Arsenal’s title hopes were dashed in the Premier League last season, and Martin Odegaard has admitted that the collapse will haunt him for the rest of his life. The Gunners were sitting on top of the league for 248 days, but they were unable to clinch the title as Manchester City emerged victorious for the third year in a row.
Arsenal had a sensational first-half of the season and sustained the momentum even after the World Cup break. However, they experienced a dip in form in April and May, surrendering two-goal leads against Liverpool and West Ham and needing two late goals to secure a draw against bottom-placed Southampton.
Their 4-1 defeat to Manchester City saw Pep Guardiola’s side take control of the title race, and Arsenal failed to mount a comeback, losing to Brighton and Nottingham Forest in two of their final three games.
When asked what went wrong for Arsenal towards the end of the season, Odegaard explained that there were many factors that came into play. Despite competing against the team that had won it all, Arsenal lost momentum in the three games they drew, ultimately leading to their downfall.
Odegaard, who scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 37 games, is determined to use the disappointment to fuel their next campaign. However, he admits that the collapse will bother him for the rest of his life, as he came so close to achieving his dream.
In sports, as in life, setbacks are inevitable. The key is to use them as motivation to come back stronger and better. Arsenal will undoubtedly use the lessons learned from their title collapse to fuel their next campaign, and with Odegaard leading the charge, they will be a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.
