Sat Oct 05 16:50:32 UTC 2024: ## Arsenal Adapt to Odegaard’s Absence, Remain Title Contenders
**LONDON** – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed his team has had to adapt their tactics in the absence of captain Martin Odegaard, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury for the past six games.
Odegaard suffered the injury while playing for Norway last month and his absence has forced Arteta to make changes to his usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Leandro Trossard has filled the void in the Premier League, while Kai Havertz has joined him in a two-man strike partnership in the Champions League.
Despite the changes, Arsenal have maintained their unbeaten run in the Premier League, currently sitting in third place, just one point behind leaders Liverpool.
“We had to be different,” Arteta said ahead of Saturday’s clash against Southampton. “The impact Martin has in everything we do was too big to try to replicate with one player. We’ve tried to do it in a different way, adapting a few things, using players’ qualities, players that can play in different positions and with the right chemistry around them.”
While acknowledging the team has found ways to cope, Arteta emphasized the importance of Odegaard’s return: “Maybe it took a game or two, but then things started to flow a bit better. We found a way, but we still miss him. We don’t have Martin, there are all the things that we cannot do. But as well we have a big threat in other areas and we have to make the most of them.”
There is no confirmed date for Odegaard’s return, but the midfielder is working hard to regain fitness.
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