Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard is determined to use this pre-season to build a winning culture within the team. After falling short in last season’s title race, Odegaard believes that the disappointment can serve as motivation to overthrow reigning champions Manchester City. Despite leading the Premier League race for 248 days, Arsenal finished five points behind Pep Guardiola’s side, who won the treble.
To strengthen their squad, Arsenal has made several key signings, including Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber. Odegaard believes that missing out on the title last season can drive them to greater heights this year. He emphasizes the importance of learning from past experiences and using the disappointment, anger, and other negative emotions as fuel for improvement.
Reflecting on the end of last season, Odegaard admits that it was difficult to overcome the negative emotions and reset. However, he emphasizes the need to deal with it in a positive way and move forward as a team. He acknowledges that Manchester City is the team to beat, having won five of the last six titles. Odegaard believes that developing a winning mentality is crucial for Arsenal to make the leap from challengers to champions.
The Norwegian midfielder emphasizes the importance of approaching every game with the same level of determination and desire to win. He believes that building a winning culture starts in pre-season and should extend to every match, regardless of the opponent. Odegaard acknowledges that Arsenal’s failure to beat smaller teams last season cost them valuable points and hindered their title bid.
Having reached 84 points last season and dominating most opponents until the final two months, Odegaard understands that Arsenal is no longer considered underdogs. He acknowledges that there is more attention on the team compared to last season but remains focused on his job and not overly concerned about raised expectations. Odegaard believes that dealing with increased pressure is part of football and that Arsenal can thrive under it.
Odegaard is excited to line up alongside new signing Declan Rice in midfield next season. He praises Rice’s leadership qualities and recalls their tough battles when facing each other in the past. Odegaard believes that Rice’s presence on the team will be valuable and hopes to develop a strong connection with him quickly.
In conclusion, Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard is determined to use this pre-season to build a winning culture within the team. He believes that the disappointment of last season’s failed title bid can serve as motivation to overthrow Manchester City. Odegaard emphasizes the importance of learning from past experiences, approaching every game with a winning mentality, and dealing with increased pressure. With the addition of new signings like Declan Rice, Arsenal aims to come back stronger and prove that they have learned and improved.