Odegaard's Penalty Drama: Arsenal's New Spot-Kick Order?

Arsenal Viktor Gyokeres transfer signals Martin Odegaard Arsenal role change Martin Odegaard has scored two penalties during pre-season taking the responsibility on both occasions sparking questions of the new penalty order after Viktor Gyokeres' arrival footballlondon Bookmark Share Comments Arsenal By Tom Canton Football Writer 18:00, 7 AUG 2025 Bookmark Martin Odegaard scored for Arsenal from the penalty spot against Villarreal (Image: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images) Sign up to the free Arsenal newsletter so you don't miss the latest Gunners news, straight to your inbox More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show me See Our Privacy Notice See Our Privacy Notice × Group 28 Sign up to the free Arsenal newsletter so you don't miss the latest Gunners news, straight to your inbox Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up No thanks, close We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice For the second time during pre-season , Arsenal won a penalty courtesy of Max Dowman's brilliance. Against Newcastle United and Villarreal, the 15-year-old used his skill to win two spot-kicks, both of which were dispatched. However, it was not the typical penalty taker, Bukayo Saka, who scored them. Instead, captain Martin Odegaard stepped up to take the penalties. After missing his penalty in the shootout against AC Milan, following his disappointing penalty against Manchester United in the previous season, it was certainly beneficial for the skipper to step up in pre-season and notch a couple to regain confidence. And what a couple of penalties they were, both the one vs Villarreal and his shootout strike at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday were excellently taken and supremely finished. However, it raises the question of whether the Arsenal penalty order has changed, especially after the arrival of specialist spot-kick scorer Viktor Gyokeres. The short answer is no, but the longer answer crosses over slightly into the yes column. In essence, Bukayo Saka remains the main penalty taker. It just so happened that when Odegaard was responsible for taking the penalties, Saka had left the field of play due to a substitution. Odegaard has always been second in line, and so it was not a surprise he took them. Where Gyokeres comes in is slightly different, however, because he is very well-known for scoring penalties, and the longer he goes on without a goal, there will be calls for him to take one – à la Kai Havertz. Hopefully, that will not be the case. But here, he, too, was not on the field for either of these two moments and, therefore, could not take the penalty kick. So we still do not know the official order other than the presumption for now, Saka is the main penalty taker, with Odegaard second. When both or all three are on the field and a penalty is won, we should then get our answer as to whether Odegaard has been supplanted as penalty taker number two. This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Sky Sports deal Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more. £35 Sky Get Sky Sports here Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow Football London Facebook X (Twitter) Comment More On Martin Odegaard Bukayo Saka Viktor Gyokeres Mikel Arteta Arsenal pre-season Arsenal

Martin Odegaard scored for Arsenal from the penalty spot against Villarreal (Image: Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

For the second time during pre-season , Arsenal won a penalty courtesy of Max Dowman's brilliance. Against Newcastle United and Villarreal, the 15-year-old used his skill to win two spot-kicks, both of which were dispatched.

However, it was not the typical penalty taker, Bukayo Saka, who scored them. Instead, captain Martin Odegaard stepped up to take the penalties.

After missing his penalty in the shootout against AC Milan, following his disappointing penalty against Manchester United in the previous season, it was certainly beneficial for the skipper to step up in pre-season and notch a couple to regain confidence. And what a couple of penalties they were, both the one vs Villarreal and his shootout strike at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday were excellently taken and supremely finished.

However, it raises the question of whether the Arsenal penalty order has changed, especially after the arrival of specialist spot-kick scorer Viktor Gyokeres. The short answer is no, but the longer answer crosses over slightly into the yes column.

In essence, Bukayo Saka remains the main penalty taker. It just so happened that when Odegaard was responsible for taking the penalties, Saka had left the field of play due to a substitution.

Odegaard has always been second in line, and so it was not a surprise he took them. Where Gyokeres comes in is slightly different, however, because he is very well-known for scoring penalties, and the longer he goes on without a goal, there will be calls for him to take one – à la Kai Havertz.

Hopefully, that will not be the case. But here, he, too, was not on the field for either of these two moments and, therefore, could not take the penalty kick.

So we still do not know the official order other than the presumption for now, Saka is the main penalty taker, with Odegaard second. When both or all three are on the field and a penalty is won, we should then get our answer as to whether Odegaard has been supplanted as penalty taker number two.