Arteta Praises Odegaard's Phenomenal Display As Arsenal Secures Perfect Start In Champions League

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Arsenal's manager, Mikel Arteta, praised Martin Odegaard for his outstanding performance in their 2-0 victory over Olympiacos, which continued their flawless start in the Champions League. Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring by capitalising on a rebound after Victor Gyokeres hit the post. This marked Martinelli's third goal in five games and his first time scoring in consecutive Champions League matches, having also scored against Athletic Club two weeks prior.

Bukayo Saka secured the win with a late goal that slipped through goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis' legs. Odegaard was instrumental, assisting Saka's goal and creating four chances, recovering possession eight times, and having 86 touches—the most of any Arsenal player. Arteta commended Odegaard's influence on the game, saying to TNT Sports: "He was phenomenal. He influenced the game in a manner which is very important for us. He continued to play forward, playing people through on goal. He should have scored a goal as well, so [it was] very good to have him back at this level."

Arsenal's defence has been impressive this season, achieving six clean sheets in their first nine matches across all competitions. They have not conceded in their opening two Champions League games, a feat last accomplished during the 2007-08 season. Arteta highlighted the difficulty of maintaining clean sheets and credited his players for their consistency against challenging opponents.

Arteta expressed satisfaction with his team's defensive efforts: "That [keeping clean sheets] is very difficult to do, so credit to the boys." The team now looks forward to continuing their strong form as they prepare to face West Ham on Saturday.

The Gunners' success is built on both offensive and defensive strengths. Martinelli's consistent scoring and Odegaard's leadership have been crucial. As Arsenal continues its campaign, maintaining this balance will be key to further achievements in both domestic and European competitions.