Kevin Campbell has hailed the impact of Martin Odegaard, stating the Norwegian has been the difference-maker for Arsenal in recent weeks.
The reaction to Martin Odegaard’s permanent signing by Arsenal in the summer had been mixed. After the Gunners were linked to James Maddison for prolonged periods, many questioned the move. However, nobody was surprised by his arrival, given that the Norwegian had played the previous six months on loan at the Emirates.
After a good start to the season as he scored the winner at Burnley, Odegaard excited many with his growing partnership with teammates. However, his season then took a slight dip as Mikel Arteta seemingly used Alexandre Lacazette in the side instead of him. He looked short on confidence for several weeks, playing fewer minutes than expected.
However, Arteta has brought him back in the starting lineup for four straight games, and Odegaard has scored in three of those. Even without a goal, the Norwegian was one of Arsenal’s stars in their win over West Ham United on Wednesday, playing a key role in stitching moves in the attacking third.
Having found a rich vein of form in an Arsenal shirt, the Norwegian is expected to play a key role for the north Londoners in the top-four race. Odegaard is steadily becoming the premium attacking midfielder within the Gunners’ ranks.
And Kevin Campbell has been impressed by the attacking midfielder’s impact on the squad, as he praised Odegaard’s qualities. He told Football Insider the importance of the Norwegian’s goals from midfield, which will prove crucial as the season progresses while setting a target for the attacker to achieve this term.
Campbell said, “The way he knits the midfield together is vital. He is a continuity player. He is very efficient in what he does. When you start adding goals to your game on a regular basis as well, wow, it makes a difference. He got three goals in three games prior to last night. That’s so important because we need the midfield to chip in. It is a real positive.
“I have been impressed with Odegaard. He has played well even when the team hasn’t at times. If he can get between 5 and 10 goals this season, I’d take that. You have to remember this is his first full season in the Premier League. I’m very happy with him at the moment. I think he’s doing a great job.”
Odegaard has so far scored four goals in 15 Premier League outings for Arsenal this season. Having found his goalscoring boots recently, he will be hoping to add to that tally in the games to come.