November 7th 2024.
Martin Odegaard, the current captain of Arsenal, has been out for 12 games due to an ankle injury. However, former Arsenal player Paul Merson believes that manager Mikel Arteta should take a chance on Odegaard if Manchester City and Liverpool win their respective Premier League games before Arsenal's upcoming match against Chelsea this weekend. Merson predicts that if top-of-the-table Liverpool win against Aston Villa and reigning champions City win against Brighton, they will go ten points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal in the table.
It has been a tough few weeks for Arsenal, both on and off the pitch. The team recently lost to Inter Milan on Wednesday night and have been struggling to secure wins in their last few league games against Newcastle, Liverpool, and Bournemouth. In addition, the sudden departure of Arsenal's sporting director Edu has caused further instability within the club. As a result, the team is in dire need of a morale-boosting performance against Chelsea on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.
Despite their recent struggles, Merson was encouraged by Arsenal's performance against Inter Milan, who are known for their impressive playing style under manager Simone Inzaghi. He noted that Arsenal were lucky in the first ten minutes of the game, but after that, they played well and dominated the match. However, Merson believes the team lacks a bit of creativity and finesse in their gameplay, which is where Odegaard comes in. He believes that the team has earned the respect of other European teams, and Odegaard's ability to make precise passes and create scoring opportunities is crucial for their success.
Odegaard's absence due to injury has been evident in Arsenal's gameplay, as they have lacked creativity in the middle of the park. Fans were relieved when Odegaard came on as a substitute for Kai Havertz in the closing stages of the game against Inter Milan. When asked whether Odegaard should start against Chelsea, Merson responded that it would depend on the results of Liverpool and City's games. If they both win, he believes it is a must-win match for Arsenal, and Odegaard should be thrown back into the starting lineup.
Arteta, on the other hand, remains confident in his team's abilities and believes that they have a good chance of defeating Chelsea if they play the same way they did against Inter Milan. He praised his team for their performance, stating that he hasn't seen them play with such determination in Europe before. However, he also expressed disappointment in not getting the desired result and believes that they have the potential to win against Chelsea.
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