‘Unnoticed’: Steve Sidwell says Arsenal have a player who’s quietly been better than Martin Odegaard

Arsenal didn’t win the Premier League this time around, but make no mistake about it, the Gunners had a fantastic season.

89 points represents the Gunners’ second-best ever points total in the Premier League, and many of the north London club’s star players were incredible during this campaign.

It’s very difficult to name a Player of the Season for Arsenal, but speaking on Peter Crouch’s Podcast, Steve Sidwell has been tasked with doing just that.

Sidwell, interestingly, opted for Declan Rice ahead of Martin Odegaard, claiming that he does a lot of work that goes unnoticed, despite the fact Odegaard has done some amazing work.

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Declan Rice Arsenal’s Player of the Season

Sidwell spoke about Rice’s season, stating that he’s been better than Odegaard.

“I would edge towards, Declan has done a lot of stuff unnoticed as well not just goals. I would just edge for Dec as well, but Odegaard has done amazing, incredible,” Sidwell said.

Arsenal have so many contenders

The Player of the Season award at Arsenal is perhaps more competitive than it has ever been before.

Indeed, there are so many contenders for this award at Arsenal off the back of this campaign.

As Sidwell says, Rice and Odegaard have been utterly brilliant, while Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and even Ben White may have a case to make.

Kai Havertz has also been incredible since the turn of the year, but his early season form probably rules him out of the running.

This has been one of the best seasons Arsenal have had in living memory, and while the Gunners may not have won any trophies during this time, it’s still been a campaign to remember.

Sidwell says Rice was Player of the Season for Arsenal, but you could easily make a case for half of the team to be in the running.