It seems that Gary Neville’s earlier advice on leadership in the team has been disseminated by Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. This occurs because the team’s captain has had to step in for him during his recent injury absences from games.
At the beginning of the previous season, the Gunners gave the armband to the Norway international in an attempt to put the role’s historical problems and concerns about who could be trusted to wear it behind them. From an early age, Odegaard led his country’s national squad and established a benchmark after signing from Real Madrid.
He was one of the players included last summer, along with Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, thus an unexpected title push was anticipated. Neville, however, saw it somewhat differently, stating on the Overlap in August 2022 that “the experience is still not there, either off the pitch or on the pitch.” Although I have watched him, Oleksandr Zinchenko is not a leader. Despite how much I adore him, he is not a leader.
Those aspirations and dreams for the title became almost genuine in the next several months, but a late run cost them that chance. Neville’s statement on the Overlap, “I look at Martin Odegaard, fantastic professional,” raised doubts about the leadership once more. Excellent professional, Oleksandr Zinchenko. However, are they still in the lead when the biggest games of the season reach their most intensely tense moments?
I don’t think that the senior players of Arsenal, such as Partey, Zinchenko, and Odegaard, had an effect on their teammates on the pitch during the most trying times, when younger players like Saka and Martinelli needed guidance and Jesus needed to be told to stop running around and just stand up front and be really disciplined in how you play. In actuality, they were partly to blame for their struggles in the contests.”
Since I’ve been observing it for a long, I’m not shocked by his current state of development. He deserves it, therefore I’m genuinely thrilled for him. In my opinion, he and I are similar in that he isn’t the loudest or person in the dressing room when it comes to shouting. But he’s so smart, he’s always willing to help, he gives the team his all, and he’s assuming more and more responsibility both on and off the ball. He is a fantastic athlete and a wonderful person, so it is truly right that he be one of the captains. I am proud of him and glad to call him a teammate.
This group is wonderful since we have a lot of leaders. Jorginho, who has led the club in the last few games, is well respected and has a wealth of experience. He is used to that, and the manager is fortunate to have these team leaders at his disposal.”
It implies that a fundamental foundation for leadership has now been established, whether as a result of internal or external causes. Internally, Gabriel Martinelli has followed in the footsteps of a player like Bukayo Saka, who has developed into a player with a dominant presence in the side.
Jorginho’s arrival will have been beneficial from the outside, as evidenced by his efforts to keep 11 players on the pitch against Newcastle, shoving rivals away from altercations and encouraging them to go on. Declan Rice is another; he’s been observed coaching coworkers and providing precise ideas and instructions.
In contrast, consider Liverpool and Manchester City’s title fight. Both teams have lost some important players and leaders in previous transfer windows. The core group that participated in the race once and just lost out might now possess the necessary experience and leadership to win the job.