Yaya Touré Says Arsenal Miss ‘Brilliant’ Martin Odegaard After Narrow Chelsea Win

Yaya Touré says Arsenal miss Martin Ødegaard after 2-1 Chelsea win, questioning fluency despite Gunners’ Premier League lead.

Arsenal maintained their Premier League title momentum with a gritty 2-1 victory over Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. However, former Manchester City star Yaya Touré believes Mikel Arteta’s side still miss crucial creative piece Martin Ødegaard.

Goals from William Saliba and Jurriën Timber, both from corners, secured the three points as Arsenal restored their five-point lead at the top of the table. Chelsea’s Piero Hincapié scored an unfortunate own goal before Pedro Neto was sent off in the second half, yet the performance itself left Touré unconvinced.

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Appearing in the Sky Sports studio alongside Patrick Vieira and Daniel Sturridge, Touré delivered a blunt assessment of Arsenal’s display.

“The first half was okay, it was okay. But I feel a bit disappointed because we want to see a flourishing game. Passing, attacking and scoring chances,” he said. “Three goals from set-pieces… a bit strange for a derby! Winning today was obviously very important for Arsenal but as a fan I want to see more.”

“Ødegaard Is a Huge Miss”

The former Manchester City midfielder went further, identifying Ødegaard’s absence as the core reason behind Arsenal’s lack of attacking fluency.

“You have to understand as well that Martin Ødegaard, the captain, is a brilliant player and for me he’s a huge miss,” Touré said. “He plays between the lines, he moves very well. I love this type of player.”

Ødegaard missed the Chelsea clash through a knee issue and has not started any of Arsenal’s last nine matches in all competitions. A combination of fitness concerns, form management, and the emergence of £67.5m summer signing Eberechi Eze has left Arsenal without their usual central creative rhythm.

Without Ødegaard’s movement, tempo control, and positional intelligence, Arsenal’s attacking play has increasingly shifted towards structure, transitions, and set-piece dominance rather than fluid combination play.

Touré also warned that the title race pressure may be affecting Arsenal’s expression.

“You can be worried about making mistakes at this stage of the season because it can cost the team, but I want to see the players be more open,” he added.

He pointed to the growing threat from Manchester City as a psychological factor:
“Man City are coming back well. Arsenal were doing well from the start of the season but they dropped a few points. Those results might keep them in doubt… I didn’t see the players expressing themselves.”

Patrick Vieira shared a similar view, admitting he was “a little bit disappointed” despite the result, highlighting Chelsea’s defensive organisation and Arsenal’s heavy reliance on dead-ball situations rather than open-play creativity.

While the victory was not vintage Arsenal, it was effective. Arteta’s side now face Brighton in midweek before continuing their push for a first league title in 22 years.

Results First — But Questions Remain

This was a win built on structure, discipline, and tactical detail — not flair. Arsenal’s set-piece system once again delivered, but Touré’s analysis highlights a deeper question as the season enters its decisive phase.

Results are non-negotiable in March and April. Performances are secondary. But if Arsenal are to lift the Premier League trophy in May, the return of a fully fit, fully firing Martin Ødegaard may prove decisive.

For now, the Gunners march on — five points clear, in control of the title race — but with a clear message from the Ivorian legend: Arsenal are winning, but they are not yet at their best.

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