For Arsenal’s trip to Leeds United on January 31, one thing was clear and missing in the lineup: Martin Odegaard dropped out of the starting XI and was placed on the bench.
It was a message.
In the middle of a tense title race, with Arsenal needing sharper attacking control and more vertical threat, Mikel Arteta chose Kai Havertz over his captain.
Odegaard was fit; he wasn’t injured, but was a substitute through tactical reasons.
That decision says a lot about how Arteta currently views his squad, how he wants Arsenal to play, and where Odegaard’s recent performances have left him in the manager’s thinking.
Arteta had already been asked in the days before the match about Odegaard’s output this season.
One goal in 24 appearances is not the return expected from a player who is supposed to be the creative hub of Arsenal’s attack.
Arsenal’s manager defended him publicly, pointing to disrupted rhythm and injuries that limited his minutes.
However, the more revealing moment came when Arteta was questioned about Odegaard’s tendency to drop deep in games.
The Spaniard admitted that this was a bit of his nature and even joked that his own instinct is to push in the opposite direction.
He made it clear that he had not instructed Odegaard to play that deep, and that detail is crucial.
It shows a subtle but important tactical mismatch between what Odegaard instinctively does and what Arteta wants from that role.
Martin Odegaard Dropped: How Kai Havertz Changed The Shape Of Arsenal’s Attack
Arsenal under Arteta rely on aggressive occupation of the final third from midfield.
The system depends on midfielders arriving high, linking quickly with the forwards, and maintaining pressure around the opposition box.
When Odegaard drifts into deeper areas to collect the ball, Arsenal often lose that presence between the lines. The attack becomes slower and more predictable, and the space that should be attacked becomes empty.
This is why, when Martin Odegaard dropped out of the starting lineup, it didn’t come as a shock.
Arteta is not questioning his talent, but rather questioning how well his natural tendencies fit the current tactical demands of the team.
By starting Havertz, Arteta introduced a completely different profile into midfield.
The German plays higher by default, runs beyond the striker, occupies defenders, and adds a direct goal threat from central areas.
Where Odegaard prefers to orchestrate, Havertz prefers to arrive. That difference changes the entire shape of Arsenal’s attack.
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Odegaard Dropped: Statement On Hierarchy And Form
The choice also reveals something about form.
Arsenal had gone through three league games without a win as performances were flat and creativity was not translating into chances.
In moments like that, managers fall back on trust. Arteta’s trust, in this case, shifted away from his captain and toward a player returning from injury but offering a sharper attacking edge.
Dropping your captain in the middle of a title push is not normal. It is a sign that hierarchy means less than tactical function. Arteta is showing that no one is guaranteed a place if their role does not perfectly serve the system.
It also speaks about how Arteta views his squad depth this season.
Arsenal’s manager believes the Gunners now have enough quality that changing key pieces will not damage the team’s structure.
The 4-0 win at Elland Road proved that point. The team did not look disjointed. If anything, they looked more direct and dangerous.
Martin Odegaard Dropped: What This Means For The Arsenal Captain’s Role In The Title Run
For Odegaard, this moment feels like a warning as much as a rest.
His performances in recent weeks have lacked the sharpness and influence that once made him untouchable.
When a manager publicly acknowledges that a player is doing something tactically that was not instructed, it is rarely accidental. It is a signal.
Odegaard may not be out of favour permanently, but he is no longer immune to consequence.
Arteta wants his midfielders to push games forward, not control them from deeper zones. If Odegaard cannot consistently provide that, he becomes easier to rotate.
What this decision really shows is the evolution of Arteta’s thinking. Early in his Arsenal project, he relied heavily on certain individuals to carry the team’s identity. Now the identity is the system itself. Players must fit it or adapt to it, as reputation is secondary.
The Odegaard dropped decision is not just about one match. It is about the standards Arteta is setting as Arsenal chase a title. Every position is judged by impact, and every role is judged by how well it drives the team toward the opposition’s goal.
For Odegaard, this could be a turning point.
Either he adjusts his game to align more closely with what Arteta wants from that position, or Odegaard dropped out of the starting XI and onto the bench could become a common occurrence.
For Arsenal, it is a clear sign that Arteta’s authority over the squad is absolute, and even the captain is not above the system.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO/Sportimage
Recording Date: 25.01.2026
