Thomas Partey with William Saliba

It is clear that Thomas Partey needs to return to the Arsenal midfield immediately

(Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Is a Mikel Merino and Declan Rice a midfield we can trust to take Arsenal to the next level? After the Newcastle game, that’s a question the Gooners will be asking themselves.

In the today’s Newcastle game, the midfield battle was going to be crucial. It is no secret how physical and intense the Newcastle midfielders always are; they’re what dictates the intensity the Magpies play at.

Ahead of the match, some of us called for Arteta to start Thomas Partey at midfield, but he didn’t heed our call.

The midfield trio of Mikel Merino, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard, selected by the Arsenal technical bench for that game, clearly struggled in the midfield battle, especially in the first half.

Based on the performance we’ve witnessed from the duo Saturday, we face a significant challenge if we are relying on a Rice-Merino midfield pivot. Declan Rice and Mikel Merino’s partnership, which we Gooners had hoped would be our future midfield pairing, left us worried. The midfield struggles to progress with these two, and it remains uncertain whether they’ll be better with Martin Odegaard.

That said, it is becoming clear that Arsenal still needs to bolster the midfield with not only a creative midfielder but also a #6.
Versus Newcastle Thomas Partey starting as a #6 would have surely been a difference-maker. The Ghana international playing right back is a waste of one of the best midfielders in the league.

Daniel O


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Tags Thomas Partey

35 Comments

  1. I honestly expected Arteta to go with Partey and Rice in the midfield against Newcastle
    Even though Partey had a good game against Liverpool from right-back, I thought Timber would have played there while Kiwior took the left-back position.
    But it seems Arteta does not trust Kiwior and would rather play Partey out of position again.

    1. It doesn’t appear it’s a matter of not trusting any of those players. For some reason, Arteta has not wanted Partey in midfield for quite sometime as he’s been experimenting with him for a long time in an area that’s always had good options. I don’t expect this to be the last time I see him played as RB despite it costing us elsewhere.

      I want to believe Arteta knows what he’s doing

  2. From the very first day I watched Merino in the midfield against Shakhter, I made it very clear that this is another Mikel Arteta’s poor purchase – just like Lokonga, Vieira, Kiwior and to some extent, Gabriel Jesus and Trossard. He bribed most of our fans with a set pieces goal against Liverpool, we, as usual, succumbed. Its now clear that Arteta made a wrong choice.
    We need Samu Omorodion as a striker in January; Fermin Lopez as an attacking midfielder; cheap right footed Central defender like 13m pounds rated David Odogu as an understudy to Saliba and another fast wide attacker like Hudson-Odoi.
    We have to offload Gabriel Jesus; Kiwior; Trossard, Merino and Vieira, to raise fund.

    1. Come on, that’s crazy to say Jesus and Trossard were poor signings!

      Jesus and Zinny took us to the next level, and we would have won the league that season if it wasn’t for the insane amount of injuries. Zinny we have moved on from in terms of quality, but Jesus’s potential has stalled because of injuries more than anything.

      And Trossard has been an absolute bargain of a signing! Obviously he’s not good enough to be starting all the time, but a fantastic squad player, and has been excellent for us for the majority of time. Not to mention he’s our best finisher as well.

      It’s all good and well criticising Arteta, but that was out of order, and kicking Arteta for the sake of it.

      1. 👍🏽

        However Zinny may have had a place in the midfield with Odegard out, but Arteta doesn’t want to play him there

      2. All signings must be looked at “in the round” of course, but while Jesus and Zinchenko provided something earlier on it’s pretty clear that they, along with the likes of Tierney and Tomiyasu, don’t now.

        I disagree about Jesus and his “potential” though. He has never been a prolific goal scorer. He has only reached double figures in the EPL three times since arriving in England in summer 2016-17 (twice for City, once for us) and his best was a reasonable (but no more) 14 goals way back in 2019-20. His goal tally was decreasing at City when Arsenal bought him.

  3. I think Merino needs to settle; learn Arteta’s system and understand his teammates before starting all these games.

    I think it should be Rice OR Merino in midfield, but not both. Those 2 are solid defenders, good physically, aggressive, but not a creative bone in their body, or turn and drive up field with the ball.

    Selling ESR and loaning Vieira looking quite suss lately. Trossard simply can’t handle the midfield job, and Arteta isn’t ready to risk Nwanarei.

    So that leaves us unbalanced and defense heavy; no creativity and unfortunately our defense has been subpar so far this year.

    1. Arteta has refused to rotate the scored that’s why arsenal keep dropping points. You can’t play Partey as aright back when you are playing a physical team like Newcastle, how do you play Haverts every game and yet he’s not scoring and there are games where he can’t help you like the physical one or if the team has got a red card.

      1. Arteta playing Harvatz has weakened everyone in front,the guy is so defensive, we play a boring game with him,let’s continue with Jesus upfront he will pick up his form

    2. At 28/29, Merino should have settled by now proving his worthy in my view.

      That might well be the case but we shouldn’t be having so many questions about him at this stage.

    3. From what Merino does for Real Soceidal and Spain he is a box to box midfielder. It’s the coach doing different experiment due to the absence of Odegard. The midfield is meant to be:
      Rice Pathey Odegard
      Or
      Merino Pathey Odegard
      Or
      Merino Rice Odegard
      Imo Trossard in the mix is what is making the guy not effecient.

    4. how can the defence be okay when we cant constantly play progressively upfront because we are playing with 2 no 6 in Rice and Merino? If you ask me MA should have brought Nwaneri much earlier for creativity purposes. This boy oozes class and a perfect Odegaard deputy not Trossard play Party at 6 and have Rice as 8,,,,otherwise we are faultering our cup chances because of ego.

  4. Arteta is showing his lack of nous, this season. Taking Partey out of midfield, when he is (with Rodri out) one of THE best midfielders in the league is unforgivable. We had defenders fit today, who made it, not necessary to mess with the team. Plus I don’t like this swapping of false 9s between Trossard and Haverz. Play Haverz as a no9 and Trossard at 10, end of. He is messing the job up. Many of the players look like they don’t have a clue what they are supposed to be doing. Even our defence has got holes in it. We were beaten in the middle of defence today, with a great cross but poor awareness by Saliba and Gabriel. Isak was the only player in there. We are looking lost.

      1. Know Better?????? White was on the bench, so fit. But we had a natural replacement in Timber. We had Zinchenko and Kiviour, we had Skelly. We had the option of playing 3 or 5 at the back. We had many options but moving our best midfielder to RB was not one of them.

  5. If White and Timber are both fit Partey won’t be at RB. When all are fit and in form, Odegaard, Rice and Partey are our starting midfield. Give Merino a chance before writing him off, besides Martinelli, Jesus, Zinchenko and Trossard have been here much longer and they are clearly not good enough for a title winning first 11. Why do we always have to have scapegoats even though we were bad collectively ? That said, I think Partey is in his top form and waisted at RB and should only play there in an emergency situation, he has surprised me how good he has been there though. Time for MA to show he has what it takes to turn this around, and quickly.

    1. Since he came, Partey has been the best midfielder at arsenal bar none. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise really.

  6. Trossard played CF. It was Havertz who played the right-sided AM role

    Partey can be replaced by Rice or Jorginho for the CDM role

    Odegaard’s role must be assigned to someone who can cut inside and make diagonal passes easily from the right wing. Nwaneri would likely be better to deputize Odegaard than Havertz

      1. Zinchenko would’ve been able to do it if he was pacier and possessed a better stamina

        The safest bet for an aggressive 90-minute high-press would be Nwaneri, because of his age

  7. Another problem arsenal is facing is that the coach does not trust all his players. Because in the absence of Odeguard you could fix in Nwaneri on his position but you only want play aged players saying Ethan is still young and yet Lamine Yamal is Ethan’s age mate but he’s starting at Barca

    1. Good comment Peter. Nwaneri should be in the starting line up as he will spark up the creativity the team lacks as result of Odegard absence.

  8. Arsenal was too poor against Newcastle because the midfield was very porous for a little seeking team like. arsenal Besides arsenal team from the midfield to upfront lack a winning fighting spirit and zeal to score goals. Infact arsenal I should sign two solid strickers and a Mobil midfielder in January . For now the tittle race is still open,nobody should write arsenal off yet. Our captain will be back soon to motivate his armies to winning ways again.

  9. A lot of people in the Arsenal diaspora do not rate Partey highly. Setting aside his personal life, his control of midfield is probably as good as Rodri. The calm with which he moves the ball AND with the ball is out of this world.

    I am quite bewildered you’d take out one of the best midfielders in the world and put him as a flank defender. It’s a shame to not see him in midfield while he is fit. Players like Partey (when fit) are who make you win the PL, much like Rodri. But likely Arteta knows better and I don’t have the information he does.

  10. Terrible management,

    To have White on the bench and play Partey at right back beggars belief.

    And before anyone writes in saying that White wasn’t fit enough to complete 90 minutes, well if that was the case, he shouldn’t be in the matchday squad. If your in the squad then your fit to play. (End of story).

    Did Arteta learn nothing from last season, playing Partey at right back is a complete waste of Partey’s main strength of being a very good combative midfielder.

    Just another of Arteta’s baffling decisions this season.

    And his continued ignoring of Nwaneri is just down right stupidity on his part.

    Arteta’s chance has come and gone in the last two seasons.

    While Arteta is in charge, Arsenal will not win the league, it’s that simple.

    1. Thank you my brother I bought your statement here. Why will be on the bench when you know he can come in later, he could have started in the first place and partey start in the middle with Rice. I don’t know if the gaffer is reading our suggestions and criticism of he’s game every week. Anyway that one is gone. Next is intermillan game. Hopefully White is still okay. Let him start from the right and partey to middle. Also Trossad to start from the bench. Let us see.

    2. Arteta’s balls has become boring, u have to wait for a corner kick to have a goal,drop Harvatz who only scores while playing from Emirates, last season still better

  11. Arteta is overjoyed in my own opinion. I don’t see him winning the title with Arsenal. It is stupidity of the highest order to overthink these things through and decide to play Partey at RB. I can’t wrap my head around such studied decision. Mikel Merino will expose Mikel Arteta’s incompetence. For heaven’s sake, give Nwaneri a chance to showcase his talent and stop saying he is too young and bla bla bla. Maybe the Mikel is Merino’s name is what is making him prefer him.

  12. Party playing RB was a colossal error on Artetas part.
    When he plays in the middle Rice is freed up higher and with his ability to drive forward we could have better
    opportunities upfront. Merino Trossard and Havertz really never pushed the Newcastle defense as all of them played in neutral spaces with no deep threat. Pushing Havertz to #9 would have caused some problems to Newcastle and opened up space for Rice or Trossard. Bad call from Arteta hopefully he fixes this quickly.

  13. Thomas Patey should always be at the midfield where he works well.jesus should play no 10 in tha absence of ordeggard. Trousard should come as a substitute for mattinell.

  14. Most players are struggling this season and on the look, players are not playing the arsenal game. instead play with fear which gives the opponent boldness to crash the arsenal midfield while causing punic on defenders. The KYO (know your opponent should be done for every game we face..
    I am so worried that the fluidity lacking this season is due to lack of science in ball passing and approach in the final third originates from training. Forwards need to read each other’s movement and make calculated crosses, passes and decisions in the final third.
    With tight defense from opponents, long range shots can save.
    Rice and Martineli should be rested for two weeks. Let the academy graduates be starting the first 30mins while mixing with the senior players.
    I believe they will save arsenal from losses.
    Red cards should not scare players. Just be smart, avoid careless play, never waste opportunities by improving accuracy..
    Over benching players causes them to lose firm. Sterling came with morale but has been quenched. Arteta our manager please play all players. They are all good its you who kills the fire in them by benching. Praying for the best ahead.

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