Out-of-form Martin Odegaard accused of 'playing safe' and being too worried about 'looking bad' as Norway legend explains what's going wrong for under-fire Arsenal captain

The Norway international playmaker registered 10 goals and 12 assists for the Gunners last season as they fell agonisingly short in another Premier League title bid. In the current campaign, the 26-year-old has found the target just three times while teeing up a further five efforts for others.

Odegaard, who is the man to make Arsenal tick when performing at the peak of his powers, is considered to have been lacking a spark – with an ankle sprain that kept him out for 12 games between September and November doing his cause few favours.

Fellow countryman and former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise – speaking in association with BetMGM – told GOAL when asked what has happened to Odegaard: "I spoke to William Gallas and we talked about Martin Odegaard and how unbelievable he was last season – goals, assists and general play. He obviously had his ankle injury, plus he hasn’t been as effective as he was last year. Is that because of the injury?

"It’s difficult for a player like Odegaard to have a great season and then repeat that, being in his position. I expected a little bit more from Martin Odegaard. The injuries might have given him more pain than he realises.

"What happened last season, he looked so free. His body language and everything was nice. Now, he is trying too hard to do the same thing, it’s not fluent. He’s over-thinking it sometimes. He’s trying too hard because he knows people are questioning his performances this year compared to last year and that makes any player try harder, but that can go in the opposite direction.

"He just needs to find calmness. He knows how brilliant he is so just get back that feeling from one goal, one assist. Arsenal depend on him. If Arsenal are going to win the league, they need Martin Odegaard at 100 per cent."

Quizzed on whether Odegaard can recapture his best form and go on to form part of the global elite, Riise added: "I think Martin Odegaard is brilliant. I think he’s one of the best in his position. Part of the problem is, he needs to see things on the pitch.

"The one thing when I see him play, when he’s defensive in his mindset, he plays too many square and backwards passes. If you are totally confident, you don’t do that. Last season, every time he got the ball he went forward – with the ball, pass forward and get in the box. When he is struggling, he seems to play safe – square passes. Even though he wants the ball, he doesn’t dare to try anything because if he misses then he looks bad. He just needs to find his confidence and play how we know he can.

"For me, he is brilliant in the position to get the ball and his body is facing forward and have a go. When he is on top form, it looks so fricking easy. He can have five people around him and find a way out with an element of control. I think Martin Odegaard is absolutely brilliant. But I can understand why Arsenal, some of the fans, are not criticising, but see him not the same as last year."

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Arsenal have slipped out of another title race, with Liverpool now 13 points clear at the top of the Premier League table, but they have reached the last-16 of the Champions and will face Dutch giants PSV in the first leg of their European knockout tie on March 4.

John Arne Riise was speaking on behalf of BetMGM. Play the £1million Golden Goals game this season by correctly predicting Premier League scores. BeGambleAware |18+