(With quotes from Tim Stillman of Arseblog and Domagoj Kostanjsak of Total Analysis)
(Image made by Patrice_Creative - Instagram @Patrice_Creative)
Let's rewind the clock.
It’s 2015.
Everyone is talking about this 15-year-old kid that’s ripping it up in Norway. You want to see what all the hype is about, so you go onto YouTube to have a look for yourself. Who is this “Norwegian Messi” everyone is talking about?
Before clicking on your compilation of choice you rhetorically ask yourself, “he can’t be THAT good, can he?”
Cue the flurry of exquisite backheels, Cruyff-turns, deft touches, precise ball control, pinpoint through balls, tidy finishes and outrageous skills that demonstrate an all-round lack of consideration for defender’s feelings.
Odegaard has been a household name in football ever since he burst onto the scene eight long years ago.
In a world full of “starboys” and “generational talents”, the Norwegian was one of the first youngsters that we all had scramble around our computers to do our own scouting on. And as the Hachim Mastours and the Lucas Piazons of the world, slowly faded into obscurity, Odegaard survived the test of time and now looks like he is primed and ready to go on to fulfil the enormous potential he has always teased to unleash, but also becoming an integral member of this new Arsenal team.
Freelance football writer and creator of a weekly column at Arseblog, Tim Stillman, believes since returning to Arsenal in the summer, the Norwegian has become the Gunner’s most consistent player.
He said: “He looks like the technical leader of the team to me, which is what you want from that position.
“I think he is growing into one of the big players in the team, one of the reference points and I think he should absolutely be able to do that with the talent he has.”
(Image courtesy of Getty Images)
Born in the city of Drammen, Odegaard was born into football roots and became immersed in the game from a very young age and joined his first team, local sports club Drammen Strong, before he even turned six-years-old. After graduating from the youth division of Stromsgodset, Odegaard would waste no time announcing himself to the world and eventually became the youngest player to ever play in the Tippeligaen.
With the world at is his feet and clubs around the globe pining for the wonderkid’s services, it was Los Blancos that won the race for his signature, paying a reported £2.3million in January 2015. He made his debut on 23rd May 2015 in a home-drubbing of Getafe, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo and in doing so, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in La Liga for Los Blancos.
(Image courtesy of Getty Images - Helios de la Rubia)
However, as mentioned before, the Real Madrid move did not go exactly according to plan for Odegaard. He made only 8 La Liga appearances for the club in 6 years and was constantly shipped on loan, failing to make a significant impact at the Santiago Bernabeu during his time there.
Domagoj Kostanjšak, a tactical analsyst based in Scotland, believes that there was too much pressure on such a young player when he joined Real Madrid in 2015.
He said: “Odegaard was obviously a huge talent, but the expectations placed upon him were simply too much.”
He had three seasons on loan at in the Netherlands, playing two seasons for SC Heerenveen and one season for SBV Vitesse, the latter being a particularly successful season where he scored nine times and provided 12 assists in 33 games for Vitesse which resulted in him being named Vitesse player of the year and earning a place in the Eredivise Team of the Year in 2018-19.
The fourth of Odegaard’s quintet of loans was in the 2019-20 season where he played a year of what was meant to be a two-year stay at Real Sociedad. At the Anoeta Stadium, Odegaard again impressed, creating an effective duo with Swedish striker, Alexander Isak. Sid Lowe described Odegaard’s year at Sociedad in a 2021 Guardian article as a revelation stating that, “it would be no exaggeration to suggest he might have been the best player in Spain.
“He was full of energy and invention and was frequently discovering spaces no one saw, passing through gaps that weren’t there.”
(Image courtesy of Getty Images - NurPhoto)
After helping guide Real Sociedad to the Copa Del Rey final that year, a successful loan was unfortunately cut short due to coronavirus complications, and after four months back at Real Madrid where he severely struggled to achieve any significant game-time, he made the move to Arsenal on loan in the January 2021, transfer window.
At the time, Arsenal were in desperate need of an injection of creativity, relying on the emerging Emile Smith-Rowe at the time. It was too much of a burden to place on the Hale End graduate’s shoulders and Odegaard arrived in London to share the load of supplying Arsenal’s attack and try and salvage a hugely disappointing season.
During his final loan, Odegaard made his debut in the closing minutes of a 0-0 home draw against Manchester United on the 30th January 2021, and went onto make 14 appearances for Arsenal.
It must be admitted that Odegaard did not set the world alight during this four-month period. He only scored twice and provided the same number of assists, as Arsenal failed to achieve European football and lost the Europa League semi-final against eventual winners, Villareal.
However, during this short spell in North London, the potential Odegaard had, was clear to see and it was no surprise that Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar jumped at the chance to sign him permanently in the summer for a measly £34m when the chance arose.
And he has repaid his manager’s faith in him ever since.
(Diagram shows Odegaard career statistics since 2016)
In the 21 appearances he has made this season, he has doubled last season’s goal contributions tally with four goals and four assists. This season was we have seen the maturing of a player who has promised so much for so long. He has become a much tidier player, who effectively creates opportunities for his teammates and bring others into play.
90 minutes of an Odegaard performance in the trequartista role are a joy to watch. Nine times out of ten, he picks out the right pass. He knows when to play the incisive ball and he knows when to recycle possession and play the patient game. He knows where to put the ball for a Bukayo Saka or a Gabriel Martinelli to run onto before they have even made the run in a dare I say it, Ozil-esque style of playmaking.
He is relentless in his pressing and his work ethic is almost unmatched while also having a bag of tricks in his weaponry that are reserved for special occasions (watch his dummy against Brentford last Saturday). This season, he has not only established himself as a key component of this new-look Gunner’s team, but he has also become one of Arsenal’s dependable performers , and his creative statistics speak for themselves.
(Diagram shows Martin Odegaard compared to some of the best attacking midfielders in world football)
When compared to other attacking midfielders in the top five leagues in European competitions, he is in the 95th percentile for pass completion and in the 87th percentile for progressive passes. He is also in the 92nd percentile for through balls made as well as creating an astounding 4.62 shot creating actions per game.
Kostanjsak described the Norwegian playmaker as being press-resistant in addition to having extraordinary technique and dribbling skills.
He said: “He is very aware of his surroundings and is a great passer of the ball.
“He is a good weapon in the first phase and in transitions and has immense technical quality.”
“There is not much he needed to improve regarding his technical profile - it was more the case of giving him a platform to showcase it.”
At Arsenal, Odegaard has finally found a platform. A stable team to grow as a player and as a person. A place to call home. Unlike Zinedine Zidane, Mikel Arteta clearly trusts in Odegaard. He is still only 23-years-old, he is the captain of the Norway national team, and he is one of the leaders in this new-look Gunners team.
Remember that Martin Odegaard kid? Well, the young prodigy we all watched eight years ago break onto the scene is now becoming the player he always promised to be.
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