Cesc Fabregas offers his opinions below regarding how Arsenal should respond to the talisman’s absence.
Arsenal has suffered a major setback with the announcement that captain Martin Odegaard’s ankle injury, caused by manager Mikel Arteta, has “significant” damage and will keep him out for “a while”. The injury was sustained by the 25-year-old captain of the Gunners while he was playing for Norway during the international break.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has suffered ‘significant damage’ to his ankle Credit: Splash
Mikel Arteta has confirmed Odegaard will be out for ‘a while’Credit: GettyHe was not present for Arsenal’s Sunday triumph over Tottenham in the North London derby.
Now that he has acknowledged he will be out for a while, head coach Arteta has been silent on when he expects to return, which is concerning. Before his team’s Champions League match against Atalanta on Thursday, he made the following statement: “We will miss him because the scan revealed he had some injury, particularly on one of the ankle ligaments.
Since I’m not a doctor, I don’t want to [provide a date], but it’s something really big, so we will be losing him for a while. Let’s see, hopefully not months.In addition, Arteta said that Arsenal had a successor for Odegaard, but that they would need to prove it. He is not just our captain but also one of our most important players.
“Over the past two or three seasons, he has been among the most reliable players. His style of play and behaviour are closely linked to who we are. That will be something we have to deal with.
“That is a great test for the team as well, of how capable we are to show maybe a different face and the fact we have other players and other options that can still be very effective.”
Odegaard made 48 appearances for Arsenal last season, contributing 11 goals and 11 assists.
Last season, Odegaard contributed eighteen goals to the Premier League.He only missed three Premier League games in the 2023–24 season, one of which was a 1-0 loss to Newcastle. The protracted absence of the Norway international is causing concern for Arsenal supporters, despite their initial belief that the injury would be minor.
Someone said, “This doesn’t sound good to be honest.”
Another person said, “I just fell to my knees.”
“That’s him done until Christmas then!” a third person retorted. Great loss, our leader and finest player.
“As [if] we could ever grow tired of the international break! It was completely absurd, and he never should have accepted that knock.”
And a fourth responded: “… For a while sounds like forever. This isn’t good news at all. Get well soon captain .”
In the win over rivals Spurs at the weekend, Arteta switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation.
Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard led the line, with a four-man midfield of Bukayo Saka, Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Gabriel Martinelli.
But there are a number of ways Arteta could choose to fill the Odegaard-shaped void.
How Arsenal could line-up without Odegaard
Cesc Fabregas wants Leandro Trossard to drop into Odegaard’s role.
Arteta could revert to the same XI he fielded against Tottenham
Youngster Ethan Nwaneri could also be called into the side.