Odegaard praises Arsenal defenders ahead of Hull game

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has praised the club's defensive unit in his captain's column in the official matchday programme, ahead of the visit of Hull City after the international break.

Odegaard said training against the defence is demanding. "It's tough - really tough - you can feel how good they are, how strong they are and how they work together," he wrote. He also highlighted the scoring contributions of both centre-backs in the 2-0 win over Everton, the last home game.

The midfielder said the defenders prefer clean sheets to goals. "That's what they live for and you can see that in every action when they defend," he said. With William back from injury, he added, the squad has more options, and the standard in training keeps the whole team sharp.

Odegaard also addressed the defeat at Fleetwood, which followed the Everton win. He said the performance was not good enough and that the side had to take its chances. The team responded with a strong win at Liverpool, the first time in 14 years Arsenal had beaten them at Anfield, a ground where Odegaard had never won before.

Arsenal then won away to Slavia Prague in Europe, though Odegaard said the team gave up control in the second half. The result was his 250th appearance for the club, which he described as a milestone he is proud of.

Odegaard also spoke about Max Dowman, who was sent off in the Fleetwood game. He said he checked on the young player after the match and called the red card harsh, adding that the teenager would learn from the experience.