By Danong
In the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa, Thomas Partey’s lapse in marking Ollie Watkins, leading to the equaliser, has fans furious with coach Mikel Arteta for sticking to one strategy: playing the midfielder at right back.Partey filling in at right back does more harm to the team than good. Arsenal entered this season with their sights set on winning the Premier League, but such results make their quest for league glory trickier.
- Arsenal 3-1 Southampton
- Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool
- Newcastle 1-0 Arsenal
- Fulham 1-1 Arsenal
- Brighton 1-1 Arsenal
- Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa
In these six games, Arsenal has only managed one win. Why highlight these games? Well, those are the league games Partey has filled in at right back.
For sure, Thomas Partey at right back is not having the impact it was meant to have on this team.
It is about time Mikel Arteta and his technical bench were bold enough to try someone else at right back and play Partey in midfield (we score more and win more with him as a #6).
Mikel Arteta has made some bold decisions that have paid off, but there's one thing most of us fans would like him to embrace. The Spaniard ought to play his best players in their best positions.
Thomas Partey, ignoring the right-back issues, has had a great campaign in red and white. As the pivot in Arsenal's engine room he has excelled, creating chance after chance, making those crucial tackles with the penetrative passes to follow.
Though controversial to say, him playing right back is not the problem—his absence in midfield is where the problem lies.
Against Villa, Arteta should have been bold enough to play Partey in midfield where he excels, with Jurrien Timber at right back, where he's shown his true brilliance.
His decision to move Partey at right back meant that four players were forced to change positions!
Partey was one, Timber moved to centre back was another. Rice moved to #6 and Merino brought into the starting 11 as a left sided midfielder makes four.
So, who would I have Arteta replace the injured William Saliba with (expected to be sidelined for two weeks)?
Jakub Kiwior, a center back, should be covering for Saliba unless Ben White or Tomiyasu return soon.
Mikel Arteta has made some bold decisions that have paid off, but there's one thing most of us fans would like him to embrace. The Spaniard ought to play his best players in their best positions.
Thomas Partey, ignoring the right-back issues, has had a great campaign in red and white. As the pivot in Arsenal's engine room he has excelled, creating chance after chance, making those crucial tackles with the penetrative passes to follow.
Though controversial to say, him playing right back is not the problem—his absence in midfield is where the problem lies.
Against Villa, Arteta should have been bold enough to play Partey in midfield where he excels, with Jurrien Timber at right back, where he's shown his true brilliance.
His decision to move Partey at right back meant that four players were forced to change positions!
Partey was one, Timber moved to centre back was another. Rice moved to #6 and Merino brought into the starting 11 as a left sided midfielder makes four.
So, who would I have Arteta replace the injured William Saliba with (expected to be sidelined for two weeks)?
Imagine you don't have a proper striker, don't have your best winger and then you opt to not play your available best midfielder in midfield and also opt to not play your available best right back at right back. How'd that patched-up team work?
With so much at stake, Mikel Arteta, please try playing your players in their best positions.
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3 comments:
Spot On.
Not sure I really follow this. Partey is at most our fourth choice right back. Given that fact, he's done pretty well.
Was the same story beginning of last season when this experiment had to be abandoned. I lost for words that this is still being continued. Wonder if it is simply to accommodate Merino who will probably be a great option in due course.
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