Arsenal can axe Odegaard for the most exciting teen since Yamal & Nwaneri
da dobrowin： It might be an old cliché, but a week in football is indeed a very long time, and Arsenal are evidence of that.
da realsbet： Before Tuesday night, morale couldn’t have been much higher among the fans, as following the demolition of Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals, there was a belief that they’d beat Paris Saint-Germain at home.
However, the hosts found themselves 1-0 down in the first three minutes, and while they weren’t blown away, it was a disappointing result, and certain starters, like Martin Odegaard, were particularly poor.
It’s not been a good campaign for the Norwegian international, and if he doesn’t seriously improve next year, he could be replaced by one of Hale End’s most promising prospects, someone looked upon in a similar way to Lamine Yamal.
Odegaard's worrying form
After he won his second successive Player of the Year Award at the end of last season, it would be fair to say that most fans and pundits alike expected Odegaard to have another brilliant campaign this year, but unfortunately, that has not been the case.
For starters, he picked up an ankle injury on international duty in early September that kept him out of the team for two months, and since his return, he’s not looked like the mercurial midfielder of seasons past.
For example, in the 22/23 campaign, he racked up a brilliant haul of 15 goals and seven assists in 45 games, and then last year, he did just as well, scoring 11 goals and providing 12 assists in 48 appearances.
Odegaard’s recent seasons
Season
22/23
23/24
24/25
Appearances
45
48
40
Minutes
3404′
4053′
3072′
Goals
15
11
5
Assists
7
12
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.48
0.47
0.37
Minutes per Goal Involvement
154.72′
176.21′
204.8′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
This season, however, he’s only been able to amass a rather middling tally of five goals and ten assists in 40 games.
It’s not just the output either, as while it’s harder to quantify, his impact on the flow of games has seriously diminished, with Tuesday night’s display a prime example, as content creator Connor Humm argued that he may as well have just “sat in the stands” as he was so anonymous in the middle of the park.
In short, Odegaard’s form has fallen off a cliff this year, and while it’s unlikely he’ll be replaced in the summer, another season like this one, and he could well lose his place in the team, especially as Hale End looks to have produced a generational prospect who’s been talked about similarly to how Yamal was, and it’s not Ethan Nwaneri.
Odegaard's future replacement
This season has seen the proper introduction of Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly into Arsenal’s first team, and based on how well they have adapted to senior football in such a short space of time, we reckon fans might start to see a lot more of Max Dowman next year.
Yes, the potential Odegaard replacement in question is none other than the next wonderkid of the Hale End production line, although based on his form for the junior sides and how those in the know are speaking about him, he might just be the best of the lot.
In fact, according to respected talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 15-year-old phenomenon is “the most exciting” prospect “since Lamine Yamal,” which, based on his incredible performance against Inter Milan last night, is supreme praise.
It’s not just him though, as Declan Rice, who has taken on a mentorship role with him, has described the youngster as “the best 15-year-old in the country”, analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as “a ridiculous player”, and academy expert Will Balsam goes one step further, describing him as “one of the greatest footballing brains that’s ever come through Hale End.”
It might sound hyperbolic, but the teenager’s statistics help to illustrate the point.
Dowman’s 24/25
Appearances
21
Minutes
1765′
Goals
16
Assists
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.95
Minutes per Goal Involvement
88.25′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Despite being just 15 years old and primarily playing in midfield, the unreal talent has scored 16 goals and provided four assists in 21 appearances, totalling 1765 minutes this season.
That means he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.05 games or every 88.25 minutes of action, which just isn’t normal for someone his age and helps explain why he’s being placed in the same bracket as Yamal by so many.
Ultimately, if Odegaard continues to perform this poorly next season, we would not be surprised to see Dowman slowly introduced in his place, as while he’s still so young, he is clearly a world-beater in the making.
Related Arsenal eye Gabriel Martinelli alternative who Tottenham bid for last year
The north Londoners are targeting one of Unai Emery’s key men.