WEARING THE CHARMBAND
Bawl or nothing? Odegaard admits he’s not a loud leader on or off camera but 100% Gunners are looking to be noisy neighbours
QUIET man Martin Odegaard will not shout the odds from the rooftops like Muhammad Ali if a mumble in the jungle is available.
But as Arsenal crowned their best start for 18 years with an emphatic win at the seaside, the Gunners’ new captain was a big noise on the promenade.
In Amazon Prime’s fly-on-thewall documentary All Or Nothing: Arsenal, there were no flies on Odegaard.
He stayed resolutely in the supporting cast while predecessor as skipper, PierreEmerick Aubameyang, was hung out to dry.
The former Norwegian boy wonder does not bark orders, point fingers, stamp his feet or throw his weight around.
At 23, Odegaard is living proof of American founding father Benjamin Franklin’s perceptive line that “the worst wheel of the cart makes the most noise.”
But he was captain of a happy ship after his two goals in the opening 11 minutes (right, his first), and William Saliba’s glorious opening bullseye for the Gunners maintained their 100 per cent record.
Odegaard (above, congratulated by boss Mikel Arteta) said: “Maybe I am not the loudest guy. But still, I think it is very little of last season that you see in the documentary – and I don’t feel any need to talk when the camera is there.
“There was a lot more that happened then you see in the documentary.”
The captain’s armband has made Odegaard grow in stature where it turned into a tourniquet for others – notably midfield warhorse Granit Xhaka, whose rekindled Arsenal career was crowned by travelling fans chanting his name when he was once their whipping boy.
Odegaard said: “I have to try to use it in a good way. There is a bit more responsibility, but I try to do the same things – I always fight for the team, and give 100 per cent. Granit is a good friend, and we are quite close.
“He is someone I talk to a lot and try to learn from. He is a great player and a great leader..”
Arsenal’s three wins on the bounce is their best start since Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles of 2004 began their defence of the title with five in a row.
And Odegaard admits it feels light years from the brinkmanship of being bottom of the pile, after three defeats and no goals 12 months ago.
He said: “It has been a good start, especially compared to last season. But we have to stay calm and keep working hard.
“We have improved so much and I feel like the start of last season is a long time ago.
“Since then we worked so hard in training to improve the way we play, to improve all the basics. We understand each other a lot better. The system works really well, everyone understands their job on the pitch... and of course, we have signed some good players as well, so that helps.”
Already Bournemouth’s opening-day win against Aston Villa is beginning to look like a mirage in the desert.
Instead of testing Arsenal’s appetite for a battle, the Cherries were supine for 45 minutes and manager Scott Parker admitted the gulf between promoted teams and Premier League quality is widening.
Parker said: “The gap is massive. These teams have vast investment. To say we have no chance is wrong – we do. But we need to learn from this.
“Mad as it sounds, we have lost 3-0 and didn’t have any chance.
“But this was good for me, and for this young team to learn from.
““When you play against teams like this you have to bring a certain something – one is humility. Last year we dominated most games and have to change our mindset to understand that isn’t going to be the case.
“Did I expect anything different? Should anyone else when you look at the levels and talent Arsenal have? Not really, they should be right up there.”