Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta's secret weapon undone as Martin Odegaard influence laid bare

Arsenal are preparing to look Sporting Lisbon successful the Champions League with a caller question of assurance aft Saturday's triumph against Nottingham Forest and the instrumentality of skipper Martin Odegaard

Arsenal are successful Portugal for tonight's Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon and Mikel Arteta's broadside volition beryllium afloat of assurance pursuing Saturday's broad triumph astatine location to Nottingham Forest.

Captain Martin Odegaard's instrumentality from his ankle wounded appears to person rejuvenated the Gunners, with the manager and his team-mates showering the Norwegian with praise pursuing the play victory.

However the Gunners' large spot of the past mates of years whitethorn beryllium weakened with their acceptable portion prowess nullified by galore opponents catching up with their schemes.

Here are the large stories worthy keeping tabs connected from successful and astir the Emirates.

Ode to Martin

Martin Odegaard was hailed arsenic the glue that binds Arsenal unneurotic aft his archetypal location quality since August yielded handsome rewards, with Riccardo Calafiori claiming: "When he’s missing we consciousness it.”

The skipper created six chances successful 81 dazzling minutes with his instrumentality from an ankle wounded seeming to propel Bukayo Saka backmost to his best.

Mikel Arteta claimed fewer players tin rival Odegaard’s “fluidity, understanding, chemistry, timing”, adding: “when he's connected the team, you tin consciousness thing that is different. “It's hard to enactment a digit connected it but it’s different.”

And afloat backmost Calafiori backed that up by saying: “I can’t archer you 1 happening but you tin consciousness it whether helium is connected oregon disconnected the pitch."

Set-piece stall

Last play Arsenal scored 22 acceptable portion goals successful the league, with a joint-record 16 of those coming from corners, and their towering formed person reaped the rewards of scheming that carries plentifulness of similarities with American shot and basketball.

Early successful Saturday’s demolition of Nottingham Forest it looked similar different acceptable portion extremity had arrived erstwhile Odegaard whipped successful a escaped footwear for Mikel Merino to caput down and Jurrien Timber bundled location - lone for it to beryllium ruled retired for a marginal offside.

But Arsenal stay connected 4 for the league run truthful acold - tied with 10 different sides - and they person scored 1 successful the Champions League up of Tuesday’s travel to Sporting Lisbon.

So is the novelty opening to deterioration disconnected for the not truthful concealed weapon?

Bendtner weapon attack

Former Arsenal prima Nicklas Bendtner was caught up successful a horrific stabbing onslaught past week portion visiting New York with friends.

A pal of the erstwhile Denmark striker was injured, with CCTV footage of the incidental showing the moments conscionable earlier the onslaught was carried out.

Bendtner, 36, had been walking down a thoroughfare successful Manhattan's Upper West Side past Thursday with 3 different radical erstwhile a man, wearing T-shirt and shorts, ran astatine them from down portion carrying a leaf earlier moving backmost successful the absorption helium came from seconds later.

According to section media Joshua Zinberg, 25, was arrested connected Friday and has been charged with attempted execution and assault. He was turned successful by his ain mother, according to reports.

And Bendtner has present breached his soundlessness connected the nightmare incident.

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