Arsenal face Fleetwood Town on Tuesday, October 27, in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at Highbury Stadium.
The starting lineups have been announced, and the absence of key players from Mikel Arteta’s squad, including Martin Odegaard, has drawn attention.
So why isn’t Martin Odegaard playing for Arsenal against Fleetwood Town today?
The answer isn’t concerning, as it appears to be a tactical decision by Arteta to rest the midfielder ahead of upcoming fixtures, given this is theoretically a more manageable matchup for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta Rests Martin Odegaard, Starts Max Dowman vs. Fleetwood
That said, several important players are included in the starting lineup, including Piero Hincapié, Martin Zubimendi, Kai Havertz, and Viktor Gyökeres. In Odegaard’s position, Arteta has opted to start prospect Max Dowman.
Arsenal’s confirmed starting XI vs. Fleetwood: Meslier; Timber, Mosquera, Salmon, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Lewis-Skelly; O’Neill, Dowman, Havertz; Gyokeres.
Odegaard has made 13 appearances for Arsenal this season, scoring four goals and providing one assist. He has featured eight times in the Premier League, played once in the Community Shield, appeared in a previous Carabao Cup match, and made three Champions League appearances.
In the Premier League, the Norwegian has started all eight matches, logging 651 minutes. Therefore, Odegaard isn’t starting this match because Arteta has opted to rest him or has made a tactical decision. His absence from the starting lineup is not due to an injury.
In fact, the Norwegian is on the bench and available to come on at some point during the match, alongside other key players such as Ben White, Eberechi Eze, and Bruno Guimarães.
Arteta Rests Key Players With Liverpool and Slavia Prague Looming
Arteta has decided to rest several key players not only because Tuesday’s opponents are theoretically weaker than the teams Arsenal face every weekend in the Premier League or during the week in the Champions League, but also because the Gunners have important league and European fixtures coming up.
Next Sunday, November 1, Arsenal will face Liverpool at Anfield in another Premier League match. Just three days later, on Wednesday, November 4, they will take on Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League league phase.
As always, English football managers must carefully weigh their options and rest certain players to keep them fresh for upcoming high-profile matches.
Why Is Martin Odegaard Not Playing Today for Fleetwood vs. Arsenal?