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arsenalThe team’s depth has been a championship this season, and boy, they really need it.
although Mikel ArtetaAll men are top-notch Premier LeagueIt’s not going to be an easy battle as far as injuries go, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
With the exception of Miles Lewis-Skelly, every member of Arsenal’s backline has been injured this season, with Gabriel Magalhaas missing a few weeks before Christmas in a notable absence.
It doesn’t hurt that Arsenal signed Piero Hincapie and Christian Mosquera in the summer. Given the current situation, they are an invaluable addition.
Having said that, the club’s squad depth has become quite an issue for many players at the Emirates Stadium.
The biggest loser from Arsenal’s squad depth
No supporter or manager will complain about having too many options in the squad, but it must be tricky for Arteta to keep everyone happy.
Indeed, he has clearly failed to do so this season, with Ethan Nwaneri joining Marseille on loan in February after not starting a single game in the Premier League. It’s a shame considering his sudden emergence in 2024/25, but it has to be.
Lewis Skelly is another who endured a very tricky campaign. Like Nwaneri, he was one of last season’s biggest stories, impressing against Real Madrid and PSG, scoring on his England debut and celebrating with Erling Haaland after scoring against Manchester City.
However, with the arrival of Hincapie and the outstanding performance of left-back Ricardo Calafiore, he only started one game in the league. Like Nwaneri – who is now competing with Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke for a spot – he has spent much of the season on the bench.
Speaking of Eze, he also found life not easy. The England international signed from Crystal Palace in the summer with a dream move to his boyhood club. A few days after signing, he walked out of the Emirates Stadium with a huge smile. He couldn’t contain his excitement.
Things looked to be going well when he scored a hat-trick in the north London derby against Tottenham. Since then, however, his playing time has been limited. He has not started a Premier League game since the 2-1 win over Wolves on December 13.
This can be a bit confusing, especially when you consider the following form Martin Odegaard Who is becoming an expendable asset.
Why Martin Odegaard is becoming a sellable asset
Odegaard’s rise in football has been fascinating. He is the definition of a wonder kid. At the age of 15, he made his debut in Norway and soon after, he entered the Real Madrid team.
Things didn’t go easy for him in the Spanish capital, but he found a home in England and is now captain of Arsenal.
The attacking midfielder has been the main creator of this Gunners side over the years. He’s a guy who makes things work, and he’s irreplaceable.
Let your thoughts wander back to the 2022/23 season. In perhaps his freest season under Arteta to date, it’s no surprise that Odegaard has posted the best figures of his career.
No Premier League midfielder has scored more than 15 times this season. Since then, however, the targets have stopped flowing. Some may point to the captain’s ankle injury last season as a reason, and certainly his lack of confidence in his actions since then.
Still, for a player of his quality and in his position at a club like Arsenal, he needs to do better. The 27-year-old is currently in the prime of his career but has only scored one goal this season. He managed just six games last season, three of which came in the top flight.
|
Odegaard’s Arsenal career statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
season |
game |
target engagement |
|
2021/22 |
40 |
12 |
|
2022/23 |
45 |
twenty one |
|
2023/24 |
48 |
twenty one |
|
2024/25 |
45 |
No. 17 |
|
2025/26 |
25 |
6 |
Those days are gone forever Wenger calls him ‘the young Cesc Fabregas’. The great Frenchman told a Norwegian TV channel in 2023: “I spoke to him when he was 15. I really wanted to sign him. Fortunately, he is here now. He is really like a young Cesc Fabregas. I think he has developed into a complete player.”
A few years ago, Odegaard did feel like a complete talent, but his game had not yet developed, and now he is quickly being surpassed. Arteta is starting to realize this too. In fact, his performances seemed to have declined when he was withdrawn before the game against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United. He then didn’t even start in the 4-0 win over Leeds United.
While Eze doesn’t have much football experience either, it’s definitely time to prioritize him in a role behind the striker. Even Kai Havertz has now taken this stance.
The German is fully fit and has established a good partnership with Victor Choukres. They performed well in their 3-2 win over Kairat Almaty, with the former Chelsea man assisting Joe Kress for the game’s first goal.
Complicating Odegaard’s situation is the fact that Nwaneri is set to return to contention next season, while Max Dauman is expected to star in his preferred role in the center of the park.
The Norwegian is likely to become club captain, but the reality is that if he doesn’t improve quickly, Andrea Berta should consider letting him go. Having signed for £30m back in the summer of 2021, it could well be time to cash in on him. It feels like Arsenal will never reach the next level unless they have a suitable goalscoring midfielder in Odegaard’s position.
