Mikel Arteta continues to divide the fan base. The Spaniard finished with eighth consecutive places in the league. Overseeing some of the worst periods in Arsenal Premier League history when it comes to competitiveness.

However, things are improving. Arsenal hold the same number of points as fourth place in the standings after 13 games and have reached the League Cup quarter-finals in which they have a great chance to advance to the semi-finals by beating League One Sunderland.

A positive summer window has seen the club the most spent in a summer in all of its history to sign six players for the first team.

Still, online discussions around Arteta continue to rage and recently those at the end of the spectrum who would rather the manager disappear have found a new target.

Writing recently about how Martin Odegaard apparently was become the new scapegoat to criticize despite the good overall performance of the team, one line stood out that deserved to be deepened.

In the article, Odegaard was highlighted as the weakest of the six summer signings made over the summer. Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga, Ben White, Aaron Ramsdale and Takehiro Tomiyasu all impressed and earned their regular starting spots on the squad.

Odegaard has struggled this season, however. Despite his great tenacity and pressing, a likely characteristic that drew Arteta to the Norwegian in the first place, his raw goals and assists statistics are lacking.

He was knocked out of the starting XI against Aston Villa after a poor outing against Crystal Palace in which his replacement Alexandre Lacazette scored a last-minute equalizer.

Odegaard returned for the Newcastle game and Arsenal recorded their second game with the highest shooting frequency this season with 24 attempts on goal. Odegaard also started the team’s highest with the 1-0 victory over Norwich.

Barring a criminal touch from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang excluding what would have been a brilliant goal for the 22-year-old at home against Watford, he would score two goals in seven starts. These need to improve without a doubt, but goals are not his main focus, creativity is.

The descriptions of “not good enough” or “overrated” and “a waste of money”, which you easily find by typing their name in the search bar on Twitter, come far too early for such limited statements.

Trying to figure out why there is such a big outcry to diminish the 22-year-old, it became clear that the return to the association with Arteta and being the weakest of the six summer rookies was the main source. reaction.

It is more and more common on social media to see Arsenal supporters, with an emphasis on the ‘certain’, to find every possible way to try to undermine the manager.

This is not in reference to a fair review. No one is exempt from criticism. This is the clear line crossed where it becomes evident that no matter what changes, improves or progresses, the overriding need to have been right in the initial assumption about the Arsenal manager blinds them to sane thought and weighted.

Therefore, where five of the six signings are performing and exceeding expectations, Odegaard stands out as the easy target.

There are elements of the Norwegian midfielder’s game that need to improve, that’s clear. As well as many aspects of many 22 year olds and other players from various age groups.

Emile Smith-Rowe and Bukayo Saka need to improve their final product. Thomas Partey needs to improve his consistency and influence on matches. Tomiyasu’s deliveries should be more consistent with the pass that fed Gabriel Martinelli on Saturday.

Ben White needs to be better in his decision making when dribbling the ball and not losing it in dangerous positions. Aaron Ramsdale needs to stay focused throughout games and not let his brilliant performances and confidence affect his focus as seen against Leicester City and Watford.

No actor escapes criticism, or to better describe it, the highlighting of development axes.

Yet there has to be a level of context applied to each player and for some, dismissing Odegaard after less than 12 months at the club speaks from a point of view being influenced by the fact that he is not the favorite player by some for being signed this summer. or the bias associated with many of Arteta’s biggest hate-mongers.

After more time, probably the end of the season at the earliest, if Odegaard had not progressed as a player or improved his areas of development, then discussions regarding the club to sign a better player could be initiated.

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