3 Arsenal players who must step up after the international break

And so the dreaded international break is over with the continuation of the FA Cup this weekend. Due to their early exit from the competition, Arsenal have a few extra days rest before resuming life on the pitch against Fulham on Tuesday.

The Gunners headed into the break following a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Emirates but had struggled in previous games. While they sealed progression to the Champions League quarter-finals with an emphatic aggregate win over PSV Eindhoven, Arsenal were winless in three league games before the victory over the Blues.

A major reason in their slight drop in form came was poor performances from the players and while the whole team struggled at times, there are a select few that really require improvement. There are three Arsenal players that need to step up following the international break.

1. Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard is an insanely talented footballer and he has displayed his incredible ability on multiple occasions this season but his poor performances stand out.

The Arsenal skipper has scored just twice and provided four assists in the league this season, with just one coming in his last five league appearances. Despite putting in a brilliant performance in the 7-1 win away to PSV, the Norwegian looked flat in the weeks leading up to the international break.

March's break saw Odegaard rediscover his best form as he provided four assists in two appearances for the Norway national team, with three coming in one game against Israel. With crucial league games and a huge Champions League tie with Real Madrid waiting, the skipper must now step up and continue this form for his club. An improvement in Odegaard's performances is also desperately needed as, being the captain, he needs to lead his players by example.

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