According to former Match of the Day analyst Mark Lawrenson, Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard should be relieved of his captaincy duties. The former Liverpool defender voiced his strong opinion following Odegaard`s disappointing showing in Arsenal`s 1-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash.
Mikel Arteta`s side were narrowly defeated at the Emirates Stadium, with Ousmane Dembele securing an early goal for the French visitors. Odegaard had minimal impact on the game, successfully completing only 20 out of 27 passes – his lowest completion rate of the season.
Lawrenson suggested that the burden of captaincy might be negatively affecting the 25-year-old Norwegian international`s form. Speaking to Paddy Power, he stated: “The captain`s armband should be taken away from Odegaard, so he can get back to focusing on his performances.”
While acknowledging Odegaard`s underlying quality, Lawrenson assessed his season as merely “a six out of 10.” Odegaard took on the captaincy in 2022 after making his move to Arsenal permanent in 2021 and has been considered a key member of Mikel Arteta`s leadership group.
However, Lawrenson believes there is a more suitable candidate within the squad. He added: “If you gave Declan Rice the armband instead, you imagine that it wouldn`t affect his performances, especially considering he was captain at West Ham.”
He reiterated his view, suggesting that handing the armband to Rice would allow Odegaard to concentrate solely on improving his individual output. Odegaard has managed only one assist in his last eight appearances and was notably subdued against PSG as Arsenal struggled to break down their opponents.
Lawrenson, 66, who had a distinguished playing career with over 300 appearances and five league titles for Liverpool, spent many years analysing games on Match of the Day. Based on his analysis, he is not convinced that Odegaard is the best choice to lead the Gunners.
Arsenal face a significant task in the return leg in Paris next Wednesday, needing a considerable turnaround to keep their hopes in the European competition alive.
