The thrill factor of Real Sociedad’s Martin Odegaard

In his mid-teens, Martin Odegaard had the whole of Europe clamouring for his services, touring the training grounds of great teams across the continent before finally deciding on Real Madrid. This was before the Spanish giants loaned him out to the European outback of the Eredivisie with Heerenveen and Vitesse Arnhem where he regained his confidence with regular game-time as a winger and then as a midfielder. He had Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax clamouring for his services again before the Norwegian decided on a loan move to Real Sociedad where he has been in the top three best players in La Liga as a well-rounded and mercurial attacking midfielder, making good on his early potential.

 Real Madrid loaned Odegaard to Heerenveen to increase his confidence in the Eredivisie, giving him the opportunity to highlight the technical side of his game at a team that looked to control possession. Heerenveen included the Norwegian starlet in their starting lineup against AZ Alkmaar in the KNVB Cup as he was instantaneously drawn to the central attacking midfielder position. He worked clever interchanges with Sam Larsson while also moving out to the left wing. In his only full season at Heerenveen, he became a technical leader, dropping deeper at times to allow Pele Van Amersfoort to establish connections with Denzel Dumfries in order for Heerenveen to progress on the right flank.

 Heerenveen would have loved to keep him for a second season but Odegaard chose a loan to Vitesse Arnhem who had European aspirations as he was moved into a midfield role. He developed an incredible connection with Thulani Serero as at home to PSV, he came inside to slam an amazing strike past Jeroen Zoet. Odegaard also developed a sense of press resistance, constantly dribbling and skipping past players in the deeper positions, adding a deep-lying midfielder’s shrewdness to an attacking midfielder’s opulence. In a Europa League Playoff first leg away to Groningen, he lost the ball to Ludovic Reis in the build-up to a goal. He returned with a vengeance in the second-leg as this time, he won possession in a pressing situation as he calmly slotted the ball past Sergio Padt to put Vitesse in the driving seat for the tie.

 He then took control of the game to cut in off the flank and play an elegant slide rule pass in between centre-backs, Samir Memisevic and Mike Te Wierik for Tim Matavz to divert past Padt. The Norwegian then notched his second assist with a cross from a corner for Matavz to head in at the near post. Playing as a midfielder and finding space in congested midfield zones, he developed his ability to receive the ball on the half-turn and spin past a marker all in one move to create space to drive into. Against Groningen, he turned past his man and nearly worked a through ball for Thomas Buitink. In another moment, he picked up possession, faked a pass before waiting and laying a perfect pass through to Serero to make a run into the final third.

 Odegaard then ended his sojourn in the Eredivisie to join La Real as they embarked on a new adventure in a new stadium with a thriving academy after a few years in the doldrums of La Liga. Against Atletico Madrid’s deep-block, he had an opportunity to prove himself against higher level opposition as he played in a free-role, dovetailing Alexander Isak. He received the ball in the ten space while dropping deep and moving out to the right to slide the ball into the channels as he looked to have a large influence on the game. In the deeper areas, he distributed the ball well, playing tidy line-breaking passes as he slid in Portu out wide for the former Girona player to cross and have a header deflected wide.

Odegaard was linking things together, gliding in between the lines, receiving passes and working moves to players in space, constantly drawing Atletico defenders. He always made the pass before the creation of a chance in a dominating performance at Atletico which was akin to Kevin Kampl’s for Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League a few years before. He dropped closer to Mikel Merino as he was unafraid of the low block, spinning around markers and driving his team forward. On the left flank, Mikel Oyarzabal flicked the ball through for a runner who crossed for Odegaard who kept calm and struck an unerringly accurate strike past four defenders to score.

 One of the underrated facets of his game is his willingness to counter press, especially when he loses the ball, consistently charging to regain possession. Odegaard’s timing and execution is superb are there are moments where he just holds possession and simply waits while everyone is hastily moving around as he knows when a space in front of him will open up as the rest of the pitch is on a five-second delay. Against Atletico, he took a pass on the break, he looked up and waited before playing in Portu with a well angled and well weighted through ball before Portu cut back for the Real Madrid loanee to have his shot deflected.

 At home to Alaves, he took on a pass from Ander Guevara to nutmeg an opponent then play an incredible through ball for Oyarzabal who never even had to adjust his body or check his run, the Basque playmaker simply had to let the ball roll to his far foot to poke the ball into an empty net. Odegaard has also developed a connection with Isak as both of them enjoy passing and moving the ball in between the lines as the Swede will be La Real’s first choice striker for the foreseeable future. Odegaard then had a huge task on his hands with the high pressing Eibar travelling to Donostia. Odegaard was unphased as he dropped next to Merino and Igor Zubeldia to receive possession or move into the wide areas to work connections as he had already had two diagonals intercepted in the first few minutes.

 Gonzalo Escalante was tasked with marking Odegaard as the Norwegian beat him once with his first touch which led to Escalante fouling him. Odegaard then dropped into space and worked a pass in between the lines with one of his patented turns. Odegaard soon had an assist as he had a free-kick to Robin Le Normand who headed in. Odegaard proved a master manipulator of space as he managed to thread a through ball for Willian Jose as he rolled the ball from his right foot and flicked it to the Brazilian off his left. He then had another moment where he turned past one man then skipped past another two to chip for Willian Jose to smash over. In the second half, Odegaard picked up the ball from deep, dribbled two players then worked a pass forward before taking the ball off Zubeldia on the flank to work a vertical pass to Willian Jose, who played it to Portu to cross for Oyarzabal to volley home.

 Odegaard then orchestrated his own goal, taking on a knock-down from Isak to play Portu through as he cut back for Odegaard to curl past the keeper from the top of the box. Odegaard was undeterred again with Barcelona at home as his dribbling and decision making was phenomenal, constantly showing for the ball in between the lines. He nearly had a Lionel Messi-like assist as he also trapped the ball with a flick in between the lines. Away to Osasuna, he had a goal and assist in the first 30 minutes, thumping a free-kick to put Real Sociedad into a 3-0 lead. He then dropped to receive a pass from Zubeldia as the Norwegian turned to flick past his marker before working a vertical pass with the outside of his left boot.

Odegaard is instrumental from deep and a magician in between the lines as his little receive the ball and swivel routine should be taught to children at academies. This move allows him to buy an extra yard in every area of the pitch as he utilises it to beat a marker in the deeper areas as well as transition well in between the pockets. Odegaard has slowed down with an anonymous showing against Real Betis as he was rested against Leganes before a big week with a tie against Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey and the Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao at the weekend. However, he has been in the top three players in La Liga this season as his influence on the game and importance to La Real have made them a must watch in European football.

" Yes, I was expecting this performance from Odegaard. What you see is in the field, but the best of Martin is in the day to day. How he works, how he is as a person is the best.  Surely Real Madrid he will try to recover Odegaard, but I think he will stay this second season at Real. He is very mature and knows that he is in a place where he can grow, " said La Real Head Coach, Imanol Alguacil to radio station, Cadena Ser.

 Odegaard only recently turned 21-years-old in December last year as he first seeped into our consciousness at 15-years-old but has rebuilt his career brick by brick after his initial struggles at Real Madrid. Real Sociedad and Real Madrid have a gentleman’s agreement to extend his loan for a year, but Madrid may choose to bring him back to a club that already has Isco and Marco Asensio. Odegaard is now a top-tier player in La Liga and could be an essential piece of an ascending Norwegian side for years to come.