'Always looks up': Odegaard blown away by 24yo Arsenal star who created 3 chances vs Coventry
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard heaped praise on Christos Tzolis following his sublime performance against Coventry City in the Premier League curtain-raiser on Friday night.
The Gunners started their league title defence with a comfortable 3-0 win over the Sky Blues. Odegaard was handed the man of the match after scoring the club’s third goal at the Emirates Stadium.
However, Tzolis was equally good for the English champions. The Greek has been hugely impressive since playing his first pre-season game at Arsenal, and showed his quality in front of the home fans.
Tzolis created the opening goal by putting pressure on defender Milan van Ewijk. His interception contributed to a key pass towards Riccardo Calafiori, who provided the assist for Kai Havertz’s goal.
The former Club Brugge man was also the catalyst for the Gunners’ second goal. His early cross from the left flank induced a mistake from goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, which Bukayo Saka capitalised upon.
Tzolis was denied a goal of his own with multiple blocks by Coventry, but the 24-year-old has become a vital player for the Gunners in no time, and Odegaard was full of praise for him after the game.
He told BBC Sport: “Amazing, he played a brilliant game. He has been brilliant all pre-season. He’s so lively. It’s hard to defend [against] him. He’s a really intelligent player. He always looks up and finds the right pass.”
Tzolis created three chances overall and had four attempts on goal. The Greek also worked hard off the ball, winning four duels, making three recoveries and clearing the ball twice. He covered a progressive carrying distance of 202.1m; only Declan Rice has managed more since the start of last season.
The ex-Brugge ace was signed for £34 million earlier this summer, and that price appears a bargain already. He has stood out against Manchester City and Coventry, and his next big challenge will be against Aston Villa on the road. The Villans have proved a bogey club for Arsenal.
An away game at Villa Park will be a whole different challenge. The left winger has shown he can adapt quickly to any surroundings since pre-season, and he has the chance to continue his good form on August 31.
Stats from Sofascore.com & Transfermarkt.com
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