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Martin Odegaard’s revival and influence in Arsenal’s fine start after 2025 struggles
07th September, 2026 09:14 AM
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard delivered once more for the Gunners in the new season as the Londoners edged Chelsea FC for a perfect start to the league.
The Gunners dispatched their arch rivals on a 2-1 victory, with the skipper scoring the second and eventual match-winner to maintain Mikel Arteta’s side’s perfect run.
Odegaard’s last season struggles
Following an injury-ravaged campaign that saw him sidelined for nearly six months, struggling to find consistency, questions abounded about his form, as some labelled him as not worthy of Arsenal’s captaincy.
He registered just one league goal across 24 appearances in the season. However, if the opening weeks of the season are any indication, the Norwegian maestro is spearheading a revival of his own self and Arsenal’s early title charge.
His decisive strike against Chelsea, already his third goal of the campaign across all competitions, surpassing his entire league tally from last term, kept Mikel Arteta’s side level with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.
Alongside Bukayo Saka, Odegaard earned an 8.0 match rating from BBC Sport, underlining his explosive start to the season, where he has excelled in both open play and set pieces.
The star midfielder was also the man of the match as Arsenal stunned Man City in the 2026 FA Community Shield victory.
Leading Gunners early charge
Beyond the scoresheet, Odegaard has seamlessly reclaimed his role as Arsenal’s primary creative hub, already crafting seven big chances in the opening stretch. His resurgence has not gone unnoticed by his manager.
“First of all, he feels fit, and confidence-wise, it’s the highest I have seen him,” Arteta said after the match. “He has a point to prove from last season as well, from missing so much football. Kai is the same; Bukayo is the same. We missed so many attacking players last season for long periods.” Arteta said while commenting on the rise of the Norwegian.
Fit, fired up, and flying
For Ødegaard, however, the shift is as much about mindset as it is about physical sharpness. After falling behind to an early Morgan Rogers opener, Arsenal’s rally was a proper team effort with their captain’s relentless work rate at centre of it.
“Our mentality is to keep fighting. We have shown that many times. We never wanted to concede early, but the reaction was top. We got our reward in the end, and the response was brilliant. We showed our quality with and without the ball, and the result reflects that.”
With a fully fit captain pulling the strings and dictating proceedings, pundits and supporters alike are convinced that the Norwegian star is back at his prime.
