Kaya Kaynak Blown Away by ‘Superb’ 8/10 Arsenal Star v Chelsea

Martin Odegaard marked his first return to Premier League action since the ankle injury he suffered during the September international break with an impressive display for Arsenal in their 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

While Pedro Neto’s long-range strike cancelled out Gabriel Martinelli’s opener, it was Odegaard who caught the eye of journalist Kaya Kaynak, with him handing the captain an 8/10 rating for his ‘superb’ performance in west London that saw him grab an assist.

Kaynak: ‘Feels So Good’ That Odegaard Is Back

Arsenal have missed their midfield maestro

Having been out with an ankle injury since September, Arsenal’s club captain’s first performance back couldn’t have gone any better.

In 90 minutes, Odegaard recorded a 92 percent pass completion percentage, completing 33 of his 36 pass attempts, four of which were key passes, and created two big chances.

As such, he was handed an 8/10 rating for his performance by football.london journalist Kaya Kaynak, who praised his work both on and off the ball in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw.

The Norwegian is back and it feels so good. Superb off the ball in leading the Arsenal press. Great on it too in creating the goal. 8 [out of 10].

The Gunners have struggled for form of late, dropping points in four of their last five league outings, including a 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth, and a 1-0 loss away at Newcastle, while they were handed a 1-0 defeat by Italian juggernauts Inter Milan at the San Siro in the Champions League mid-week.

While they didn’t pick up all three points against their London rivals, Odegaard’s return just before the international break has provided a huge boost to their title hopes, with them climbing up to fourth in the table, tied with Chelsea with 19 points.

Martin Odegaard – 2023/24 League Statistics
Appearances	35
Goals	8
Assists	10
Pass Completion (%)	84.3
Progressive Passes Per 90	10.0
Touches Per 90	67.8

Last season, the Norwegian midfielder was crucial to Arsenal’s success, recording 18 goal contributions in 35 league appearances on their way to falling narrowly short to champions Manchester City by two points.

Odegaard’s return could yet change the fortunes of an Arsenal side who are still chasing their first Premier League title since 2004, with him expected to play an integral role as the season progresses.

All statistics via TransferMarkt, SofaScore and FBRef – correct as of 10/11/2024.