Arsenal Fans Criticize Odegaard Following Poor Showing Against PSG
Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final campaign got off to a rocky start with a 1-0 defeat at home to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. The Gunners now face a daunting task in the return leg in France next week if they hope to reach their first final since 2006. Ousmane Dembélé’s first-half goal at the Emirates handed PSG a slender but crucial lead.
Though Arsenal began slowly, they grew into the match and forced several top-class saves from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Players like Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly put in commendable efforts, but overall, too many of Mikel Arteta’s men failed to rise to the occasion.
One player who came under heavy criticism was Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian midfielder struggled to influence the game, with many fans highlighting his poor performance online. He completed only a small number of passes, succeeded in just one of six attempted dribbles, lost six out of seven ground duels, failed to complete any of his three crosses, and was dispossessed 14 times.
Fans quickly voiced their displeasure on social media. One fan remarked, “Calling Odegaard a passenger in midfield feels kind — he’s deadweight when we have the ball,” while another said, “This is our captain, not a teenager from the academy. I can’t defend him.” Others were even more blunt, with one saying, “Odegaard is an embarrassing footballer,” and another adding, “These performances week after week have been pathetic. I love him, but this isn’t acceptable.”
Some supporters went as far as questioning his future at the top level. One tweet read, “Odegaard is finished at the highest level. I’ve finally accepted that.”