Martin Ødegaard is playing with a freedom that Arsenal supporters have been waiting to see again — and Italy legend Andrea Pirlo believes Mikel Arteta deserves significant credit for creating the conditions behind it.
The Arsenal captain has transformed his start to the 2026/27 campaign, following an injury-disrupted previous season with a run of performances that have restored his influence at the heart of Arteta's side.
Ødegaard scored the winner in Arsenal's 1-0 Champions League victory over Napoli on Wednesday, taking his tally to four goals in five appearances this season.
That represents a remarkable turnaround from 2025/26, when he managed just one goal in 36 appearances.
For Pirlo, however, the change is about more than simply goals.
Pirlo Sees the Class in Arteta's Arsenal
Pirlo has previously praised the work Arteta has done at Arsenal, rejecting the idea that the Gunners are simply a set-piece team built around crosses and physicality.
The former AC Milan and Juventus midfielder argued that Arteta has developed an identifiable style and footballing identity at the Emirates.
That evolution is particularly relevant to Ødegaard.
The Norwegian is at his best when he can receive the ball between the lines, dictate attacking movements and combine with teammates around the edge of the penalty area.
Arsenal's current structure is increasingly allowing him to do exactly that.
And the results are becoming difficult to ignore.
Why Ødegaard Looks Like a Different Player
Arteta has identified availability and positioning as two of the biggest reasons behind Ødegaard's resurgence.
The Arsenal manager pointed out that his captain missed a significant number of matches through injury last season.
This time, he has remained fit — and that continuity has allowed his influence to grow.
But there is another major difference.
Arteta has given Ødegaard greater freedom to operate at different heights during Arsenal's attacking phases rather than keeping him tied to one fixed midfield position.
That has allowed him to arrive closer to goal more frequently.
His touches inside the opposition penalty area have risen from 2.5 per 90 minutes last season to 4.3 per 90 minutes this campaign.
That is exactly the sort of adjustment that can turn a creative midfielder into a consistent match-winner.
Napoli Provided the Perfect Example
The Champions League victory in Naples was perhaps the clearest demonstration yet.
Arsenal dominated the match but repeatedly failed to turn their control into a goal.
Ødegaard eventually solved the problem himself.
After a long Arsenal possession, the captain found space outside the box and produced a superb first-time finish in the 75th minute.
The goal was his fourth in five matches and continued a remarkable run of attacking production.
But his contribution went far beyond the goal.
Ødegaard created six chances, completed five passes that broke Napoli's defensive line and was involved in much of Arsenal's attacking play.
He was not simply finishing Arsenal's moves.
He was helping create them.
Arteta Has Given His Captain More Freedom
This is where Pirlo's appreciation of Arteta's work becomes particularly interesting.
Arsenal's football has evolved.
The team remains structured and controlled, but there is greater emphasis on creating situations in which its best technical players can make decisions in dangerous areas.
Ødegaard is one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Rather than constantly dropping deep to help Arsenal progress the ball, he can now move higher, combine with the forwards and attack spaces closer to the penalty area.
Arteta explained that Ødegaard's new relationships with teammates have also helped.
The manager highlighted the different combinations around him and the fact that the captain can now operate at different heights during attacks.
That freedom is showing in his numbers.
And perhaps more importantly, it is showing in the way he looks on the pitch.
The Captain Has His Confidence Back
There is a noticeable difference in Ødegaard's body language.
Last season was disrupted by injuries and inconsistency, and his attacking numbers suffered as a result.
This season, the Norwegian looks more decisive.
Against Chelsea, he scored the winning goal in Arsenal's 2-1 comeback victory.
Three days later, he produced another match-winning moment against Napoli.
Two difficult fixtures.
Two decisive goals.
That is precisely what Arteta needs from his captain.
The Arsenal manager has already emphasised that goals from his attacking players are important because they decide matches.
Ødegaard is now doing exactly that.
Arsenal's Success Could Depend on This Version of Ødegaard
The significance goes beyond one player's statistics.
Arsenal are defending their Premier League title while simultaneously pursuing Champions League success, meaning Arteta needs his senior players to produce consistently across multiple competitions.
A fully fit and aggressive Ødegaard could be one of the biggest differences between Arsenal being contenders and Arsenal being genuine favourites.
Pirlo's admiration for Arsenal's football is therefore particularly relevant.
Arteta has spent years building a team based around structure, technical quality and control.
Now Ødegaard appears to be benefiting from that structure without being restricted by it.
That is a difficult balance for any manager to achieve.
Arsenal have not changed Ødegaard into a different player. They appear to have created an environment where he can finally show more of what was already there.
And if the opening weeks of this season are anything to go by, that could be very bad news for the rest of the Premier League and Europe.
Fan Debate
⚽ GOAL: A fully fit Martin Ødegaard can be one of the best midfielders in Europe this season.
🔥 FIRE: Mikel Arteta deserves major credit for unlocking a more dangerous version of his captain.
😲 SHOCK: Ødegaard has already scored four goals this season after managing only one last campaign.
👍 LIKE: Arsenal look significantly stronger when Ødegaard is playing with this level of freedom.
💬 COMMENT: Can Ødegaard's current form finally take Arsenal to Champions League glory?
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