God. I've never seen a player look so lost in a big European night. And I'm not alone in thinking Arsenal's captain needs a reality check after Tuesday's nightmare.

Mark Lawrenson - you remember him, right? The guy who spent what felt like centuries on Match of the Day before they finally refreshed the pundit lineup - has absolutely torn into Martin Odegaard following that painful 1-0 defeat to PSG. And honestly? The man might have a point this time.

When Your Captain Goes Missing...

Let's be brutally honest here. Odegaard was practically invisible against the French side. I was at the Emirates with my brother-in-law (who paid a small fortune for our tickets, bless him) and we kept asking each other, "Is Odegaard actually on teh pitch?" Twenty completed passes. TWENTY. I've seen Sunday League players put together more coherent performances.

The stats tell a story that's uglier than my first apartment. Just 42 touches all game. A single dribble. Zero shots. It's like watching someone play FIFA with a broken controller.

Lawro Drops the Hammer

The former Liverpool defender didn't mince his words when chatting to Paddy Power. "The captain's armband should be taken away from Odegaard, so he can get back to focusing on his performances," he declared, probably while wearing one of those slightly-too-tight polo shirts he loves.

"We all know that he's a good player, but he's just had a six out of 10 season."

Ouch.

Remember When We Thought Odegaard Was The Second Coming?

Back in 2022 when Arteta handed him the armband, I wrote this glowing piece about how the Norwegian would lead us to the promised land. I feel stupid now. The 25-year-old has been wearing that armband like it weighs 50 pounds lately. One assist in eight matches? My grandmother could create more chances, and she's been dead since 2018.

I watched him against PSG and kept thinking he looked like a ghost at a family reunion - technically present but making absolutely no impact on proceedings. Meanwhile, Dembele was running our defense ragged and actually, you know, influencing the game.

Rice Rice Baby

Lawrenson's not just tearing down - he's offering solutions. And his solution wears number 41.

"If you gave Declan Rice the armband instead, you imagine that it wouldn't affect his performances, especially considering he was captain at West Ham," Lawro suggested.

And he's not wrong. Rice has been immense since joining for that eye-watering £105m fee last summer. The guy plays like he's been at Arsenal his whole career. My mate who's a West Ham season ticket holder texted me after we signed him: "You've just bought the best midfielder in England. I'm dead inside." Poor guy.

So... What Now?

Arteta's got a massive decision to make before that second leg in Paris next Wednesday. Does he stick with his under-performing captain or make a bold change? This is exactly the kind of moment that defines managers.

Let's not forget Lawrenson is 66 and won five league titles with Liverpool. The man knows a thing or two about what makes a good captain. When he speaks about leadership, it's probably worth listening.

Arsenal need something special to turn this tie around in Paris. And based on current form, they might need to look beyond their captain for inspiration.

I still believe in Odegaard's quality. On his day, he's world class. But lately? Those days have been rarer than a decent cup of coffee at the Emirates.

Next Wednesday will tell us everything we need to know about this Arsenal team's character. And perhaps about their captain's future too.