Martin Odegaard has surprisingly claimed that he can do much better and believes that he can improve a lot following his first year as Arsenal captain.
The Norwegian was talking to the Arsenal website ahead of their final game of the campaign, which is against Wolves at the Emirates later today.
Of course, it has been a disappointing end to the season for Mikel Arteta’s side. For much of the year, it appeared that today would be the day Martin Odegaard would lift the Premier League trophy.
Unfortunately, a poor run of form at the worst time means that Arsenal will finish second. It has still been an amazing year. And Odegaard has been central to their progress.
Odegaard thinks he can really improve for Arsenal
He has scored 15 goals and contributed eight assists. That is a remarkable return for an attacking midfielder. And he has produced a number of captain’s performances along the way.
Nevertheless, while reflecting on his own season, Odegaard suggested that he feels that there is a lot more to come.
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“This was my first season as captain and I think I’ve grown a lot,” he told Arsenal’s official website. “I’ve learned to take more responsibility and with the goals I’ve scored too, it’s been good for me.
“As my first season as captain here I think it’s been OK, but I feel like I can do a lot better too. I’m going to work hard to get better and that’s my main aim now. I know I can still improve so much.”
Odegaard is being incredibly harsh on himself. He has been one of the players of the year. And he is so important to the balance of Arsenal’s side.
But it is also incredibly exciting for the Gunners that Odegaard believes that he can improve significantly. And that may be a similar story across the pitch at the Emirates.
Arsenal have such a young squad. If they make the right signings in the summer, this could be the start of such an exciting period for the club.
It is amazing to think that Odegaard is still only 24. He could be at the top of the game for another decade. So it is frightening to think about what levels he could yet reach.