– I love him, if that’s your question. That was answered by Robert Pires before news’s journalist had time to say anything more than Arsenal and Martin Ødegaard. news meets him during the Olympics in Paris. Pires played 189 games for Arsenal in the Premier League from 2000 to 2006. HEROES: Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Thierry Henry ensured that Arsenal went through an entire Premier League season unbeaten in 03/03. Photo: ODD ANDERSEN / AFP The Frenchman was a central piece in the Arsenal team that went unbeaten in the English top division in the 03/04 season. Now he believes that Ødegaard is the team’s great creative force and orchestra leader. – In my time, I called Dennis Bergkamp the “maestro” in the team when he played in that position. Now the “maestro” in Arsenal is Martin Ødegaard and he has a good influence on the team as captain, says Pires to news. The key to Arsenal’s success Dennis Bergkamp was at the time one of the world’s best attacking midfielders. The fact that Arsenal now has Martin Ødegaard in that role, Pires believes, is the reason why the club has taken great strides under manager Mikel Arteta. – That is why Arsenal have played so well in the last two seasons. It is because of Martin Ødegaard. Because you need a player like him, says Pires. He also thinks that Ødegaard reminds of Finnish Jari Litmanen with the ball. BALL ARTIST: Jari Litmanen as a Liverpool player in 2002. Photo: RUSSELL BOYCE / Reuters Litmanen was also an attacking midfielder, who played for Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona, among others. – He has good abilities, he plays easily. He reminds me of him in terms of the way he handles the ball, says Pires and continues: – He has a good influence on the team as captain. It is that feeling and communication with the players that is very good. Mikel Arteta knows this and that is why he has chosen him as captain. I think Ødegaard can win the golden ball. news’s football expert Kristoffer Løkberg pays tribute to the Drammenser and thinks the very best thing about him is how his character and skills make the whole team better on the pitch. – I don’t think we understand how much respect he has earned among current and former players at Arsenal, says Løkberg. PRAISE: news expert Kristoffer Løkberg is full of praise for Martin Ødegaard. Photo: Nicolai Trondal He believes it is difficult to get bigger and better compliments than the ones he gets at Arsenal these days. – It is really only the Norwegian national team that reduces the chances of him winning the Ballon d’Or in the future, unless Norway does well. If Arsenal does well, there are opportunities without the WC and EC, says Løkberg. He continues: – If Ødegaard and Arsenal manage to take the final step and win the Premier League and get to a Champions League final, there is no reason why he cannot win it. There is absolutely nothing to suggest that Ødegaard is about to leave North London anytime soon. But if the Norwegian had been on the market, Løkberg believes he would have been popular, to say the least. – Any club in the world would have thrown themselves after him if he had been available on the market, says the news expert. Arsenal open the season at home against Wolverhampton on Saturday. Then, in all likelihood, Ødegaard will be seen from the start. Superstjerne appeared with Løke’s sweater: – Where did he get it from? 00:56 Here it boils over for Northug: – I’m pissed off 00:21 Tearful meeting with the uncle 00:57 Check this celebration: Wild jubilation after overtime scoring 01:00 Show more Published 17.08.2024, at 10.06
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Robert Pires compares Martin Ødegaard to Arsenal legend in news interview – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
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