Martin Odegaard's outstanding start to the new season has been no accident, according to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who has revealed a deliberate tactical adjustment designed to bring the best out of his captain.
Odegaard, who managed just one goal in the whole of last season and only six across all competitions the campaign before that, has been transformed into one of Arsenal's most influential attacking threats. Arteta explained that the shift stems from a change in instructions, encouraging the Norwegian to push further forward and occupy more advanced areas of the pitch.
The Arsenal boss disclosed that he has given Odegaard the freedom to remain higher up the field, a decision rooted in his growing trust in the rest of the squad's ability to progress the ball through midfield without relying on their captain to drop deep.
"Yes, we have," Arteta confirmed when asked whether he had told Odegaard to take more risks and get into advanced positions more often. "We now have a lot of players who can take the ball there and can progress the ball much better than we did in the past, and when that happens, he needs to take different heights and angles and positions in order to disorganise the opponent."
Arteta praised how effectively Odegaard executed that plan in Arsenal's most recent outing, an evening in which several other teammates were guilty of squandering presentable chances. Bukayo Saka failed to convert after being sent through by an Odegaard pass, Piero Hincapie somehow lifted the ball over the crossbar from close range, and Mikel Merino headed wide despite being unmarked. Yet amid the profligacy elsewhere, Odegaard's own performance stood out as a shining example of the mentality Arteta wants to see from his players.
"That's what we need, the players with that mindset to decide the game and to play with that personality that an action might not happen," Arteta said, referencing the missed opportunities created by his captain. "It's the next one, the next one, and keep insisting and keep taking chances and risks."
The Spanish coach believes Odegaard's newfound confidence in front of goal is a product of his increasing presence in the final third. "He's getting into those positions much more in recent games and I feel he has this emotional state that he knows that the ball can go in and he is playing an incredible football match," Arteta added, singling out his skipper's display as evidence of the tactical tweak paying dividends.
With Odegaard now firmly entrenched as a focal point of Arsenal's attacking play rather than purely a deep-lying playmaker, Arteta made clear he has no intention of easing the pressure on his captain to keep contributing goals. Rather than setting a specific numerical target for the season, the manager insisted his expectations are constant and unwavering.
"Yes, goals every week," Arteta said. "Every game, goals. That's the target."
Given his output so far this campaign, few would bet against Odegaard surpassing last season's modest tally before the upcoming international break later this month. If Arsenal's captain continues to find these advanced pockets of space and back himself in front of goal, Arteta's tactical gamble looks set to keep reaping rewards for the Gunners as the season progresses.
Based on reporting from standard-football.