Martin Odegaard is ruled out for at least the month of September, according to the Norwegian team doctor. This will see our skipper miss the tough trips to Tottenham and Manchester City.
“Arteta should be pulling players out of international duty” many a fan has cried. Including myself in the past. But this is not a realistic solution.
A manager forcing a player to miss playing for his country potentially creates an issue; a wedge being between club and player. Players should only opt out of playing for their country if they choose to, our if they are actually injured.
Odegaard is captain of Norway. He is their captain and has over 60 caps at just 25. He rarely misses games for club and country.
Erling Haaland also rarely misses games for his country. The pair are clearly on a mission to carry their nation to the qualification of an international tournament for the first time in 24.
2000 was the last and only time Norway have qualified for the European Championships. 1998 was the last time they were in the World Cup – and only 3 times in their history. In Haaland and Odegaard, Norway have two of the finest footballers of their generation. And the pair clearly want to make their nation proud.
Arsenal, Arteta, forcing Odegaard, or any other player, only risks souring a relationship.
“But other clubs do it”, you will claim. They do and don’t.
Manchester City and Chelsea would have pulled Phil Foden and Cole Palmer out of the squad with the agreement of the pair. They would not have forced them out. Foden and Palmer would have known they are no integral to their country’s success, and would be confident in the squad places.
Ironically, in their absence, Anthony Gordon and Jack Grealish stepped up and put in marvelous performances. with Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane all but guaranteed starters, that leave just two positions in Lee Carsley’s front 6.
If Bellingham is pushed deeper, Foden and Palmer are then competing with Grealish and Gordon to play either behind Kane, or on the left win. I have long called for width and pace in the England team so Gordon starts, which leaves Foden, Palmer and Grealish battling for one spot.
The headache comes if Bellingham is pushed forward and Kobe Mainoo continues deeper alongside Rice. That leaves just the left wing open. And if Gordon continues his form for club and country he is surely a shoe in for that position.
By deciding to skip out on this weeks Nations League squads, Foden and Palmer have left the door open for others. And Grealish and Gordon walked straight through it. It will not be as easy for Foden and Palmer to return to the starting XI as they perhaps thought it would be.
Likewise, those calling for Saka to be “pulled out injured” are in the wrong.
Saka goes and misses a couple of games, Palmer or Foden comes into the team and suddenly our Star Boy is fighting for his place in the team rather than be guaranteed starter.
Many of those saying “don’t care, it is all about Arsenal” at this point are probably not England fans. They would be crying if Saka had have declared for Nigeria and then Arteta pulled him out.
At the end of the day, top players play lots of games. and they have the hunger and desire to drive both their clubs and countries forward.
Cristiano Ronaldo has over 200 caps for Portugal. Lionel Messi closing in on 200 for Argentina. Mo Salah has over 100 for Egypt. Neymar nearly 130 for Brazil. Kylian Mbappe is 14 short of 100 and is just 25. You do not win this many caps by flaking on your country.
And if Saka, Odegaard or any other player wants to be talked about in the same breath as a Ronaldo, Messi, Salah, Modric, etc, they need to be playing 60+ games a season for club and country.
Injuries happen at any time. And whilst I disagree with an international break so early in the season, Odegaard could also have picked up a knock in training like Mikel Merino did.
What is now important is we show our squad strength and someone else steps up. Time for Ethan Nwaneri to shine?
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 