Martin Odegaard reflected on a big week of action for **Arsenal**after the international break.
The Gunners grabbed an emphatic 4-1 victory in the **North London**derby against **Tottenham**before beating Bayern Munich 3-1 to hold onto their 100% winning record in Europe. A 1-1 draw at 10 man **Chelsea**was a blow to the momentum, but the side still are full of belief in the eyes of the captain.
“ It was a good battle and a really intense game on Sunday. In the end, we have to take the point and move on. Both teams started the game really aggressively, really strongly and there were lots of duels all over the pitch.
“After they got the red card, we felt like we should have gone on to get the win, and there are some areas where we feel like we could have done better, but in the end, it was a point from a tough battle.
“There were some positives on Sunday – it was great to see Viktor Gyokeres back on the pitch – and Mikel Merino got another goal for us. He has been unbelievable. He’s so dangerous in the box, he has that smell for goals. He’s always in the right areas and he’s so good in there, so all credit to him.
“It was a massive week for us, after the north London derby and then it was a big statement for us to beat Bayern Munich like we did last Wednesday. If you look at what they’ve done in Germany and also in the Champions League this season, it’s probably the most consistent side in Europe right now.
“To beat them like we did is a massive result. It shows how far we’ve come and how good we are at the moment. It was a massive win.
*“Finally, it feels so great to be back on the pitch! I got those minutes at the end of the Bayern game and it felt so important to be with the team again, and to get into the rhythm again. I needed to get the feel of playing a game, the feel of the tempo and the atmosphere here at the Emirates Stadium.*
“That’s what you miss the most when you’re out, to have that feeling on the pitch. It’s very different when you watch it from the side. Then on Sunday I got more minutes and I’m feeling good now. It has been a weird season for me so far, because I was out for a while.
“I’m back now and I want to keep building on that. I’m feeling better and better. It’s amazing to be back out there and now I’m just looking forward because this is a massive stage of the season.
*“This is another big game tonight and we’ll be ready again. We know what to expect from Brentford. They are a good team, a solid team who are coming off the back of a strong win at the weekend. They have quality and we know they will be up for it, and we expect another good battle.*
“The good thing is we’re back at home and I’m sure all our supporters will be right on it for a night game, and we need you all to be there for us. Let’s make it another big night at our home.”