One Arsenal trivia question that love is “which Arsenal player was substituted off most by Arsenal Wenger?”. Those who bought The Arsenal Quiz book will know the answer. Dennis Bergkamp.
Against Sevilla, Mikel took Martin Odegaard off in the 73rd minute as we looked to hand on to a one goal lead. That led some to comment “Odegaard subbed again after another stinker”. it showed a complete lack of understanding of football.
The Odegaard sub myth
In the 13 games this season, Odegaard has been taken off in 6 of them.
Those who are good at maths will quickly be able to work out that is 46% of the games, which would lead you all to think “how can it be a myth?”. Well, lets compare to others:
Leandro Trossard: 100%
Gabriel Martinelli: 87.5%
Eddie Nketiah: 87.%%
Gabriel Jesus: 57%
Bukayo Saka: 50%
Martin Odegaard: 46%
So out of our 6 main attacking players, Odegaard has been subbed off the least. And at 1,137 minutes played already, only defenders Ben White and William Saliba have had more pitch time.
Odegaard being subbed gets mentioned, but others who are taken off more often do not get a mention. Is it perhaps there is an agenda amongst some fans against Martin Odegaard?
Not unusual for attacking players to go off
At a big team like Arsenal, we are always more likely than not to head into the last 15 minutes of games with a lead. The result is we take attacking players off for more defensive minded ones.
If Arteta has more defensive minded midfield options on the bench in Thomas Partey and Jorginho, it makes a lot of sense to change the midfield from the 60th minute onwards if we are defending a lead.
If it is a midfield trio of Rice, Havertz and Odegaard, we have seen first Havertz and then Odegaard go off. If it is Jorginho/Partey, Rice and Odegaard, then the tactical change will always be to take of the more attacking player – Odegaard for either Partey or Jorginho.
If Arteta left Odegaard on and the opponents equalised, fans would only moan about Arteta’s poor in-game decision to not go more defensive.
Fresh legs and change of approach
Odegaard leads from the front on the high press.
He gets through an awful lot of work off the ball, so it is no surprise that after 75 minutes he is blowing a bit.
Swapping ODegaard for Kai Havertz gives us fresh legs without losing too much in attack. It also provides us the opportunity to go a little longer.
Against Sevilla, Havertz became a target man for David Raya and was able to win the high ball and bring it down in the opponents half, often winning free kicks or throw-ons in the process.
Fans would only moan if Odegaard was left on despite having run out of steam.
A change in attack
We have also seen this season Arteta take Odegaard off for Havertz or Fabio Vieira in an attempt to freshen up the attack. Again, this is no issue.
Sometimes a player is having a poor game, or is being snuffed out by an opponent. Making a change can have a huge impact, like it did against Chelsea.
Gabriel Martinelli and Odegaard were fairly ineffective in the 2nd half. They were taken off for Havertz and Trossard who were both key for the equaliser.
The only men in the front line immune to being taken off to freshend up the attack is Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka. However, both are bought of regularly first when a game is won.
Why is it only Arsenal that get criticism for their manager making game changing substitutions that lead to a postive outcome?
Is Odegaard Arteta’s Bergkamp?
Dennis Bergkamp was often the man sacrificed by Arsene Wenger when he wanted to either go more defensive, or change up the attack.
You would see Bergkamp go off for a Ray Parlour or Edu as we went to 451 – we would never take off Thierry Henry as he was the main outlet. Likewise, Bergkamp would go off for a Kanu or Wiltord if we were struggling to break a door down.
Havertz, Vieira and Trossard give something a little different in attack in comparison to ODegaard. So if Plan A is not working, we turn to Plan B.
Also, a midfield of Partey Jorginho Rice will be near impossible to break through.
A final, final thought…
Odegaard has 4 goals and 1 assist this season and has been “poor”.
James Maddison has 3 goals and 5 assists and is being labelled as “the most influential player in the Premier League.
Maddison has been better than Odegaard this season, but is 1 less goal and 4 more assists really the difference between being infleuntial and poor? A goal contribution difference of 3?
James Maddison: 8
Phil Foden: 6
Martin Odegaard: 5
Bruno Fernandes: 5
Dominik Szoboszlai: 2
Jack Grealish: 1
It probably highlights the high standards Odegaard has set for himself after last season that the talk is about him being poor this campaign, whilst contributing more than almost every other player in his position in England.
We are unbeaten in the league, could go top today, and some fans seem more intent on digging out Odegaard, David Raya and Havertz, spreading their negativity…
UTA.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 
There is no doubt that Bergkamp often subbed because he was 35 when Arsenal were the Invincibles. Despite being super professional and hyper healthy, he needed rest to last the whole season. Odegaard needed rest now because he has been playing non-stop for the past 2 seasons. He runs all day and the catalyst for Arsenal high pressing. I was worried of his exposing cheekbones last few months. There are 4 tough games ahead in 10 days by the way. He got his deserved break before the road to hell.
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He also will not play mid-week against West Ham. By the time we face Newcastle, he would have had a nice 10-11 day break! It is great player management.
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