Arteta Encourages Odegaard to Embrace Creativity
Mikel Arteta has urged Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to embrace risk-taking in order to enhance his creative impact on the team.
The Norwegian midfielder showcased his importance to the Gunners during Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League victory over Olympiacos, contributing to both goals scored by Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka. Following a challenging start to the season due to a shoulder injury, Arteta has granted the 26-year-old "complete freedom" to express his talent.
Arteta remarked, "I believe creativity is part of his nature. It doesn’t impose any pressure on him, as this is his greatest strength—creating opportunities that few players can achieve. He has my full support to explore, take risks, and understand how to create space, which he has demonstrated in the last two matches."
Odegaard initially sustained his injury during the 5-0 Premier League victory over Leeds and re-injured the same shoulder after falling awkwardly during the first half of the match against Nottingham Forest. After missing three games, he made a return as a substitute in the thrilling 2-1 comeback win against Newcastle on Sunday, where his passing and attacking drive were pivotal.
He also delivered the corner kick in stoppage time that defender Gabriel headed in, securing all three points at St James' Park.
In the match against Olympiacos, Odegaard played a key role in dictating the game alongside Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino. He created several chances and was denied a goal by an impressive save from Konstantinos Tzolakis, followed by a block from defender Panagiotis Retsos.
Arteta stated, "He has all the freedom in the world to advance. He played with the kind of freedom and threat that we need—whether through his passes, ball control, or making runs into dangerous areas. He set up three players for scoring opportunities and should have scored himself. It’s fantastic to have him back; he played exceptionally well against Newcastle to help us secure the win, and I thought he was phenomenal today."
Arsenal has adopted a new style of play this season, focusing on a more direct approach to maximize the potential of their new signings, particularly striker Viktor Gyokeres. Gyokeres' strong run into the box led to Tzolakis redirecting the shot onto the post, allowing Martinelli to tap in the rebound for the opening goal in the 12th minute. Odegaard provided the assist and commented, "That is what I aim to do, especially with forward players like Viktor, who is aggressive and always a threat. My role is to create opportunities for them. I could have had a few more assists, but we secured the win, and I enjoyed the game."