When it comes to the most in-form team in Europe at the moment, it's hard to look past Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's side are top of the Premier League table, have reached the Champions League quarterfinals, and have won nine of their last ten games.
Any number of players could be singled out for praise, but when it comes to the genuinely undroppable stars, Martin Ødegaard and one of his teammates spring to mind.
Martin Ødegaard's performance this season
Ødegaard was unreal for the Gunners last season, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in 45 appearances. Yet, he might just be playing the best football of his Arsenal career at the moment.
In the last ten games, the midfield maestro has scored two goals, provided four assists and been the perfect leader for this young Arsenal side.
David Raya may have received most of the praise for his brilliant penalty shootout heroics against Porto – and rightly so – but it was the Norwegian wizard who ran the show that night.
He grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and laid on the chance for Leandro Trossard to level the score with a truly magical bit of skill.
The 25-year-old's underlying numbers are superb as well, with FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, placing him in the top 1% of midfielders for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for non-penalty goals and touches in the opposition's penalty area, and the top 4% for progressive passes, all per 90.
Shot-Creating Actions
Top 1%
Non-Penalty Goals
Top 2%
Touches in the Opposition's Area
Top 2%
Progressive Passes
Top 4%
Total Shots
Top 6%
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
Top 6%
Progressive Passes Received
Top 6%
Non-Penalty Expected Goals
Top 7%
Expected Assists
Top 9%
Overall, the mercurial ace has made himself utterly undroppable, as has his more senior midfield partner, for that matter.
Jorginho's performance this season
Jorginho has been simply brilliant for the Gunners this season, not in the same ways as his Norwegian teammate mind, but his impact when he plays has been just as significant – as have his absences.
The north Londoners' one loss in their last ten was away to Porto, a game in which Arteta opted to rest the Italian, only bringing him on for a short cameo at the end when it was clear the team had little control over proceedings.
So, in the very next game, guess who starts?
Minutes
89'
Expected Assists
0.29
Touches
109
Accurate Passes
92/103 (89%)
Key Passes
1
Duels (Won)
7 (4)
Interceptions
1
Tackles
1
The "world-class" veteran, as described by Arteta, not only started the game against Newcastle United but also dominated it, winning the Man of the Match award for his efforts.
The midfield general put in a similar performance at home against Liverpool as well – receiving a 9/10 match rating via the Daily Mail – proving that when it's a must-win game, he simply has to start. And that's the thing: every game is a must-win game for the Gunners now.
Ultimately, Arteta is incredibly lucky to have a squad full of players who could legitimately argue why they're undroppable, but when it comes to Arsenal's best midfield, it simply has to include Ødegaard and Jorginho.
