Ian Wright has stated that Arsenal were right to prioritise the arrival of Thomas Partey, but has urged them to return to their interest in Houssem Aouar in the coming windows.
The Gunners are yet to win a Premier League match since the arrival of the Ghanaian midfielder on Deadline Day, with their side having endured consecutive 1-0 losses at the hands of Manchester City and Leicester, but that isn’t down to the new signing in the slightest.
Our team could argue that our side was the better during both clashes, with only our finishing letting us down, but he did help us to clinch a win in the Europa League in midweek.
Ian Wright has been keeping close tabs on our new signing, and claimed that his performance in his full debut against Rapid Vienna was ‘magnificent’, but adds that they are still missing that main man to rely on creatively.
Asked about Partey’s arrival, Wright told Premier League Productions (via the Metro): ‘I’m very happy. The way he played in midweek against Rapid Vienna, okay they’re not the greatest opposition but he was magnificent.
‘He’s exactly what Arsenal are looking for. He can bring the ball forward and he can set moves going. I think we’ll see Xhaka dropping in and Ceballos further forward because at the end of the day that’s where Arsenal still need to create in that last third of the pitch.
‘I don’t mind that [Partey’s disciplinary record] because he’s somebody that does intercept. Already from his first game he’s got more interceptions individually than the rest of Arsenal’s midfield. He’s somebody that can win the ball but he can progress the ball. They still need more, he’s not the main one and that’s why Arsenal went for Houssem Aouar as well. I’m hoping they can still get him at some stage but Partey is a massive improvement on what Arsenal have got.’
His arrival definitely gives us more backbone, but as we saw last night, he alone can not make the difference to what has been our weakest area for some time, and Aouar would no doubt be a step in the right direction, while there are some other alternatives to him out there also.
Will Partey’s arrival bring out more from our creative players? Could Smith Rowe or Ceballos flourish given time in the same team as the Ghanaian?
Patrick