Premier League alone. Add that to last season’s tally of 22 goals and assists, and he has been posting great numbers from central midfield for a while now for the Gunners.

Off the ball, Ødegaard also sets the tone for Arsenal. He is the first to press, and set the trap for his teammates to join him. Since the start of last season he has won the ball back in the final third more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues. Many were surprised when Ødegaard was given the captaincy at just 23 years old in 2022, but now the decision cannot be questioned. The Norwegian is always the last player out on the pitch clapping the fans, doing the full 360 of the Emirates stadium. Through his performances, through his ability to bring out the best in those around him, and through his connection with the supporters, Ødegaard is Arsenal’s leader. They will need him this Sunday.