Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard gave the perfect response to Tony Adams’ recent calls for him to be replaced as club captain. That’s after the Norwegian enjoyed a performance fitting of the lead man in Arsenal’s hard-fought 1-0 win at Manchester United on Sunday.
The Gunners travelled to Old Trafford not long after club legend Adams suggested Arsenal are “not going to win the league with Odegaard as captain.” The retired defender, who won four league titles with Arsenal and captained the team for 14 years, suggested the midfielder isn’t the man to end the club’s Premier League drought after three straight runner-up finishes.
Speaking at a recent live recording of the Indo Sport podcast, Adams said: “I’m seeing Declan Rice as a captain, but I’m saying to Arteta, ‘Come on, step up now. It’s your time to be a winning manager and a fantastic manager, because you’re not going to win the league with Odegaard as captain.'”
Odegaard has since responded to those comments and given some insight as to how he looks to inspire his squad. However, he saved the most apt reply for Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, where he delivered a leader’s display under massive pressure.
The 26-year-old played a crucial role in getting Arsenal out of several scrapes and firing his side upfield in numerous quick transitions. He also made five clearances – only William Saliba (seven) made more among Arsenal players – and did a good job of calming matters when United looked like unnerving their guests.
Manager Mikel Arteta has also come to his captain’s defence after retaining Odegaard as skipper. He recently revealed the matter was decided by a club-wide vote, and there was a heavy consensus the former Real Madrid man was their pick to lead.
“My opinion is clear, and it’s not just my opinion – it’s all the staff and especially the players,” Arteta told reporters ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League opener. “I asked them to vote [for] the captain, and I got the result yesterday.
“By a mile away, by a big, big 100 miles, everybody was choosing the same person, Martin Odegaard, which is the most clear sign that you can have. It’s how they feel about who has to be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches that we want to win, so there’s no question about that.
“There is [a vote] every year especially because we change [personnel] a lot, and we change the leadership groups, because a lot of the players that were there are now gone. So we need to re-establish that and because it gives you so much information, how they feel about themselves and how they see [the captain] as a leader. It was really interesting to analyse all the data and to gather information.”
Sunday’s Premier League curtain-raiser is of course just the first step to Odegaard truly proving he’s the man to take Arsenal to silverware. But victory away to one of the club’s greatest nemeses on the opening weekend of the new season is no bad way to start.
Speaking to Sky Sports prior to visiting Old Trafford, Odegaard was asked about Adams’ criticism and delivered a typically mature response: “It’s a lot to be fair. It’s a lot of small things. It’s hard to describe it, it’s more like a constant role you do.
“There’s always these small things you have to do. In general it’s just how I see it is to get the best out of the team and how to give the team the right mindset. Help the players around you, get the best mindset in everyone.
“I think before the game just on the pitch I do a little one (team talk) and inside the dressing room we have different people talking. It’s not just me there’s a lot of people sharing the responsibility and the manager does a lot as well. It’s a shared thing. It’s not just me all the time.”
