Last week, it was confirmed that Thomas Partey has returned to full Arsenal training after missing nearly three months due to thigh injuries.
Many expected him to return to the matchday squad for the game against Nottingham Forest, but he did not make it. Arsenal won the game 2-1, with Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka scoring.
Arsenal face Liverpool this weekend, and their top midfielder, Partey, could certainly help.
Arteta admitted this week how strong and capable Partey is. How the team benefits from his presence and why they need him back ASAP.
“He always looks strong and very good. That’s not the issue; it’s that we need him,” said the Arsenal boss.
“And we need him fit and available because he makes us better.
“We are better when Thomas is in the team.”
If I consider Mikel Arteta’s statements about Partey, I can’t help but think that if he makes the matchday squad to face Liverpool, he could be the Gunners’ secret weapon in that crucial match that could decide the title race. Arsenal’s prospects of winning the title would improve if they beat Liverpool on Sunday; if they lose, their effort to win the league will be made more difficult than it should be.
Hopefully, after featuring in training last week and this week, he should have found the fitness to return to action.
Daniel O
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This is good news
Sakai is awesome,Rice is a machine,Saliba world class but AFC’s main man is Thomas Partey we have missed him badly.
Games like this are perfectly made for him.
A fit Partey is a boon for Arsenal. However, I am sure Arteta will be careful and not rush him in. If Partey makes the match day squad though, surely Arteta will give him minutes and his presence in the midfield can influence the match heavily. We must remember that this match is a must win for Arsenal if we have hopes of lifting the PL title since I dont see Liverpool dropping many points this season specially since their players are determined to give Klopp a grand farewell. Partey is a strong and experienced midfielder and his defence splitting passes could greatly help the runs of ESR, Saka and Martinelli.
not sure Partey is a ‘secret’ weapon
but certainly it is opponents like Liverpool where we benefit most from Partey
against Palace and Forest makes little difference whether he is available, however versus a Liverpool or Man City he could be decisive
and it’s how Partey improves our defence that is more important than attacking contributions, again specifically with Liverpool on the weekend in mind
in the Defensive Midfield role with Rice to stifle space and time of the better quality creative players that Liverpool have, way better than their Palace and Forest counterparts
cutting off that supply to their forwards
we pushed Liverpool back in to the low block in the FA Cup loss, and inevitably they struck from relatively little ball and few opportunities, again the quality difference to other opponents
while not Klopp’s natural game, I wonder if they might allow us the ball again knowing we will over commit and give opportunities which Liverpool have the quality to convert
i hope not for three reasons, 1) the low block is boring to watch, 2) i think inevitably they will get the better of us, 3) we are much better when the opposition play football to with greater chance of winning
and given Klopp is ruthless, and determined to go out on a high, i wonder if he might play the percentages again against us
but a decisive as Partey could be on Sunday, i think we better get used to life without Partey, afterall we have plenty of practice as rarely fit to play
clearly his best is behind him, no player goes forever, 31 by the time next season starts, performance and fitness going in only one direction, the wrong direction
Arsenal need a new younger version for the start of next season, may be even two as Jorginho and Elneny are both gone too, new striker obsessives need take note here, £100m gamble (excuse the pun) on 14 non-pen goals Ivan Toney could leave us very exposed in the middle of the park
and Patino is a creative midfielder, not a steely enforcer defensive midfielder
‘ sicknote’Partey is unavailable for Sunday.A surprise? Not in the slightest.Arteta confirmed he’s a little setback.Sounding more like wenger by the day.