Mikel Arteta explains why he keeps substituting Martin Odegaard in recent matches

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta shed light on his decision to substitute the team’s captain, Martin Odegaard in several matches lately.

Odegaard played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s pursuit of the Premier League title last season, contributing significantly with 15 goals and eight assists across 37 games.

However, this season, his performances have come under scrutiny due to a noticeable decline in form.

During their recent Champions League clash against Sevilla, Arteta opted to replace Odegaard in the 73rd minute, a move that raised eyebrows among fans and pundits alike.

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This decision followed Odegaard’s substitution in the 78th minute of the previous match against Chelsea, where his performance was heavily criticized.

Former Arsenal player Emmanuel Petit went as far as labeling it Odegaard’s ‘worst performance in an Arsenal shirt.’ Arteta’s choice to substitute the captain has sparked speculation and debate among football enthusiasts, leaving them curious about the reasons behind this strategic decision.

The Norway international also only lasted 80 minutes during Arsenal’s 2-1 defeat to RC Lens earlier this month.

Arteta was quizzed about subbing Odegaard on Friday ahead of this weekend’s home match against Sheffield United and said: ‘It can be in relation to performance.

‘It hasn’t happened in the Premier League. So we need to be conscious of that.

‘That’s about form and about putting him in better positions and doing things better in certain areas to help him to have the game that exploits his qualities.

‘Yeah, they have played as well a lot of minutes and that’s a consequence of that.’