Martin Odegaard insists Arsenal will use the frustration of lacking out on the Premier League title to Manchester Metropolis final season to return again even stronger when the brand new marketing campaign will get beneath means.
The Gunners led the Premier League title race for 248 days final season earlier than they have been ultimately chased down by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis, who went on to win the treble, leaving the north London facet trophyless for a 3rd straight season.
Nonetheless, regardless of the frustration of not profitable a primary title since 2004, Arsenal did safe a return to the Champions League for the primary time for the reason that 2016/17 season.
Arsenal captain Odegaard, talking completely to Sky Sports activities Information on his facet’s pre-season tour to america, admitted there are nonetheless combined emotions about final season however insists his facet will use the frustration to try to deliver trophies to north London subsequent season.
“There are a number of combined emotions [about last season],” stated Odegaard.
“We’re proud to see how far we have come and the way a lot we’ve improved in the previous couple of years. To be there and battle for the title towards the workforce who’ve received the whole lot, it is a good step for us however on the identical time it nonetheless hurts to be so near profitable.
There’s a terrific power within the membership. There’s environment and the gamers, the membership workers and the followers are actually linked.
“Our dream was to win and that is what we would like, so it nonetheless hurts, however we’ve to make use of the whole lot we discovered from final 12 months in a great way similar to we did the 12 months earlier than. We missed out on Champions League, however we got here again even stronger and much more ready.
“We’ve to do the identical now to return again and use the frustration in a great way, and that’s what we’ll attempt to do.”
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Check out Odegaard’s objectives within the 2022-23 Premier League season
‘New signings can have impression on and off the pitch’
The Gunners have splashed out greater than £200m to deliver Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber to the Emirates Stadium, as Mikel Arteta prepares to mount one other assault on the Premier League title.
Odegaard is worked up by the prospect of enjoying with Arsenal’s new boys, however can also be trying ahead to seeing what they’ll add to the squad off the pitch.
“The entire signings can deliver one thing nice to the membership,” he stated.
“They’re nice gamers and likewise nice characters as properly.
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Declan Rice says the chance to work with Mikel Arteta was an enormous think about his choice to hitch Arsenal, however admits it was exhausting to depart West Ham
“They’re adapting rather well to the membership already and it’s now actually essential to have squad.
“We’re going to play Champions League, be in a number of tournaments and play in lots of huge video games.
“I am excited to play with the brand new arrivals. They’re good guys on the pitch but additionally off the pitch, and I really feel they will give us rather a lot.”
‘Individuals can say what they need however we’ll keep centered’
Odegaard consoles Bukayo Saka after his missed penalty at West Ham
Final season’s enhancements and this summer time’s incomings deliver new expectations.
Odegaard accepts the strain can be on to ship however insists he and his team-mates is not going to be taking any discover of discuss exterior the membership.
When requested requested concerning the expectation that Arsenal will push Man Metropolis once more this season, he replied: “That is soccer and that is the way it works.
“There may be at all times going to be discuss and expectation however our job is to remain centered on what we will management, which is efficiency, and what we will do day-after-day in coaching to ensure we work exhausting and enhance.
“It is a terrific group. There are a number of hungry gamers and younger gamers.
“That is the important thing for us, to maintain working exhausting, to maintain going and pushing day-after-day to be higher.
“Individuals can say what they need and write what they need however our job is to remain centered.”
Everybody goes to be a bit extra skilled this 12 months after what we went by way of final 12 months. We’re going to study from that and enhance.
Timber: Expectations are actually excessive at Arsenal
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Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal have made some prime signings to this point this summer time and can be shut once more to difficult Manchester Metropolis for the Premier League title
Defender Timber, who arrived from Ajax for £38m this month, has instructed his Arsenal team-mates that rather a lot can be anticipated of them within the 2023/24 marketing campaign.
“I stated to the others, they’d a terrific season they usually purchased some gamers – so expectations are actually excessive,” the Dutchman stated throughout the Gunners’ tour of america.
“It is very nice to see they’re constructing and constructing, so let’s examine what occurs.”
Timber, whose household are life-long Arsenal followers, revealed the choice to swap Ajax for Arsenal was very fast following just a few conversations with supervisor Arteta.
Arteta has refused to shut the door on additional arrivals earlier than the switch deadline
“That is one thing between the coach and me,” stated Timber when requested concerning the function Arteta performed in these chats.
“Nevertheless it was dialog and we had a pair extra after that. I made a decision actually fast to return to Arsenal.
“It is a dream coming true, that is it to be trustworthy. My persistence has paid off. I simply adopted my emotions. It is one of the stunning golf equipment on the planet.
“I feel they purchased me for a purpose, it is to point out my expertise and add one thing to this group. I hope I might do it this season.”
Nketiah: Hopefully Rice can bear in mind how I like these passes!
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Arteta is delighted to have sorted essential transfers early so the gamers have time to adapt, and descriptions what a few of the new signings will deliver
In the meantime, striker Eddie Nketiah is trying ahead to a reunion with former team-mate Declan Rice in Arsenal colors.
The vast majority of Arsenal’s summer time switch spending has gone in direction of securing Rice’s club-record £105m change throughout the capital from West Ham.
Nketiah and Rice performed collectively in Chelsea’s academy from U9 stage to U14s – and the pair have been even launched by the Blues on the identical day.
“I am near his household and he is near mine. It helps having that relationship with him and hopefully he can bear in mind how I like these passes made!” Nketiah completely instructed Sky Sports activities Information.
“It is good to have him and I am certain he’ll be a extremely good addition and assist us this season.”
Rice and Eddie Nketiah have been in Chelsea’s academy collectively
Nketiah, in the meantime, is just not fazed by the competitors within the striker function, which might embody new £65m signing Havertz and the return of Folarin Balogun on mortgage – and has focused extra recreation time than his 9 Premier League begins final time period.
“It was a extremely Positive season for me and for the membership. It was good to have that run within the workforce for such an essential, vital stage for us within the title race and the massive video games,” stated the ahead.
“It is what you dream of as a participant to play in these form of matches, so it was good to contribute and rating objectives and assist the workforce.
“I am hungry for extra – I need to have extra recreation time to assist the workforce extra and actually push myself to enhance. Hopefully I can have season personally and the workforce can go one higher.”
Arsenal’s pre-season schedule…
- July 8: Arsenal 1-1 Watford
- July 13: FC Nurnberg 1-1 Arsenal
- July 20: MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal, kick-off 4.30am (Audi Discipline, USA)
- July 22: Man Utd vs Arsenal, kick-off 10pm (MetLife Stadium, USA)
- July 26: Barcelona vs Arsenal, kick-off 10pm (Sofi Stadium, USA)
- August 2: Arsenal vs Monaco – kick-off 6pm (Emirates Stadium)
- August 6: Arsenal vs Man Metropolis – kick-off 4pm (Wembley) FA Group Protect
Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports
Who can be on the transfer this summer time when the switch window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?
Hold updated with all the newest switch information and rumours in our devoted Switch Centre weblog on Sky Sports activities’ digital platforms. You too can meet up with the ins, outs and evaluation on Sky Sports activities Information.