Arsenal drew with Everton at the weekend in what was one of the most frustrating games of the Gunners’ season so far.
Arsenal have had their fair share of underwhelming results as of late, but this one may have been the worst of the bunch as they failed to capitalise on Liverpool’s dropped points against Fulham.
Arsenal were criticised for their performance at the weekend, and speaking on The Weekend Wrap, Karen Carney has now questioned one element of Mikel Arteta’s in-game management.
Indeed, the pundit says that Arteta’s decision to substitute Martin Odegaard in this game was baffling, claiming that Arsenal are way better with their captain on the pitch.
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard of Arsenal celebrate after Thomas Partey of Arsenal (not pictured) scores his team's second goal during the Premier...
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Karen Carney baffled by Mikel Arteta’s decision to take Martin Odegaard off
Carney criticised the Arsenal manager for his decision to take Odegaard off the pitch.
The pundit says she was baffled by Arteta’s call here, while adding that she’d like to see the Gunners sign a new left winger in January.
“I think the strange decision for me, you look at the stats with and without Odegaard and then he took him off. That was baffling. We talk about the over-reliance on the right side with Saka and Odegaard, but in January they need a left winger,” Carney said.
Arsenal’s record with and without Martin Odegaard
Carney says that Arsenal’s stats without Odegaard are much worse, and she’s not wrong.
Indeed, when Odegaard plays, Arsenal are decidedly a better team.
Arsenal with Martin Odegaard this season Arsenal without Martin Odegaard this season
Games 9 7
Wins 5 3
Draws 4 2
Losses 0 2
Points per game 2.11 1.57
League games only
Odegaard is the lynchpin of this team, and Arsenal just don’t click in the same way when he isn’t on the pitch.
Odegaard makes Bukayo Saka a better player, and against a team like Everton who are happy to sit back and defend all day, you need a playmaker like that to unlock the backline.
For one reason or another, Arteta thought Arsenal would be better-served without Odegaard on the pitch for the closing stages of Saturday’s game, and, unfortunately for Arsenal, that didn’t quite go to plan.
As things stand, Arsenal are six points off the top of the Premier League with Liverpool having a game in hand, and it’s games like these that will ultimately make the difference if the Gunners want to hunt their rivals down.
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