Before the disappointing draw at the weekend against Fulham, Arsenal They were progressing thanks to a 2-0 win at home to fierce rivals Manchester United.
However, it wasn't just the matchup that made Wednesday night's game special; It was also the fact that he was 500th men's competitive match At Emirates Stadium.
It's a stadium that has seen some quality players in the 18 years since its completion, but the last two years have been the first time it has hosted a team that is seriously in contention for the title and good enough to go further in Europe.
So, while many great signings have been made since 2006, it is difficult to look beyond this current group of players as the best of the Emirates era, especially Martin Odegaard.
However, he may not hold the crown for being one of Arsenal's best signings in recent years for much longer. More on this player in just a moment…
Odegaard's career with Arsenal
Arsenal initially signed Odegaard on a six-month loan from Real Madrid in January 2021Although he was certainly not poor at that spell, he… A total of two goals and two assists In 20 games, it hasn't exactly been earth-shattering.
However, Arteta and Edu Gaspar had a vision for the team with the Norwegian in the position and opted for that To pay Los Blancos £30 million For his services that summer, and what a game-changing decision it has been since.
The Drammen-born magician has become an absolute fixture in how the Gunners play and his leadership abilities have earned him the club's name Captain in 2022 At only 23 years old.
So far, the 25-year-old has scored a goal He scored 36 goals and provided 28 assists In 163 appearances for the club, he equates to an average of 2.54 goals scored every 2.54 games and, moreover, has the increasingly rare ability to bring fans to their feet with a piece of precise control or an aesthetically dazzling pass.
Overall, although he has yet to lead the club to a title or cup, it cannot be denied that Odegaard has been an absolutely fantastic signing for Arsenal and one of the best players since the Emirates Stadium was completed.
However, he is not the only one who fits this description in the current squad.
The latest member of Arsenal's best signings of the Emirates era
So, while there are more than a handful of players in the current squad who could be mentioned here, the player we are talking about is the Dutch defender. Goren Timberwho joined the club For 38 million pounds last summer.
Now, we know it's probably too easy to make such a sweeping statement about a player in his first season with the club, but he looked impressive, and what's football without a bit of hyperbole?
However, what makes the former Ajax defender a special player, so special in fact that he commands respect Announced by analyst Ben Matignon “One of the best signings of the Emirates era” late last month?
Well, it's two-fold, the first being simply because he's a modern full-back who can defend.
The Amsterdam-born giant may not be on the level of William Saliba or Gabriel Magahalis in that regard, but when he starts on the right side, it's rare to see him get beaten by an opposing player or come out on the losing side. A physical battle, despite being only 5-foot-10.
However, the most important reason why people like the 23-year-old is the difference he makes moving forward.
While Ben White was brilliant in interfering with Bukayo Saka on the right, the Dutchman seems comfortable doing so and interfering, as his former manager did. Michael Reisiger saysHe is “comfortable and one with the ball”.
We also saw him score his first goal for the club against United, scoring with a header in Gabriel's absence.
Ultimately, while he's not the most flamboyant of players, it's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore his consistently impressive performances when starting on the right, and perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay him is that White will have a massive fight on his hands to replace him. When it fits.
