Martin Odegaard just left the writing on the wall for Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal

Arsenal may have failed to win for the third consecutive time in pre-season on Wednesday night, but there were a handful of positives to take away from the encounter.

The Gunners were held to a draw by Como, meaning Mikel Arteta's side head into their Community Shield encounter with Manchester City on Sunday with one win from their last four matches. Myles Lewis-Skelly's 33rd-minute strike was cancelled out by Martin Baturina's exceptional solo effort on the stroke of half-time, as the game ultimately ended 1-1.

Arteta opted for something of a second-string line-up to begin with, before introducing some of his more important senior players later on. Ethan Nwaneri was one of those included in the starting eleven, with Odegaard replacing the 19-year-old at half-time.

While Nwaneri impressed in his 45 minutes, Odegaard's display might just have put the writing on the wall for the Hale End graduate.

Odegaard Shines for Arsenal vs Como

Odegaard only returned to training at the start of last week, yet the Norwegian has already produced two impressive pre-season showings, reminding people of his quality.

Against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday, Arsenal's captain was granted just 33 minutes to help build his fitness. While for many this would've been the sole objective of this cameo, Odegaard took the opportunity to bite back at those who have doubted him in recent years. Playing a number of dangerous passes before being hooked, the playmaker managed to stand out despite his limited time on the pitch.

Against Como, it was more of the same. The skipper orchestrated Arsenal's attacks from the right-half space, helping the Gunners retain possession in advanced areas and dominate possession. This impressive display was capped off by a real moment of magic, creating the Gunners' only real chance from open play in the second half.

This specific moment encapsulated everything Odegaard can do when he's at his best. First, he dropped deep to show for the ball from the centre-backs. Receiving it with his back to goal, he played a cute first team pass round the corner to Piero Hincapie, breaking a line of pressure. Rather than resting on his laurels, he burst forward, received a return pass from the Ecuadorian before setting Fabio Vieira up with a wonderful chance which should've ended in a goal.

This is the type of moment Arsenal supporters grew accustomed to seeing for many years from Odegaard, but it has become far too infrequent in the last couple of seasons. However, he's showing signs that he might finally be getting back to his best, and this is excellent news for Arteta and Arsenal, although it may have an adverse effect on one of the Norway international's teammates.

Ethan Nwaneri is surely set to leave Arsenal

Nwaneri impressed in his own way against Como. He led the Arsenal press effectively, winning the ball back high up the pitch on multiple occasions, while he also delivered an inspirational moment inside the Como box, laying on a chance for Hincapie with a backheel.

However, he was ultimately outshone by his senior counterpart in the second half.

Unfortunately for Nwaneri, he needed to do something remarkable throughout this pre-season to stake a claim to remain a part of Arteta's squad for next term. He didn't quite manage this, and he's subsequently facing an abrupt end to his Arsenal career.

Had Odegaard not shown signs of rejuvenation, the Gunners' hierarchy may have been tempted to keep hold of Nwaneri and cash in on the 27-year-old this summer. However, Odegaard's brilliance has effectively killed any chance of Nwaneri featuring next season.

With Mikel Merino and Eberechi Eze also in the mix, it's difficult to envisage a world where Nwaneri remains in N5 and gets the volume of minutes he needs to continue his development. For that reason, the writing is well and truly on the wall.

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