Ray Parlour believes Arsenal have been a much-improved side recently and has reserved special praise for Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian had a fruitful loan spell at the north London club last campaign, where he played a crucial role in the midfield. Subsequently, his loan deal was made permanent this summer. Since then, he has been involved in 7 goals in 22 league appearances.
The midfielder has been an integral part of the Gunners’ turn of fortune lately. He makes good decisions with the ball at his feet and has superb ball control, which enables him to maneuver through tight spaces.
The Arsenal legend feels the likes of Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey are performing much better these days. He also claims that Odegaard has stepped up recently. While speaking on the Seaman Says Podcast, the 48-year-old said:
“They show that little bit of grit on the pitch, and I think there’s more resilience in the team now. The back four is a lot stronger than it was, Xhaka and Partey are playing a lot better in the midfield now, and we know about Saka, Smith Rowe, and Odegaard, he’s really stepped up as well.”
Arsenal Fever View:
The former Real Madrid man has a huge influence on the team. He has been Mikel Arteta’s go-to man in the midfield. Although he is not regularly on the scoresheet, Odegaard has shone as one of the Spaniard’s key performers.
The 23-year-old is often in the heart of many Arsenal moves. He is capable of working wonders even in the most congested areas of the pitch. His progressive passing has split the opposition defense wide open on many occasions.
However, Odegaard has been criticized for his final product. But at 23 years, he still has plenty of time to hone his finishing skills. And all the evidence suggests that the Norwegian will only get better as time progresses.
His leadership qualities on the pitch have not gone unnoticed as well. He is being touted with the vacant Arsenal captaincy role for next season.
Meanwhile, the Gunners travel to Vicarage Road on Sunday to face Watford. It will be another tricky challenge in their quest for Champions League football. Arteta and his men have been in stellar form, and they would be determined to extend it further.
Read More: Arsenal Team News against Watford: Takehiro Tomiyasu, Smith Rowe
