Arsenal see Thomas Partey both disappointing and destructive in debut season with Gunners after joining from Atletico Madrid for £45m. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP) (Photo by JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Witnessing the pursuit of Houssem Aouar fall apart in the dying days of the summer transfer window, Arsenal had to act fast. Mikel Arteta’s number one target slipped through his fingers, prompting Thomas Partey’s £45m release clause to be activated. Pure ecstasy.
A crazy deadline day appeared to be heading towards crushing disappointment until it came to light early in the morning that the Ghanaian was making his way to north London, a move mooted for months but felt was beyond Arsenal’s financial reach.
No two ways about it, that signing has been, thus far, a poor one. That could change vs Villarreal.
Plagued by injuries amounting to longer spells on the sidelines than he’d had in his entire career pre-dating Arsenal, the troubles of the squad in the Premier League and those of his thighs have not culminated in £45m well spent. Securing a player who won’t have anywhere near that resale value when his contract expires on the money dished out had undoubted risk attached. But, equally, not signing him would have been a big risk.
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Arsenal see Thomas Partey both disappointing and destructive in debut season with Gunners
As of yet, Arsenal are yet to see that expenditure start paying itself off. A large portion of that comes down to 17 matches he’s missed in his debut campaign and the subsequent fixtures where he hasn’t been at full fitness. Any player coming into a new environment with the dearth of quality around them will need time to bed in, even without factoring the string of setbacks.
To exemplify how weak Arsenal are in the midfield department, Partey’s indifferent form coincides with him still being, by far, the most talented of his teammates in the centre of the park; the way he can glide across the pitch, drop a shoulder, carry through the thirds and be the shield in front of defence with exceptional positioning is testament to that.
So, with so many endearing qualities, what is the issue? Well, it comes down to how you frame it.
Some stinging criticism has been directed his way, stemming almost entirely from two aspects: shooting and inaccurate distribution.
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<h2>Arsenal see Thomas Partey both disappointing and destructive in debut season with Gunners</h2>
<p>As of yet, Arsenal are yet to see that expenditure start paying itself off. A large portion of that comes down to 17 matches he’s missed in his debut campaign and the subsequent fixtures where he hasn’t been at full fitness. Any player coming into a new environment with the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/16/arsenal-19m-defender-partey-partner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dearth of quality around them</a> will need time to bed in, even without factoring the string of setbacks.</p>
<p>To exemplify how weak Arsenal are in the midfield department, Partey’s indifferent form coincides with him still being, by far, the most talented of his teammates in the centre of the park; the way he can glide across the pitch, drop a shoulder, carry through the thirds and be the shield in front of defence with exceptional positioning is testament to that.</p>
<p>So, with so many endearing qualities, what is the issue? Well, it comes down to how you frame it.</p>
<p>Some stinging criticism has been directed his way, stemming almost entirely from two aspects: shooting and inaccurate distribution.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> What Partey does not so well... </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-111167" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1298728205-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Thomas Partey" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 26: Thomas Partey of Arsenal receives medical treatment as he is substituted off during the Premier League match between Southampton and Arsenal at St Mary’s Stadium. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Thomas Partey Criticisms at Arsenal</h2>
<p>Signed as a defensive midfielder who would be given more license to express himself than at Atletico Madrid previously, the more advanced element of his game has been lacking.</p>
<p>His shooting, firstly, is surprisingly woeful. It’s almost an unwritten rule that holding midfielders have a vicious drive on them, feeding into the idea of them being ‘destroyers’. Not so with Partey. Not even <em>close </em>with Partey. Usually hitting Row Z or Solar System Z, he needs to hang fire with Mohamed Elneny when he does his shooting practice with Steve Round. Please.</p>
<p>Whenever he does score we can be sure the roof, and the net, will come off.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thomas Partey has provided two Premier League assists for Arsenal:</p>
<p>🅰️ Aubameyang vs. Newcastle<br>🅰️ Lacazette vs. Sheffield Utd</p>
<p>Turns his man, fires it forward, lets the striker do the rest. 🎯 <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://t.co/jyeF8xKr2Z">pic.twitter.com/jyeF8xKr2Z
<p>— Squawka (@Squawka) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/1381336356572557312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>April 11, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>However, it’s his passing which has caused the most dissatisfaction. Since his full return from injury, stray passes out of touch have become increasingly frequent, with Villarreal the latest demonstration of those tendencies. A few questionable decisions on the ball in those areas coupled with hopeless finishing are immensely frustrating as they detract from all the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/04/02/arsenal-vs-liverpool-thomas-partey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finer qualities</a> he does bring to the team.</p>
<p>The loose passes more closely resemble someone yet to fully understand their teammates. That excuse can only last for so long with 28 Arsenal games now under his belt and it’s clear certain relationships haven’t been built with all members of the squad. Such an on-field bond has been forged with Granit Xhaka, who when partnering the 28-year-old has helped produce his more established performances in red and white.</p>
<p>Partey isn’t comfortable with certain passes and freedom of movement when alongside Elneny or Ceballos, an area of his game that opens up with the Swiss to his side. While a player of his unquestionable quality should not be given a free pass – no pun intended – to make errors on the ball depending on his partner, you challenge any midfielder to bring out their best playing with <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/04/30/arsenal-make-ceballos-transfer-decision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an erratic Ceballos to one side</a>.</p>
<p>It even shows that when the Spaniard got sent off against Villarreal, Partey came into his own. He looked freer in his distribution, with bodies in front to aim for. He looked unshackled.</p>
<p>For the outlay and given the injuries severely hampering his progress so far, Partey has been a disappointing signing. But there is too much insistence to focus on negative aspects, the like of which will improve for next season. What about all the good he brings? Take him out of this side and the drop-off would be substantial.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> What Partey does so well for Arsenal </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-107710" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1283387454-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Thomas Partey" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 01: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal celebrates scoring with team mate Thomas Partey during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford. (Photo by Visionhaus)</p>
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<h2>Thomas Partey Brilliance at Arsenal</h2>
<p>The misplaced passes are not what was expected of Partey and require immediate improvement, but overall his accuracy this season sits on 87% (<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://fbref.com/en/squads/18bb7c10/2020-2021/all_comps/Arsenal-Stats-All-Competitions#all_stats_defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fbref</a>), the same as Martin Odegaard and 3% shy of Granit Xhaka, who averages 12 more passes than him each game. It works out at about eight missed per game for the Ghanaian.</p>
<p>That demands to be higher, but there is someone like Ruben Neves, famed for his passing accuracy, who records lower.</p>
<p>It’s almost of his own doing, but scooping a simple pass out of play and ballooning an effort into the top tier clouds the judgement of what he does unbelievably well.</p>
<p>Partey averages 4.37 tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes for Arsenal, far more than the next down the line. It’s the same for tackles made and won, both of which he sits top of by some margin. He makes the most in the defensive and middle third, boasting the best pressure success rate of all those at the club.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/charles_watts/status/1382820466822414336</p>
<p>What he doesn’t offer is regularly highlighted. What he does offer is outstanding defensive protection and positioning. Absorbing Diego Simeone’s dark arts have crafted him a masterful reader of danger, another trait that can be backed up by his average of 12.4 ball recoveries per 90 minutes. A stat he, unsurprisingly, is top of the list for.</p>
<p>It can, and probably will, be argued that this is his job. A defensive midfielder <em>should </em>excel in all these fields as they’re precisely what his role entails – and that is true. But it doesn’t take long watching Partey to see how much more qualified he is to play for a club of Arsenal’s stature in comparison to some of those currently on the books.</p>
<p>His elegance in possession, neat touches, high press evasion, speed of thought, aggression off the ball, to name but a few, are a cut above. This is an outstanding footballer who still isn’t <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/03/10/arsenal-olympiacos-partey-warning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at his best</a>. Systematically he’s played in numerous setups already, and signs are the double No. 8’s either side in a 4-3-3 could be where he truly comes into his own.</p>
<p>Partey has to do better in many facets but the criticism directed his way unjustly overlooks what stability and structure he brings to midfield. Of course, stray passes and hopeless shooting are on him and that can’t be overlooked. Yet, a player of his quality will always suffer when those around him are desperately below the standard required.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Unai Emery's old habits to aid Arsenal?" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/04/arsenal-vs-villarreal-unai-emery/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/05/arsenal-partey-disappointing-destructive/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/05/04/arsenal-vs-villarreal-unai-emery/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Unai Emery's old habits to aid Arsenal? </a> </div>
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<p>Not until next season will be likely see the best of Partey. That, it need not saying, was not the desired outcome when £45m was parted with back in early October. Far from it. Until then, however, the discontent his performances have merited must be balanced accordingly with the belligerent brilliance he brings to the team.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
