After finishing runners-up nine times in the Premier League era - including in each of the past three seasons - Arsenal have more than a whiff of the ‘always the bridesmaid’ cliche about them.
Come this May, it will have been 22 years since the club’s last title, when Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles swept aside all before them, but with Mikel Arteta’s side heading into the final third of the season with a sizeable lead at the top of the table, is this the year they get over the hump?
Skipper Martin Odegaard certainly thinks so, as a mixture of experience, squad-building and the drive of Arteta has this current Gunners iteration feeling more aligned than ever.
Martin Odegaard on why this is Arsenal’s year
“It’s a complex question,” Odegaard tells FourFourTwo when asked what has changed at the Emirates this season. “First of all, we have experience. We’ve been through a lot together as a group. We’ve been really close for a few years now, and being in those positions – fighting for the biggest titles and the biggest trophies in the world – gives you something. You learn from it.
“We’ve all grown a bit, too, we’re a bit older. And the club has done really well to bring in some really good players. You can see it in the squad. You realise how important it is to have numbers but also quality throughout the group, as the season is long and a lot happens.”
Then there’s the daily grind, the part that rarely makes headlines. “There’s the work we do every day at the training ground,” he continues. “We work so hard to improve. We focus on small details, and every day is about getting better.
“Over time, I really believe that’s the right way to do it. That’s why I believe this is going to be our year.”
Odegaard - ranked at No.13 in FourFourTwo's list of the world's best attacking midfielders last year - first joined Arsenal, initially on loan, in 2021 and believes he has changed plenty as a player over the past five years.
“A lot of things,” Odegaard continues. “As you get older, you learn and you grow. It’s the experience. I’m probably a bit calmer now. I’ve been in this situation many times, so I know what’s required and what I need to give to the team.
“It’s about doing those things every day, staying in the moment. Not looking too far ahead and not thinking about what might happen in a few weeks or months – just staying present and doing your best every single day.”
From a wider team perspective, the same principles apply. “You need a bit of everything,” he adds. “When we had injuries, a lot of players stepped up, and you could see the quality in the squad. How we work at training creates the foundation for what we want to do.
“We’ve seen how tough this league is to win. I remember the season two years ago when we were almost perfect at the end – a nearly unbeaten run, so many points – and still didn’t win it. That shows how hard it is.
“It requires the very best – that’s what we try to give every day.”
Martin Odegaard's full exclusive interview is in this month's (March 2026 - Issue #388) edition of FourFourTwo.
