According to GiveMeSport, Arsenal are set to face arch-rivals, Tottenham in the North London Derby without their star midfielder and captain, Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian midfielder is labeled as “the heart of the Arsenal squad” by fans and experts. The absence of Odegaard in Mikel Arteta’s squad can leave a huge impact on Arsenal’s season.
The Gunners are preparing for an important month of their campaign, which can potentially shape up their season. Arsenal will face a tight schedule of fixtures both domestically and in Europe, without their captain. Odegaard got injured during Norway’s 2-1 victory over Austria in the UEFA Nations League.
The star midfielder was later seen leaving the stadium on crutches. Fans can expect Odegaard to be out for around three weeks. Other than Odegaard’s absence from the North London Derby, the midfielder can also miss the Premier League fixture against Manchester City, and possibly two crucial Champions League games against Atalanta, and Paris Saint-Germain. This is a concerning matter for Arsenal fans, due to the contribution of Odegaard in Arteta’s tactical setup. The midfielder’s ability to dictate the play, and stop opposition’s attacks, while being a key goal-scorer and provider for the team is essential.
A Massive Loss for Arsenal
It is difficult for Arteta to replace a player of Odegaard’s caliber. The Gunners require a creative player to unlock the Tottenham defense. Riath Al-Samarrai, a journalist for Sky Sports, claims Odegaard as Arsenal’s best player “by a street,”. The journalist also pointed out how the Norwegian playmaker is perfectly suited to exploit the defensive gaps usually left by Tottenham. Odegaard has the vision to play out passes that are otherwise, difficult to detect for other midfielders. Odegaard’s partnership with English midfielder, Declan Rice, is instrumental for the Gunners to achieve success in domestic and European competitions.
Mikel Arteta will have to look for suitable replacements in his squad. A player with a similar profile to Odegaard is Kai Havertz. The German midfielder has experience playing in multiple roles and can be deployed as an attacking midfielder. Havertz is a brilliant player but still lacks the consistency of Odegaard. The leadership, work-rate, and controlling the tempo like Odegaard, is a difficult quality for any other player to replicate. Arsenal’s options for the midfielder are also limited due to some key departures this summer. Emile Smith-Rowe left Arsenal for Fulham this summer, and Fabio Vieira returned to Porto on loan.
Mikel Arteta under immense pressure
Mikel Arteta has a choice to play Havertz in that position. However, Arsenal’s new signing, Raheem Sterling, is also capable of playing in that position, despite being a winger. Sterling played in a central role numerous times at Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola. Moreover, the English winger has the pace and the skill required to break through Tottenham’s defense. Another option for Mikel Arteta is to bring back Gabriel Jesus in the starting lineup., if Havertz drops into the midfield.
The Brazilian forward can play a key role in the attack and build-up play. Jesus has struggled to find consistent form for Arsenal, since joining in 2022 . This is the chance for the forward to play an important role for the Gunners in their difficult phase. Gabriel Jesus can be the striker with Sterling and Bukayo Saka on the wings. Kai Havertz can play in the midfield position.
Meanwhile, Tottenham have not been in the best of their forms, having lost to Newcastle United in their latest Premier League fixture. Tottenham have also confirmed the injury to their new signing, Dominic Solanke and Brazilian forward, Richarlison. This will be an interesting clash between two of the best teams in London.
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