Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard hasn’t been at his very best in recent weeks and that’s inevitably seen criticism sent his way, both from fans and media.
The mockery for the Norwegian reached a peak after the Gunners’ 1-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final, and he also struggled in the defeat to Bournemouth.
As criticism continues to published relating to the Arsenal captain, defence for him has arrived from Norway in the form of national team manager Stale Solbakken.
The 57-year-old stated that people have been left spoiled by the previous levels of Odegaard’s performances and that is a key reason behind the criticism.
He told NTB, as relayed by VG: “He has had better games, but he may have played more than a normal game. Many are spoiled, because he has played some huge games for Arsenal.”
Solbakken made it clear that he has no concerns about Odegaard’s future and whether his performances can get back to previous levels or not.
“He’s the person I worry about the least in the whole world. Martin is always consistently good.”
It’ll be encouraging for Odegaard to hear his national team manager back him, especially when he needs support from those around him.
Even if it is fair to say that the midfielder hasn’t had a great season, he has dealt with fitness problems along the way. He’s still contributed to a total of 16 goals in all competitions for Arsenal.
That is a significant contribution in a season where Mikel Arteta’s side have lacked a goal threat consistently. The lack of a proper number nine has also impacted Odegaard’s form.
