Martin Odegaard, the club captain, has been under fire for his recent performance for the Gunners, but former Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has supported the player.
Sagna thinks the international player from Norway will bounce back from a lacklustre debut to make a “huge impact this season.”
Having scored 15 goals and provided eight assists for Mikel Arteta in the Premier League last season, Odegaard was among Arsenal’s top performers.
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Emmanuel Petit, a former Arsenal player, recently chastised him for his performance.
Odegaard’s performance in Arsenal’s 2-2 tie with Chelsea was referred to by Petit as “his worst in an Arsenal shirt.”
However, Sagna thinks it’s fair that the former Real Madrid player isn’t performing at his peak right now.
“This is football’s issue. People will always have ideas about players, and athletes will always face criticism,” Sagna said to Genting Casino.
“It’s normal to wonder why a guy who has shown such brilliance at times is struggling, but if you look at Odegaard’s last 100 games for Arsenal, you could conclude that he has been outstanding in 95 of them.
“A player may experience a few poor performances. Odegaard isn’t playing the finest football right now, but that’s to be expected.
“Observe his actions while donning the clothing. It is absurd to criticise Odegaard without taking into account his portfolio of Arsenal plays.
