Ødegaard looks closer to his best as Arsenal beat Coventry 3-0
Summary
Arsenal opened the Premier League season with a controlled 3-0 win, and Martin Ødegaard looked closer to his old rhythm than he did for much of last season. He scored Arsenal’s third goal, produced 72 touches in 75 minutes and repeatedly linked play with Bukayo Saka.
Performance
Barney Ronay’s point is that Arsenal are not just trying to win again, but to make their games less chaotic and less draining. Ødegaard sits at the centre of that idea: he is the player who connects phases, quickens attacks and restores the fluent passing patterns that make Arsenal harder to unsettle.
Key Uncertainty
The signs are encouraging, but this was only one match against Coventry, not a full test against top-level Premier League opposition.
The absence of a headline attacking signing means Arsenal’s attacking shape still depends heavily on Ødegaard returning to his best and staying available.