Arsenal hero compares Odegaard to former teammate as Arteta insists on ‘taking a chance’ against Chelsea

Ray Parlor has compared Arsenal star Martin Odegaard to one of his former team-mates and urged Mikel Arteta to give the playmaker a starting spot against Chelsea even though he is “only 80 per cent” fit.

Odegaard returned at the very end of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to Inter on Wednesday, a match similar to many of the 12 games the Norway international has missed since his injury on international duty in September. they struggled to create clear chances.

Arteta has not revealed whether Odegaard will feature from the start against Chelsea, but Parlor believes he should be in the starting line-up if he is defeated, potentially leaving them ten points behind leaders Liverpool, who face Aston on Saturday evening Villa plays.

“He has the vision, he has that creativity,” Parlor said of Arsenal’s importance talkSPORT.

“If you look at the midfield you see (Thomas) Partey and Declan Rice when he’s playing, and (Mikel) Merino’s coming into the squad too, very similar players actually.

“They are all very good players, don’t get me wrong. I’d like to see Declan come forward a bit more when Partey plays.

“But when Odegaard is there, he is that player who takes the ball in small situations. He sees a pass, he creates chances.

“When I watched the Newcastle game they needed that bit of creativity because Newcastle felt very comfortable sitting in front of the defence. Newcastle’s midfield had done an excellent job.

“He can just bring something different to the team, a little different from the other players they have. He is a big miss, but I don’t know how fit he is or whether he has recovered. If he is 80 percent, I would let him play 70 minutes.”

Parlor believes that although Odegaard is not at the same level as Bergkamp, ​​with whom he shared the dressing at Arsenal for nine years, he does see similarities in style.

He added: “I watch Bergkamp when I played. I wouldn’t say he (Odegaard) is as good as Bergkamp, ​​but he is very similar in the way he can see vision and will create chances.

“What I’m saying is he can get into small areas, he’s a very smart player. You look at his vision when he’s putting balls through, he knows where the runs are going to come from.

“I didn’t see that against Newcastle. I didn’t see the creativity of Arsenal’s midfield. That’s what he can bring to the team when he comes back this weekend.”

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Paul Merson agreed with Parlor on Odegaard and urged Arteta to “take a chance” on the midfielder.

Asked whether Odegaard should start at Stamford Bridge, Merson said: “I think it comes down to this weekend and the results.

“Arsenal will play second on Super Sunday so they know how Liverpool and City have done. If they have both won, I think Odegaard should start the game.

“Ten and nine points, if both teams win, that’s a lot of points and for me it would be a football match that you have to win and then you take a chance (on Odegaard).

‘Otherwise, what are you doing? Do you bring him in for the last 20-30 minutes and then he will play a few games for Norway in seven or eight days? Unless he doesn’t go with Norway and then maybe you can save him.

“But if not, I think he should be thrown back in. He is so important for Arsenal.”