‘WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HIM’: MARTIN ODEGAARD SAYS ARSENAL 24-YEAR-OLD PERFORMS ‘EVERY TIME’

Martin Odegaard has waxed-lyrical about Eddie Nketiah following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Monday night at Selhurst Park.

The Arsenal captain scored the only goal of the game, via the penalty spot, before Mikel Arteta’s side were reduced to ten men just after the hour mark following Takehiro Tomiyasu’s second yellow, but they saw the game through.

After the game, Martin Odegaard was sure to give his flowers to Eddie Nketiah and how ‘we are lucky to have him’ because he was ‘brilliant again’, as he told Premier League Productions (21/08/23 at 10:25 pm).

Nketiah himself could have opened the scoring in the first half when his effort kissed the post after a lovely spin off the shoulder of England International Marc Guehi. 

With Gabriel Jesus out injured, the spotlight is once again on Nketiah, and if he doesn’t take these chances, then he can’t blame the lack of regular minutes because he is getting them during these opening few weeks of the campaign. 

Nonetheless, Odegaard was full of praise for the 24-year-old, even though he didn’t get on the scoresheet against Palace.

“Brilliant again,” said Odegaard. “You see the contribution every game and every time he (Nketiah) plays. We are lucky to have him there and he gives us so much. 

“Well done again to him and to the whole team for really digging for it, fighting for it and getting the three points.”

Nketiah has started the season well…

The 24-year-old has been much-criticised by fans and some even questioned if he is good enough to lead the line for the Gunners.

Whilst many will judge him on his goals alone, what he does outside of the penalty area has to be praised also because he does cause chaos.

Nketiah’s link-up play and ability to open up spaces for his teammates is underrated, it’s now just a case of adding a consistent run of goals to them to put the cherry on top of the cake.