Martin Ødegaard Has Transformed Arsenal’s Attack and Arteta Reveals the Secret Behind His Explosion
Martin Ødegaard is quickly becoming one of the biggest stories of Arsenal’s early season after another match-winning performance against Napoli in the Champions League.
The Arsenal captain scored the only goal of the game as Mikel Arteta’s side secured a valuable 1-0 victory in Naples.
The goal was Ødegaard’s fourth in just five appearances this season — a remarkable improvement after he scored only once throughout the entire 2025/26 campaign.
Arteta believes two major factors are behind the transformation: Ødegaard’s improved fitness and a tactical adjustment that has placed him in more advanced positions.
That change has allowed the Norwegian to spend more time closer to the opposition penalty area, where his movement, passing and finishing can become much more dangerous.
The timing could be perfect for Arsenal.
After reaching last season’s Champions League final, the Gunners have made a strong statement by winning away at Napoli. Ødegaard’s form could become particularly important during a campaign where Arsenal are expected to compete for major honours on multiple fronts.
The biggest question now is whether he can maintain this scoring rate.
If Ødegaard continues producing decisive moments, Arsenal may finally be seeing the attacking version of their captain that supporters have been waiting for.