Martin Odegaard offers Dream Team bosses tempting Arsenal double up for favourable festive fixtures
IT would overly simplistic to suggest Arsenal’s upturn in form is solely down to Martin Odegaard’s (£5.2m) return from injury.
But there’s no doubt the Norwegian midfielder’s comeback has been a significant factor.
The Gunners recently went four league games without a win (around a 1-0 loss to Inter in the Champions League) but they’ve responded with three consecutive victories since the November international break, in emphatic style too.
Mikel Arteta’s troops have scored 13 goals in three wins over Nottingham Forest, Sporting CP and West Ham, with Odegaard at the heart of several incisive attacks.
The 25-year-old played one minute against the Serie A champions prior to the break but that hardly constitutes a comeback.
Against Chelsea in Gameweek 11, he started a club game for the first time since August and found Gabriel Martinelli (£4.5m) at the back post for the visitors’ only goal at Stamford Bridge.
Odegaard followed that up with assists against Forest and the Portuguese champions to underline his creative powers.
He didn’t contribute an assist at the London Stadium on Saturday but his playmaking was undeniably a factor in the Hammers’ unravelling.
Besides, he got his reward elsewhere in the form of a penalty for his first goal of the season.
It was fitting that first-choice taker Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) allowed his captain to take the spot-kick because the England winger has hugely benefited from Odegaard’s return.
The pair have a great understanding on the pitch and it’s no coincidence Saka has plundered a whopping 50 Dream Team points since being reunited with his chief collaborator.
Odegaard has banked 34 points in four outings since returning to the starting XI and gaffers may be tempted to back him in the coming weeks.
Saka remains the outright best option among his team-mates but a quick look at the schedule suggests doubling up on Arsenal midfielders is a viable strategy throughout the festive period.
Arteta’s side are one of just five teams set to fulfil four fixtures across the next two Gameweeks and they’re about to embark on a relatively favourable run.
ARSENAL FIXTURES FROM GAMEWEEK 14 TO GAMEWEEK 17:
- Fulham (a)
- Monaco (h)
- Everton (h)
- Crystal Palace (h)
- Crystal Palace (a)
- Ipswich (h)
- Brentford (a)
Given that Everton, Palace and Ipswich are all currently in the bottom six, this has to considered a friendly spell for the Gunners – the Carabao Cup draw conspired to give them a double header against the Eagles.
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Dream Team bosses are spoiled for choice in midfield but the prospect of pairing Saka with Odegaard for the month ahead is very appealing on paper.
Although such a ploy would require a hefty chunk of budget as both players are among the most expensive options in their position.
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