‘We’re Ready, We’re Serious’: Odegaard Sends Warning After Community Shield Win

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard said the Gunners were determined to make a statement after opening the new season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield in Cardiff.

Ødegaard, who scored Arsenal’s third goal, said the team’s performance showed they were ready to compete for more silverware after starting the campaign with their first trophy.

‘We wanted to start here with the first trophy. We played some brilliant football, so it was a great performance, a great way to start the season,’ Ødegaard said after the game.

‘It was good for everyone to see our level. We showed that we’re ready, we’re serious, we want to do it again, and there’s more trophies to go.’

The Norwegian, who scored his first goal since December, said he was pleased to contribute to the victory and insisted he wants to become even more productive in front of goal.

‘I always want to help the team as much as possible with goals and assists and link-up play. I also want to score more goals, and it’s a good way to start like that,’ he said.

Ødegaard also praised new signing Bruno Guimarães for his immediate impact, despite their previous battles on the pitch.

‘He’s been unbelievable since the first moment. He feels like a natural part of the team, even though we had some big fights before,’ the Arsenal captain said.

‘He’s so good on the ball, but he’s a fighter, he wins the ball. It was massive.’

Ødegaard also highlighted the contribution of Christos on the left, noting that he provided two assists, and praised the collective performance.

‘Everyone was good today,’ he added.