Martin Odegaard: Arsenal captain not Kevin De Bruyne just yet but closest thing in Premier League
Named captain ahead of the season by Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard is clearly relishing the role; his presence integral in Arsenal's exceptional start to the campaign.
The Norwegian star's certainly vindicated his manager's decision so far, scoring three goals and playing with supreme confidence to arguably act as the driving force in the Gunners top of the Premier League table.
"He's more humble I would say - even more," Arteta explained when quizzed on Odegaard's approach to wearing the armband full-time.
"That's the way he is. More humble and more hungry, a good combination. At 23 he has already had a lot of experience and a lot of pressure, especially individually.
"He's played for Real Madrid and knows what it's about. He does it all naturally, nothing worries him, and he's developing that even more."
Leading by example in several ways
Showing he can set the tone for his teammates to follow, not just through his insatiable work rate and uplifting attitude, but through his actions on the field, there's been much to admire about the way he's leading by example to inspire the collective.
Upon coupling the aforementioned with his sparkling output from his attacking midfield station, Odegaard's overall contribution has been quite the recipe for success.
So positionally aware and intelligent with his movement, this has given him a terrific platform from which to wreak havoc.
A master at peeling off the back shoulder of opponents and avoiding cover shadows with sharp diagonal and lateral movements, he's always offering himself as a fine option to progress and connect attacks.
So astute at exploiting vacant spaces between the lines, scanning sharply and quick to recognise if his teammates are pinning an opponent, plus where nearby defenders and teammates are, this compounds issues for his foes.
Furthermore, the man who's forever adjusting his movement to the always changing conditions around him also excels at helping form overloads in wide and central areas to help his team beat the press.
Saka-Odegaard-Jesus triumvirate bearing fruit
Having already built a strong relationship with Bukayo Saka, he is now developing his understanding with Gabriel Jesus; their dovetailing has been littered with upside.
Knowing when to venture in and out of zones, crisply interchange positions and always unsettling opposition defensive shapes, there's been a lot to like about their partnerships, which not only keeps defenders guessing but also generates dangerous spaces to be explored.
Another interesting aspect of his game comes from how he drops deep into auxiliary fullbacks positions in the half spaces to help with build-up.
From this withdrawn position, he can get on the ball with more time and space to open up the field to dictate the play to use his playmaking abilities from deep while providing vital cover behind the nearby fullbacks in case of a turnover.
His reading of the play and spatial intelligence is also underlined when he embarks on neatly timed runs down the channels when the opposition fullback steps out and surges upfield on his penetrative, late arriving runs into the box to amplify his team's scoring menace.
Upon shifting the focus to his finishing and this accentuates his threat, with his aforementioned movement in combination with his capacity to place his shots instinctively or intentionally and to remain calm, vital towards him bagging an impressive 10 goals in his last 38 league matches.
'A tough man to keep tabs on'
So composed, skilful and clever in possession, it's been a pleasure watching the gifted Norwegian work his magic with the ball at his feet.
Boasting a razor sharp first touch and elite ball control, the way Odegaard can weave away from danger and wriggle free from foes is impressive.
Although he may not be the quickest, his sharp turn of speed, ability to alter his receiving posture so he can immediately turn or protect the ball and nifty feints and shimmies ensure he gains the separation he needs to execute his actions.
Being so resistant to pressure and usually making sound decisions under duress, the way he lures out opponents and opens passing lanes to generate room for a colleague to receive directly or via a third man combination adds to his ball carrying worth.
Rarely one to lose possession cheaply and handy at winning free kicks in dangerous areas, opponents have certainly found him a tough man to keep tabs on.
Accompanying the above with his exceptional passing, Odegaard's aptitude in this regard elevates his game to another level. Rapid to read the movement of colleagues and possessing the precision to feed them, Odegaard's distribution is so crucial for the Gunners to unlock backlines.
As a result, he excels at pinpointing attackers between the lines with piercing diagonal or vertical passes, with these having the added bonus of taking many adversaries out of the equation instantly. What's more, how he engages in intricate combination play in close quarters with slick one touch passes and flicks is another important string to his bow to help destabilise rearguards.
Weighing up his options coherently and weighting his passes ideally, this sees him oblige runners in behind and down the channels with measured through balls on the ground and in the air.
In addition, how he strikes accurate crosses and cutbacks into the area, switches the angle of attacks and recycles possession coolly enhances what an asset he is in terms of him helping control of matches and creating chances.
It warrants mention how he astutely disguises his passes with his eyes and body and uses all parts of his foot too, as the man with a wand of a left has a pass for just about any scenario.
More than just an attacking threat
An absolute monster on the defensive end to boot, Odegaard's impact is certainly keenly felt in this department.
Always one to do everything in his power to help his team, his pressing is a great place to start, for he intensely hunts down his targets, hoping to regain possession for his team.
So aware of his role, he mixes aggressive harrying with being smartly positioned to monitor opposition holding midfielders, set traps and use his cover shadow to block passing lanes behind him.
Dedicated and committed, Odegaard's counterpressing as soon as his team loses the ball and how he tracks back doggedly amplifies his stopping prowess.
Tenacious, handy at reading the intentions of the ball holder and timing his tackles well for the most part, there's plenty to admire about his ability to nip in to recover the ball, force errors and chime in with interceptions.
The closest to being De Bruyne's peer
By the numbers so far, it's impressive how well he fares when compared with Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne, probably the finest creator and best player in the Premier League right now, in a range of metrics.
Odegaard is notably ahead in goals per 90, xG p90, dribbles p90, deep completions p90 and successful defensive actions p90.
Fulfilling his roles and responsibilities masterfully on both sides of the ball, forging a strong chemistry with his teammates and growing wonderfully into being captain, he's emphatically justifying Arteta's decision to name him skipper.
Clearly loving his new job and earning the respect of his partners in crime, he definitely appears to be the right man for the job of leading this exciting Gunners outfit.
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