Arsenal captain explains how players stay fit over busy festive period | OneFootball

Martin Ødegaard has explained how Arsenal players manage their fitness through the congested festive schedule, stressing that professionalism and recovery away from the pitch are as important as what happens on it.

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Writing in his captain’s notes ahead of the game against Brighton & Hove Albion, Ødegaard said the squad trained on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day as part of their preparations, describing the period as demanding but familiar.

“We trained on Christmas Day and Boxing Day to prepare for today’s game,” he wrote.

“I personally love playing football at this time of year. Christmas football is a big part of the tradition of English football, and it’s a busy period, but also a really special one because a lot of people are together.

“I have my family over to visit as well, so we enjoy it. People get a lot out of watching the games around Christmas too, so hopefully we can make it a special game together today.”

Ødegaard said the intensity of the calendar does not fundamentally change how players approach matches, but it does alter what can be done on the training ground.

“We are used to playing twice a week anyway, and this time of year you don’t really look at the days, it’s just the schedule, and we are feeling good,” he continued.

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A rare full week between matches earlier this month allowed the squad to work more thoroughly on collective details.

“Before the Everton game there wasn’t a midweek match, and it’s not very often you have a full week of training, so that was good for us too,” Ødegaard wrote. “I don’t think we had done that since the first month of the season, with internationals as well.”

That period, he said, was used to reinforce ideas and give players a mental and physical reset before another demanding run.

“We used that period as a good chance to train and practice together, to go through ideas and work on things as a group. When you play every three days, it’s more about recovery and you can’t do too much else, so we wanted to make the most of it.

“It also helps you recover too – both your body and your mind. As I said, I love playing every three days, but I also realise you need those moments to refresh as well, and get ready for this really intensive period we are going to have again.”

With a quick turnaround to the next fixture against Aston Villa after Brighton, Ødegaard said individual responsibility becomes critical.

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“We have a quick turnaround for the next game against Aston Villa after playing Brighton today, and this is when you really need to look after your body and make sure you prepare well. Everyone buys into that in the team – the players and the staff – to make sure we are all doing the right things at this time of year.”

He added that recovery and preparation are a constant process rather than something limited to matchdays.

“It’s about being professional, doing the right things, and there is a lot of work that goes into that behind the scenes, to make sure we’re ready to play every few days.

“People might not see that side of it as much, but that’s a big part of my job as well, to make sure we prepare and take care of the body. It’s not just about the games, or training, it’s all the time in between as well. I enjoy that side of it, enjoy doing the recovery process and taking care of my body. It’s a big part of the job.”

Ødegaard added that the mental demands of the festive schedule are as significant as the physical ones.

“Also, you have to stay really focused when there are this many games, and not look too far ahead,” he said. “The mindset is always the same, and that’s to win. You have to be ruthless, lock in and make sure you have done everything you can. Get ready mentally and physically and be ready to go again and again.”

Looking ahead to the immediate challenge, the captain underlined the importance Arsenal maintaining momentum.

“We play Brighton today, and that’s always a really tough game. We will need to be at our best again. Every game is so important throughout the season and we want to keep building momentum in the league. We relish the fight and know what is at stake, so we have to leave absolutely everything out there and play from the first whistle to the last in every single game.”