Arteta can repair Odegaard’s knock by unleashing Arsenal’s £100m star into a new role

There may be a feeling that the only thing stopping is Arsenal From the claim Premier League The title is the same, as the Gunners now have great squad depth that has put them in the perfect position to pounce on Liverpool’s woes.

After finishing second three times in a row Mikel Arteta Is he set to do better this time around, with his in-form side conceding just three goals in their first seven league games this season – the mark of champions?

However, if there is anything that could derail this early positivity, it could be injury, though it is likely that this aforementioned depth will be constantly tested if there are early signs of the season.

After seeing Kai Havertz sidelined before the start of the season, following knee surgery, the north London club suffered another setback as Noni Madueke’s bright start to life at the club was cut short by his own problem late last month.

With the likes of Piero Hincapie and Gabriel Jesus currently sidelined, perhaps the biggest concern lies with the struggling captain. Martin Odegaardand the Norwegian’s latest blow is likely to cast his judgment on what could have been Up to nine matches.

While the 26-year-old’s influence has faded over the past 12 months or so – as we’ll come to – his absence will still leave Arteta with plenty to think about before returning to club action this weekend.

Why did Odegaard lose his title as Arsenal’s most creative player?

Losing a player of Odegaard’s quality is not ideal, as not long ago the former Real Madrid player was recognized as the best player in the English Premier League, and Noticed by the likes of Luke Shaw.

During the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, for example, the Arsenal captain scored 40 goals and assists in the Premier League alone, while creating 31 “big chances” in that time, according to Sofascore.

However, unfortunately for the £30m man, that impact has faded significantly since then, and not just through injury, as last season saw the former Gunners creative center register just 11 goals and one assist in the league.

While he still conjures up 13 ‘big chances’, the creative mantle appears to have passed to his teammate, Bukayo Saka, with the Englishman ranking first in the division in 2024/25 for both shot creation moves per 90 and goal creation moves per 90, according to FBref.

Saka isn’t the only one who has stolen the spotlight from Odegaard in this regard either, as new man Eberechi Eze already looks set to usurp his captain into No. 10, with two assists already to his name in 2025/26.

This included the former Crystal Palace player’s stunning pass for Gabriel Martinelli to earn a point against Manchester City, after he also picked out Victor Gjukeris to slot the ball home against Nottingham Forest, putting the ball on a plate for the Swedish striker to convert.

With Declan Rice also in the equation, not least because of his prowess on set-pieces, where he set up two goals, the burden and reliance on Odegaard appears to be over, and his absence is unlikely to be as severe as in previous years.

However, there is still a need to find a replacement in the midfield ranks – perhaps a youngster Miles Lewis Skelly be the solution?

The perfect replacement for Martin Odegaard at Arsenal

As mentioned before, Eze can comfortably play in a central role, although there may be a preference to use the England star from the left flank, surrounded by the impressive presence of Riccardo Calafiore.

The rise of the Italian rookie has had a huge impact on that man Lewis Skelly, with last season’s golden boy limited to just that 83 minutes of league matches All season for Arsenal, after they were sacked from the left-back position.

It appears that such low involvement could come at the cost of his hopes at international level as well, with Three Lions coach Thomas Tuchel suggesting that a lack of regular minutes could “become an issue” in this vital World Cup year.

Fortunately for the teenager, he is not a one-trick pony, with Calafiore’s promotion potentially being a blessing in disguise, if it allows Lewis-Skelly to cement a central midfield berth instead.

This change to what could be a permanent new role at first-team level will be welcome, with the 19-year-old previously thriving as a left-sided number eight in the academy ranks.

Even at senior levels, he was often used as an inverted full-back, emerging to score his first goal for the club against City in an advanced position in that left channel, ensuring the transition was relatively easy.

actually, Analyst Ben Mattinson He explained that the Hill End graduate’s “long-term” position is a midfielder, although he arrived on the scene at left-back, ensuring he can play alongside Rice and Martin Szobimendi in the coming weeks.

While Mikel Merino is also in the equation, the Spaniard could remain an emergency option at centre-forward, in the absence of Havertz and Jesus, and it would likely be far more exciting to see Lewis Skelly given a consistent run of games in the middle of the park instead.

Really looks like “Football player worth £100 million”As The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid pointed out after the home win over Real Madrid last season, the home-grown star is simply too good to play.