There is something very satisfying about watching Martin Ødegaard when everything is clicking.
The little touches. The head-up passes. The effortless movement between the lines. And, increasingly this season, that wonderfully calm ability to decide a game himself.
After a 2025/26 campaign that never quite reached the individual heights we have come to expect from him, Ødegaard has started this season looking like a man with something to prove. And we are absolutely loving it.
The Norwegian has been at the heart of Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League campaign, with Mikel Arteta’s side taking nine points from their opening three matches. His contribution against Chelsea was particularly telling. With Arsenal trailing early on, Ødegaard helped turn the game around before scoring the winner shortly after half-time, calmly finishing a move created by Christos Tzolis and Kai Havertz.
And then came Napoli.
Under the lights at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Arsenal produced a performance that felt like a statement. They controlled possession, created chance after chance and ultimately left Italy with a 1-0 Champions League victory.
The person to provide the decisive moment? Of course, Ødegaard.
With 15 minutes remaining, Arsenal worked the ball through a lovely attacking move before Ødegaard picked it up on the edge of the box and fired a low shot into the corner. It was the sort of finish that has become increasingly characteristic of his game: composed, technically brilliant and just a little bit cheeky.
More importantly, this isn’t simply about the goals.
What feels different about Ødegaard this season is his presence.
He looks more willing to take responsibility. He is demanding the ball, pressing with greater intensity and taking more risks in the final third. There is a sense that Arsenal’s captain isn’t waiting for the game to come to him anymore – he is actively trying to take control of it.
That matters.
Ødegaard has spent the last few seasons becoming one of the most important players in Arteta’s system, but there has always been a temptation to judge him purely through goals and assists. That misses a huge part of what makes him special. He is the player who can slow a game down when Arsenal need control, speed it up when an opening appears and spot a pass that most players wouldn’t even see.
This season, though, the numbers are beginning to follow the performances.
His strike against Chelsea doubled his Premier League goal tally from the entirety of last season, while his goal in Naples made it four goals in his opening five games across competitions.
For Arsenal, that is a rather exciting development.
They already have Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Eberechi Eze and a growing collection of attacking options. If Ødegaard can add a consistent goal threat to his usual creativity and control, Arsenal suddenly have another player capable of winning matches almost single-handedly.
There is also something lovely about seeing our captain rediscover his swagger.
Ødegaard has never been the loudest footballer on the pitch. His leadership has always been more understated — a gesture, a pass, a quick word, a demand for the ball. But this version feels different. He looks physically sharper, mentally freer and increasingly comfortable with being the player Arsenal turn to when things get difficult.
It is still very early, of course. September does not win you a title. But if this is the beginning of Ødegaard’s response to last season, we should be very excited.
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