Martin Odegaard is our new captain and this is a great choice by Mikel. The well travelled young Viking seems to have found his home, and it is a true honour for him to be named Captain of The Arsenal.
The Vikings did terrible things on their travels over the centuries but once they found their home they did eventually settle, mix with the local population and even convert to Christianity. These days the Norwegians are a relatively easy going, wealthy and civilised people, but I think Odegaard represents something of the old and new ‘Viking’ characteristics.
MO8 is a fighter and he never stops; there is something of the old Norse Berserker in him. Martin is not nasty but tenacious. His hair may be perfectly maintained but their is grit in those teeth and nobody messes with him, as if they know better. There is also something of my childhood hero Wiki the Viking in him: Martin is a smart and creative player that focuses on solutions rather than brute force.
There is an old head on young Martin’s shoulders. In fact, an anagram of Odegaard is Aged Road. This old soul is born to be a leader and I reckon he will do a great job.
Martin has wise heads Partey and Xhaka behind him and he knows they will help to control the most important part of the pitch. He will be wise enough to take their counsel on team matters.
At the back we have a number of leaders and potential captains and they will need little controlling. They will sort themselves out.
At the front our new signing Jesus will lead by example and take the youngsters under his wings.
Odegaard’s main focus is to guard the shape and team discipline, to regulate the tempo and creatively choreographe the show.
Arteta will give him all sorts of infield instructions and it takes intelligence to execute these during frantic and demanding matches.
Martin will also need to be a diplomat with the referees: tactful and forceful at the same time. He isn’t a Brit which is likely to go against him a bit, but he will use his charm and quiet authority to get past this.
I think we will come to love him as a captain. Another anagram of Odegaard is A Dear God. May he possess a but of Thor and Odin, Iðunn and Freyr. We are well due a good, solid, Arsenal-Values-Embodying leader on the pitch, and I think Mikel has made a great choice.
By TotalArsenal
Bergkampesque 
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jul/30/beth-mead-footballs-my-safe-space-a-place-to-escape
Women ? Sports? There’s plenty of competitive cooking shows on tv.
Just joking!! Those cooking shows do have a much higher viewership though… just saying….
I couldn’t be more happy with Ødegaard as Captain. He implements and transmits Artetas thoughts on the pitch and to the other players.. perCaptain.
on-field captain.
Tavares said in an interview last week that Xhaka is the man who runs everything behind the scenes…. Most important personality on the team, it seems clear to me. Probably will be reinforced in the documentary on amazon. Great guy to have around.
Did you notice him taking the ball all the way to the byline yesterday and cut it back for Jesus goal?
Must be the first time in 6 years. He’s getting more expressive with prodding from Arteta. Also his deft move just before his perfect through ball to Martinelli… born again Granit.
9.6m Brits watched the semi final game, J. The women are really popular.
Yes J, GX is the leader and Big brother of them all. He has their backs.
I am too loving GX new role.
LeG, forgot to say thanks for the LvG link the other day. A great read. If he had taken over from Arsene he would have made Arsenal champions in no time. Manure was a bad fit, just like Ten Hag will find out.
Here is the link again for those who have not read the article yet
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jul/30/louis-van-gaal-footballs-embarrassing-but-essential-dad
Well well well
You can almost feel, smell the stress, the tension these girls are under
Popp’s injury probably came down as a curse more than a godsend, the girls must have elaborated all kinds of plans to annihilate a player who didn’t turn up, eventually
They’re not helped by a ref who is eerily reminiscent of what Arsenal so often gets in the PL, how this Oberdorf can still be on the pitch is a mystery only Riley and his minions could solve
Some of Bronze’s blocks have been heroic, but I think our Gooners did well too; Leah is her usual so, so composed self, and I keep believing BJM7 has been keeping the key opening the road to victory in her pocket, and is going to pick it out soon
Her cutback to White was perfect, but the City girl positioned her body exactly as she shouldn’t have, so that the ball ending up on the Wembley roof didn’t come as a surprise
Mark my words: Bethany will crack that German safe, eventually
Come On Girls
I admire van Gaal the coach a lot TA, and most of all I have a soft spot for these “bigger than life” characters
Don’t tell Kev, but to me the current scouser manager belongs in that category …
Wow well done England. It came home.
He definitely is larger than life, LeG. As for the Teeth… He winges too much for me, but he is still young.
Couldn’t see the end of the game; well done ladies indeed
Folarin loaned out to Ligue 1 club Stade de Reims – a club with a big history, and the boy will definitely feel very comfortable in the “home colours” kit
Haven’t seen them play in a long, long time – friends who are used to watching Ligue 1 tell me they’re more “coherent” than many. He’ll have to make up for the loss of Hugo Ekitite, one of the most promising French attacckers whom PSG have already caught in their oily nets – but I think our lad has the talent and the grit for that
Good luck to him anyway, I’ll try to keep an eye on him and let you know, BKers
Great, thanks LeG.
That is a beautifully written article on LVG. Thanks for putting it up again, Total. I missed it the first time.
Our Beth did well, as did our Leah. An emotionally draining watch with a marvelously cathartic conclusion.
Liverpool fans booed the national anthem again on Saturday, awful mob, always the bloody victims aren’t they, just ask Juventus?!
But yes, Klopp is a very good manager and he’s developed a great team at Anfield also he has such magnificent choppers LG, mind you he does like ‘tapping up’ Arsenal players, the swine.
Yes Johnno, well done in winning the woman’s Euros, now get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich and a cuppa… 😀
Don’t think J does tea, Kev, but he’ll do a mean cwoffie. Also think he’ll bake you a good, solid cake and he’ll serve it all with the finest crockery..
New Post 🙂 🔆
Yeah, Kev, I heard. Forgive my ignorance but …
What’s with that booing? Where does that come from? Hillsborough 89 all over again?
As for Tooth Fairy, he certainly has Marti-Bukayo-Emil on his radar, if only for that, we’d better be back in the CL next season