SMART MOVE
Under-fire Arteta boost as Odegaard set for Emirates return
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MARTIN ODEGAARD’S agents NSKY are expected to fly into London today in a bid to thrash out an agreement for his return to Arsenal.
And that will come as music to the ears of many dispirited Gunners fans on the back of their hapless side’s 2-0 defeat by Premier League new boys Brentford on Friday night.
Odegaard, 22, said his goodbyes to the Emirates at the end of his six-month loan spell in May, and he had hoped to stay at Real Madrid this season to fight for his place under new boss Carlo Ancelotti.
However, Ancelotti has spoken to the attacking midfielder about the fact they have eight players vying for the same position.
And the Spanish media expect Odegaard (right) to be the fall guy.
The Norwegian wasn’t included in the Real squad for last night’s seasonopener against Alaves and hasn’t yet been given a squad number, which has plunged his future into doubt.
The player wants it sorted by this Friday, with Arsenal in pole position to sign him on loan again. They will have to pay his wages in full, but will be given first refusal on signing him for around £30million next summer.
That’s some good news for Arsenal after a disastrous start to the season, which new boy Ben White described as being rubbish at both ends of the park at Brentford.
Goals either side of the break from Bees pair Sergi Canos and Christian Norgaard ensured it was a miserable Friday the 13th in west London for Mikel Arteta’s men.
After the 2-0 defeat, which cranks up the heat on their under-pressure
Spanish boss,
£50m England defender White was downbeat.
Asked where it had all gone wrong at the
Brentford Community
Stadium, the former
Brighton centre-half was in no mood to pull any punches.
White said: “It’s both boxes, isn’t it? If you don’t score goals and you concede – that’s where it got away from us.
“It’s obviously a disappointing start. I think we created some chances and could have had some goals – but we didn’t and they did.”
White (right), watched by England boss Gareth Southgate, did not cover himself in glory as a dream Arsenal debut turned sour.
He was part of a static defence that watched Danish midfielder Norgaard head in the Bees’ killer second after 73 minutes.
White groaned: “Obviously, it’s an unbelievable feeling that’s been clouded by the result.”
Emirates supremo Arteta was in no mood to mince his words post-match.
But he refused to blame the late withdrawal through illness of Gunners
skipper
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, for a toothless display.
A lack of cutting edge was evident throughout and will need to be addressed urgently. Their next two PL games are against Chelsea and Manchester City.
Under-fire Arteta conceded: “The biggest worry is how many
times we arrived in great positions in the final third but there wasn’t enough threat or any shots on target.
“If you don’t do either of these, it’s very difficult to win in the Premier League.
“I don’t want to hide. There are no excuses. We didn’t do the basic things well enough to beat them.
“In the box, in good positions, we need to be more ruthless.”
Arteta was equally unhappy with the way keeper Bernd Leno was obstructed at the long throw that resulted in Norgaard’s strike.
He rapped: “They put someone on the keeper, they hold the keeper but it’s no free-kick… and a goal. It’s allowed in the Premier League!”