Jorginho’s performance in Thomas Partey’s role has left us with many questions. Questions like, “Are the Gunners better off without the former Atletico Madrid man?” Without him against Chelsea and Newcastle, Arsenal’s midfield has looked in control, with Jorginho’s calm efficiency proving to be the missing ingredient in Arsenal’s 4-game winless run prior.
Arteta has been keen to play the 4-3-3 formation, where he has two No. 8s and one central midfielder playing the traditional No. 6 role. Thomas Partey has played that role well, but in recent weeks he was just not delivering; he struggled with tracking runners, had unstable distribution, and had lapses in concentration, which exposed Arsenal’s defence. This was highlighted in the 2-2 draw with West Ham, where his flick on the edge of the box led to a penalty for the Hammers. Partey’s culpability continued during Arsenal’s loss to Manchester City, where he gave Kevin De Bruyne the freedom of the pitch to conduct City’s 4-1 win.
After falling to Manchester City, Arteta tried to get his midfield in order, resting the formerly reliable Partey for Jorginho. The Arsenal No. 20 has now started Arsenal’s last two games against Chelsea and Newcastle, and honestly speaking, the former Blue has taken his chance to impress with both hands.
Unlike Arsenal’s No. 5, Jorginho has been a steady presence in the last couple of crucial wins for Arsenal, providing the team with balance in midfield. With Jorginho in front of the back four, Xhaka and Odegaard have been able to take more risks and be more creative in their play; the two have been “cooking.” Xhaka managed two assists versus Chelsea, while Odegaard managed a brace against Chelsea and a goal versus Newcastle.
Jorginho’s positional discipline and clever distribution have enabled Arsenal’s midfield to flourish. He has been a winner for Chelsea and Italy despite missing maximum power and recovery speed; his performances for Arsenal have made him look like a transfer steal.
This season, Partey has failed to live up to expectations when it mattered, begging the question: if Caicedo joins, could he easily snatch him his spot in Arteta’s starting 11 if Arteta doesn’t stick with Jorginho?
Of course there is also Arsenal’s ongoing links with a move for Declan Rice, who would definitely be a starter next season if he arrives, but the fact is that an increased squad is needed for the Champions League next season, so it looks like Arteta and Edu have got a few things to think about once the season ends, including a future plan for Fabio Vieira….
Questions, questions, questions!
Darren N
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Video – Mikel Arteta talks about the reasons Arsenal have dropped from the top, and addresses the question of if we “bottled it”
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