Former BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson says Martin Odegaard should have the captain’s armband “taken away” from him so he can concentrate on returning to his best form.

The Norwegian international has struggled to produce the goods for most of this campaign and, speaking to Paddy Power, Lawrenson thinks something needs to be done about it:

“The captain’s armband should be taken away from Martin Odegaard, so he can get back to focusing on his performances. We all know that he’s a good player, but he’s just had a six out of 10 season.”

Lawrenson suggests that there is a ready-made replacement to take Odegaard’s place:

“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. I’d give it to Rice so Ødegaard can focus on improving his performances.”

Arteta would be unwise to strip the captaincy

Taking the captain’s armband would create controversy and attract the wrong type of headlines. If Odegaard does continue to struggle, there would be an argument for dropping him but you can’t see manager Mikel Arteta doing anything more than that.

The playmaker certainly hasn’t been himself this season, but there is no justifiable reason for making such a drastic decision.

Arsenal’s injury problems have affected Odegaard

There is no doubt that changes to the starting lineup have impacted the Norwegian more than others. He has linked up well with Bukayo Saka over the past few years and the winger’s absence for three months due to a hamstring injury would have had a negative effect on Odegaard.

Furthermore, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus also on the sidelines, Odegaard has not been able to build up a lasting connection with the player leading the attack. That has resulted in him creating fewer chances than last campaign.  If Arsenal can find a settled eleven once again, it should also help the club captain get back to his best.

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