Martin Ødegaard scored the decisive goal 15 minutes from time in Naples, and it felt like the clearest sign yet that Arsenal have their captain back near his best. Napoli were beaten by one moment of quality, but the bigger story is how much more often Ødegaard is now arriving in those moments.
Odegaard’s form and Arsenal’s standard
He was limited to only 36 games in all competitions last season and ended with just one goal and seven assists. That is a long way from the version [Mikel Arteta] expects to lean on this year, especially with the Champions League back on the table and Arsenal looking more assured in the final third.
Nedum Onuoha said on BBC that Ødegaard “takes Arsenal to a different level when he is on form and playing like this.” He added: “When he is at his best, Arsenal are at their best.”
Arteta had the same read after Naples. “Players with that mindset to decide the game, to play with that personality and keep taking risks,” he said. “He is getting into those positions much more in recent games. It was an incredible goal.”
The performance backed it up. Arsenal had 26 shots, their most in a single Champions League match since records began in 2003-04, and they did not need a constant stream of chances to make the night comfortable. They needed a captain who could decide it.
Arsenal’s control in Naples
Arteta also said, “We should have done it in a different way because of the amount of chances we created.” That fits the way Arsenal have been playing around Ødegaard’s return to rhythm. His goal did not come out of nowhere, it came from a team that spent long spells on top of Napoli and kept asking for one clean opening.
Onuoha’s point about role and responsibility matters here too. He said Ødegaard “looks after the ball so well,” is “always looking for that pass,” and “even does the defensive work as well.” That is the balance Arsenal get when he is sharp, a captain who can slow a game down and then speed it up with one pass or one finish.
The form line is strong as well. In the Premier League this season, Ødegaard’s rating sits at 7.55. He also posted an 8.3 rating in the Community Shield and an 8.2 rating against Chelsea, which points to a player whose level is not being built on one good night in Italy.
Onuoha went as far as to say Arsenal “have got unfinished business in the Champions League,” while also noting that Ødegaard will want “to have a bigger impact on the team this season.” Those are fair standards for a captain who has been there long enough to know what this squad is chasing.
Arsenal’s next league and European tests will tell us whether this is a short burst or a proper return to peak form, but Naples was a strong marker. When Ødegaard is getting into those decisive positions, Arsenal look like a side with more control and a better finish to their attacks.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
