The debate on who will become the owner of the 2023/24 Premier League best player award voted by the British Players Association (PFA) is gradually heating up.
Earlier this month, Manchester City striker Phil Foden was voted the best player of the season by the British Journalists Association (FWA), but the story for PFA will be very different because the English star has to face 7 candidates. Other extremely strong players are Erling Haaland, Rodri, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Ollie Watkins, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
With Odegaard, the Norwegian star still proves himself worthy of the Arsenal captaincy. Not only a conductor, the 25-year-old midfielder is also the backbone of the Gunners’ play even when holding the ball or defending without the ball.
Below are 3 reasons for PFA to honor Odegaard in this category.
All Arsenal attacks must go through Odegaard
Coach Mikel Arteta always wants his players to be the ones who control the ball more than their opponents.
On average in each match in the Premier League this season, the home team at Emirates Stadium has 58.1% possession of the ball, the Spanish coach requires midfielders to retreat deep into their own half to participate in ball rotation and Odegaard. is the key to Arteta’s calculations.
Odegaard is the most important factor at Arsenal.
Although in theory, the player born in 1998 is a number 10 playmaker, every time the Gunners organize ball circulation from the defense, Odegaard even stands on equal footing with the number 6 midfielder, receiving the ball from the central defenders to play. create a connection point with the attack.
According to statistics, the former Real Madrid star received the ball 1,791 times from teammates’ passes, ranking third in the Arsenal squad, only less than William Saliba and Rice.
Endless inspiration in attack
No matter where he holds the ball on the field, Odegaard always makes fans admire him with passes that only he can make as well as creating opportunities that the opposing defender cannot predict.
“Arsenal fans are always ready to celebrate a goal every time Odegaard holds the ball in the final ⅓ of the opponent’s field ,” said Lucy Ward, TNT Sport commentator. “He has the ability to connect with every teammate on the field, especially on the right sideline.”
With his magical left foot, Odegaard always makes opposing defenses miserable with his highly damaging passes. In the 2023/24 Premier League, the Norwegian midfielder is the player with the most passes towards the opponent’s penalty area (152 times), and is also the player with the most passes leading to shots. the most (207 times), 7 passes higher than Bruno Fernandes in 2nd place.
Odegaard always knows how to connect teammates.
Odegaard scored 8 goals this season, a number only half of the previous campaign, but that does not mean that the 25-year-old conductor has lost his form, simply, Arsenal needs Odegaard to become a playmaker rather than a hunting machine. table.
A true leader
Despite having to undertake a large amount of tasks on the field, Odegaard rarely gets injured. This season, players born in 1998 played 95% of the total possible time.
Odegaard has 28/34 matches playing a full 90 minutes in the Premier League 2023/24, in the remaining 6 matches, the former Real star also played 89 minutes. Enduring physical strength is one of the biggest reasons for Arteta to trust the Norwegian star with the captain’s armband.
And yet, in every match, Odegaard is always the one who calls on Arsenal fans to cheer more passionately. Both professionally and spiritually, the 25-year-old midfielder is definitely the most important factor for the Gunners, which Although Foden, Palmer or Watkins have outstanding goal and assist statistics, they can hardly compare with the conductor born in 1998.
