At a Glance:
- Arsenal star’s performance in Atletico Madrid clash was not good enough
- Could result in a change of Arsenal captaincy
- 49-game player recommended as new Gunners’ captain
With the season now at an incredibly tense point for Arsenal, given the fact that the Gunners are only a few games away from a potential Premier League and Champions League double, every single player must step up.
Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg shows the team has enough composure to fend off pressure versus big clubs, but the performance of some players has been criticised—like Gabriel Martinelli, who might leave Arsenal this summer.
Another huge name that has been with the Gunners since almost the start of Mikel Arteta’s reign as Arsenal coach has been criticised for his lack of positive play and stifling his team’s creativity, despite earning a 7/10 versus Atletico in Read Arsenal’s player ratings.
READ MORE: ‘Atrocious’ Diego Simeone blasted for touchline antics during Arsenal matchup
Arsenal are ‘growing away’ from captain Martin Odegaard and he needs to ‘up his game’ or lose captaincy, says Jamie O’Hara
Speaking on talkSPORT’s Sports Bar, Jamie O’Hara and co-host Jason Cundy discussed whether Martin Odegaard was the right man to lead Arsenal forward.
The Norwegian was substituted off before 60 minutes had even been played, with the Gunners searching for a goal and opting for Eberechi Eze as the right-sided number 8 instead.
Eze looked confident in the position and had a potentially game-winning penalty overturned after a VAR check, but it was a tight call and the 27-year-old could very well have been the reason Arsenal won the game.
O’Hara had harsh words for Odegaard—who has missed a significant amount of time this season through injury—with the former Tottenham man stating that the North London club should potentially choose another captain going forward.
“I do believe that Arsenal may be growing away from [Martin] Odegaard. Maybe they’ve got to look at a player who can come in and be that talisman… he needs to buck his ideas up, because he will end up falling down the pecking order [if he continues to play this way]. I don’t think he can be the captain anymore,” said O’Hara.
Jason Cundy believes Declan Rice should become captain instead
Following on from O’Hara’s point, co-host Cundy suggested that another midfielder should become the Gunners’ leader—Declan Rice.
Rice has played 49 games for Arsenal this campaign compared to Odegaard’s 31, and has shown a higher level of both availablity and general ability than the Arsenal number 8, winning the hearts of fans in the process.
Cundy stated: “He’s never going to catch the eye in terms of doing step-overs,pinging one in top bins, or running 30 yards. He isn’t that player. What he is a defensive monster.
“When he goes forward, he carries the team. He’s brilliant in control. I think he will be England’s next captain, and I think he’ll be Arsenal’s next captain [too.]”
