Arsenal suffered a blow in midweek with Mikel Arteta confirming Martin Odegaard’s injury is “quite significant.
The Norwegian midfielder picked up an ankle injury while on international duty and missed the North London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur. There was still uncertainty surrounding the length of Odegaard’s absence, before Arteta dropped the bad news.
“The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,” Arteta confirmed in the build up to Arsenal’s Champions League game against Atalanta.
“It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.”
It was news Arsenal really could have done without. The Gunners strengthened their midfield in the summer with the signing of Mikel Merino. But the Spaniard suffered an injury in training and is yet to feature for his new club. Not that he’d be an Odegaard replacement anyway.
But the problem for Arsenal is that they don’t really have an Odegaard replacement. And they’ve got Manchester City up next.
Last season Odegaard was Arsenal’s chief creator from the midfield three. The Norwegian created 102 chances in the Premier League, 17 big chances and provided 10 assists. He also topped the Arsenal charts for final third passes attempted and completed as well as through ball attempted and completed.
Odegaard was pulling the strings, thriving as he continued to grow under Arteta. This was the midfielder promised when he broke through as a wonderkid at Stromgodset.
So far in the Premier League this season, Odegaard has created five chances in three games, the third-most among Arsenal players. Arsenal have been focussing their attacks more down the flanks so far this season with Bukayo Saka (10) and Gabriel Martinelli (seven) their leading creators.
But Arsenal still need that creativity from a central position. Per 90 minutes, with a minimum of 180 played, Odegaard has averaged more final third passes than any other Arsenal player (20.2). He’s also averaged more through balls (1.42) per 90 than any other Arsenal player, and has the highest open play xA of 0.74.
In Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Tottenham, there were signs of Odegaard’s absence. The Gunners had just seven shots, their fewest in a Premier League game this season. There were just six chances created, with Martinelli, Saka and Leandro Trossard all having two apiece. Saka got the assist from a set piece.
It was a similar story against Atalanta in the Champions League. Arsenal managed six shots in what was a game of low efforts, with Atalanta only managing eight themselves. The Gunners created four chances, with three of those coming via a returning Gabriel Jesus. But Arsenal’s best hope against Man City this weekend may be to look to Kai Havertz.
Havertz has been occupying Odegaard’s midfield role in the past two games, though against Tottenham he was a bit more advanced. Against Atalanta, Havertz put in a selfless performance in the middle of the pitch. He was much more involved in pressing off the ball, but still had moments of providing the link between midfield and attack.
And that’s where he can be key against Man City. Havertz isn’t the creator that Odegaard is. Arsenal cannot replace the Norwegian in that sense. But Havertz can help unlock the Arsenal attack.
The German has created four chances in the Premier League this season and provided one assist. He’s also averaged eight passes in the final third per 90 minutes and completed 0.25 crosses, the latter fourth among Arsenal players.
But where he’s killer is around the box. He’s averaged 1.25 shots on target per 90 minutes, scored 0.5 big chances and leads Arsenal for Expected Goals, Expected Goals on Target and Non-penalty Expected Goals. Arsenal’s best hopes are to actually push Havertz further forward for the German to create his own chances.
