Arsenal's record without captain Martin Odegaard

An unfamiliar period is about to commence for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal as they attempt to win football matches in the absence of their captain.

While an official diagnosis and timetable have not yet been provided, the latest from Norway team doctor Ola Sand would suggest that Martin Odegaard's ankle injury will keep him out of action until the October international break.

That's right, there's more international football in a month's time. Hoorah.

Odegaard has been a near ever-present in an excellent Arsenal team since he made his move to north London permanent in 2021. His impressive availability has contributed to his Premier League rise, with the Norwegian playmaker earning a Ballon d'Or nomination off the back of his 2023/24 campaign. In short, he's one of the very best, and it's hard to imagine this Gunners outfit functioning in his absence.

Since his arrival, Odegaard has missed just four Premier League games due to injury - a tally he's set to at least double over the next month or so. Supporters are downbeat, understandably, but is there room for optimism? This is how Arsenal have previously fared in Odegaard's absence.

How have Arsenal previously fared without Martin Odegaard?

Effective squad building means Arsenal are in a position where they can undoubtedly cope without Odegaard, but directly replacing the skipper's output is surely an impossible task. Since January 2021, when the Norwegian joined the club, Odegaard ranks first for expected assists (27.7) and chances created (280), and second for goal contributions (54) - stats taken from the Premier League.

As a result it's no surprise that the Gunners' win percentage and points-per-game both drop when you compare games in which Odegaard started to those he hasn't. Since his Premier League arrival, Arsenal have won 66.4% of the games their chief creator has started, and just 52.4% he hasn't. On average, they claim 0.4 more points per game with Odegaard in the XI.

The Gunners average more goals, but don't concede any less, while possession and passing figures have generally been unaffected.

Last season, Arteta's side beat two teams at the Emirates that were eventually relegated in Sheffield United and Burnley while Odegaard nursed a hip injury. They were also beaten at Newcastle in the captain's absence. Odegaard starred at St. James' Park in a 2-0 victory the previous campaign.

He missed just one league outing in 2022/23, but Fabio Vieira filled in ably on his first Premier League start during a 3-0 win over Brentford. Arsenal went winless before Odegaard made his maiden appearance of his first full season in north London, but they had some success while he was out with an ankle injury during his loan spell. Although, the Gunners did only beat a dire Sheffield Utd side and were also held by Fulham at home.

Overall, there's not much we can read into Arsenal's previous record without Odegaard. This team has evolved considerably even from the captain's most recent absence last autumn. They cannot replace him directly, but there's no doubt this title-chasing team has the tools to make up for Odegaard's upcoming absence.

Arsenal's record with/without captain Martin Odegaard

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!