Fewtch
Özil at 10 And Emery Out
What about his role is undefined? He's a 6 and has been used as one at Atletico M and here.
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Thomas Partey: Midfield Tank Engine
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It was in a series of clandestine meetings in Madrid, held throughout the course of the 2018-19 season, that Thomas Partey spoke with Arsenal representatives about how he envisaged his role in the team.
The head of international scouting at the time, Francis Cagigao, was spearheading Arsenal’s charm offensive. Over lunch, Partey spoke at length about his style of play, his preferred positions. He said his preference is to operate as one of a pair of deep-lying midfielders, but he can also play at the base alone. He talked admiringly of Granit Xhaka, and admitted he could envisage playing in tandem with the Switzerland international.
But there was something else. Partey had a conviction that there he had more to offer, that he could get better. The structural rigour that Diego Simeone imposed on his Atletico team left little room for self-expression.
The overriding impression Arsenal received was that of a player who believed moving to England could unlock new dimensions in his game. The club have landed themselves a player with convincing credentials, a midfielder with Champions League pedigree. But even at a mature 27, Partey is not coming to London to rest on his laurels. He has joined Arsenal because he believes he can improve.
Partey was born in Ghana, but his professional development has been dictated by Argentine football lore. It is clear even from the number he wore for his final few seasons in Madrid. The significance of the No 10 shirt in Argentinian football is legendary — it is the number worn by iconic attackers such as Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona and Juan Roman Riquelme. There is, however, another number that holds a similarly sacred status: the No 5.
In Argentina, the “No 5” has become shorthand for describing the team’s most defensive-minded midfielder. Occasionally, Argentinians will describe a typical No 5 as a “pacman” — shuttling side to side, chewing up the turf and eating up loose balls. At World Cups, the number has been sported by Fernando Redondo, Matias Almeyda and Esteban Cambiasso. Javier Mascherano wore No 14, but he remained unquestionably a “cinco”.
At its best, exponents of the role combine defensive acumen with intelligent build-up. “When I think of the ‘cinco’, I like the type of player who assumes responsibility, who always offers for the ball, the one who manages the tempo of a team,” Redondo once explained. “It’s a very important position, you have to have a player who knows how to play, who reads the game, who has the precision to break the opponent’s press.”
Simeone, who won 106 caps for Argentina, was himself a No 5 — he once described his style of midfield play as akin to a man “holding a knife between his teeth”. It is the No 5 shirt that Simeone bestowed on Partey at Atletico — the same number he would have inherited at Arsenal, were it not for incumbent Sokratis failing to secure a deadline day move.
Partey wearing the No 5, representative of a position Simeone described as akin to a man “holding a knife between his teeth” (Photo: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
It is arguably more than just a number — it’s indicative of how Simeone sought to mould Partey. In the early loans at Mallorca and Almeria in which he first caught Arsenal’s eye, the Ghanaian played a variety of roles — box-to-box midfielder, right winger, even No 10. It was when he returned to Atletico that Simeone began to shape him into the holding midfield player he required.
Steadily, Partey absorbed Simeone’s tactical blueprint. In Madrid, they have observed that positional sense can be taught if a player has a willingness and aptitude to learn. “Partey is someone who brings you massive defensive stability,” says one Premier League scout. “Not particularly because he’s big, not because he’s strong, not because he’s especially quick — he can do that stuff, but it’s because of how he understands space.” It took Partey time to win Simeone’s trust, but when Atletico club captain Gabi departed in the summer of 2018, the Ghanaian began to settle into his central midfield role.
The scouting reports that came back to Arsenal described a player who was dominant in duels and efficient in possession. Despite standing over 6ft tall, it wasn’t his aerial ability that stood out — it was his ability to go into contact with another player, shoulder to shoulder, and emerge with possession. He is lean, but surprisingly powerful too.
Technically, he is as clean as you would expect for a player honed in the Spanish academy system. He has not been, under Simeone, a penetrative passer — under instruction, he has looked to play short and medium-range passes to circulate possession to more creative players.
A consummate team player, Partey arrives with a game underpinned by strict tactical discipline. Arteta has spent the best part of a year attempting to school this Arsenal squad in the importance of structure, spacing and phases of play. Partey arrives having already undergone a taxing football education. It is a language in which he is already fluent.
As the transfer window entered its final weekend, Arsenal were focused on finding a “cinco” of their own — or, in European numbering convention, a “No 6”. With Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi both departing on loan, Arteta’s only senior options in the role were Xhaka, Dani Ceballos and Mohamed Elneny. Arsenal were interested in Chelsea’s Jorginho, but the Italian international was not for sale.
Partey was a more expensive option — and perhaps a little older than Arsenal would consider ideal. The scouting department had also filed glowing reports of Lille’s 21-year-old Boubakary Soumare, with the substantial caveat offered that he remained raw. Ultimately, a decision was made by the Arsenal executive committee, including manager Arteta, that the club were happy to acquire a player already in the peak of his career, with a wealth of experience at the highest level, as opposed to gambling more on a younger, cheaper and less well-rounded option.
Able to play as the sole defensive midfielder or with a partner, Partey unlocks more midfield shapes for manager Mikel Arteta to use in future. He ticks all the boxes of Arteta’s specifications for a screening No 6. Partey is now the primary option for that position — more mobile than Ceballos and Xhaka, and more physically and technically gifted than either Elneny or Joe Willock.
Despite Arteta’s current preference for a 3-4-3, The Athletic understands Arsenal’s technical staff still envision the team ultimately developing into a 4-3-3 system, akin to the one adopted by Liverpool and Manchester City. Arsenal don’t have the quality No 8s that those two teams boast — a move for Lyon’s Houssem Aouar ultimately proved fruitless — but having Partey in place is at least a start. He can provide the security and strength through the spine that could enable Arteta to move away from the back three.
Perhaps he can offer more than that. There is a sense that Simeone kept Partey on a very tight leash. When he breaks forward, he offers considerable threat. He possesses a ferocious long-range shot off his right boot. At international level, he has occasionally operated as a second striker, and has an impressive record of 10 goals from 27 Ghana caps.
Arsenal are unlikely to push Partey into the final third — they have bought him as a defensive midfielder. However, with a little more freedom, he could help Arsenal build the play more effectively. His passing has the potential to be more expansive. His dribbling is an effective weapon in transition — only four central midfielders in La Liga had a higher dribble success rate last season (Arthur, Iddrisu Baba, Hector Herrera and Geoffrey Kondogbia). His ability to break through the lines could help Arsenal spring into attack.
Arteta is building a team, piece by piece. Signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to a new contract felt like an important component piece, and the acquisition of coveted centre-half Gabriel also looks like smart business. A spine is emerging. In Partey, he has his chosen holding midfield player — and Arsenal have their “cinco”.
In short, he's supposed to be our number 5/one half of a double pivot. Injuries and tactical experiments meant he's done everything at times this season like you alluded to.
Some of our rare, but better games this season had Xhaka and Partey at the base - I still can't understand why we didn't play against Villareal with Saka, Cedric or even a 50% Tierney at LB and just stick Xhaka in the middle.
That last paragraph now seems so misguidedly hopeful
he will be fine post Xhaka
since 2016 we have not had a balanced midfield... not sure you can balance a PL midfield with Xhaka in
three managers have tried ffs
since 2016 we have not had a balanced midfield... not sure you can balance a PL midfield with Xhaka in
three managers have tried ffs
Country: England
The whole article is a joke in hindsight. All the useful insights and information about Partey came from the past when we first approached him, which says it all.That last paragraph now seems so misguidedly hopeful
In any case - Arteta fancied Partey because his physicality and technical ability allowed him to (in theory) play him in a variety of ways. I remember Arteta saying this when he signed and as we can see, he wasn't lying at all.
Your concern/question is a genuine one in my opinion.
Riou
In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over
Country: Northern Ireland
Player:Gabriel
Does Xhaka not want to be here?
I imagine he's pretty content here, tbh...playing well recently too, well when he was in midfield not at LB.
Mitch
Blonde Brigade Grand Wizard
Piss poor again.
AfcDaniel20
Member
I dont watch La Liga so i hearing some arsenal fans who apparently watch Atletico i thought we were getting a Xavi/Viera hybrid machine. This guy is slower than Ceballos and has a weird way of passing the ball. I really want him to succeed but boy does he NOT impress me at all.
the worst part is that he doesnt really know how to build up the play or keep the ball. He really is a player for Simeone or Mourinho-ball.
the worst part is that he doesnt really know how to build up the play or keep the ball. He really is a player for Simeone or Mourinho-ball.
RunTheTrap
Kai Havertz Offense League
You just don't know ball.
AbouCuéllar
Author of A-M essays 📚
Yeah, if you listened to how Arsenal fans described him this summer it was pretty obvious almost none of them actually watched the player other than YouTube highlights. People making him out to be the perfect midfielder and saying he was more important than signing a creative midfielder / ten
He's a good player and I would sign him again, but yeah, you do make an interesting point about whether he has the tools in terms of distribution of play and intelligence in passing to really be a good 5 in a possession style. He's got a lot to prove on that front...he'll need a really good passer next to him in the pivot to get the best out of him, for me.
Ted Knutson was widely mocked for his take on Thomas, but tbh, for a rebuilding club, it was a questionable use of resources, as he pointed out at the time. I can live with that more than him because you need ready made players in a rebuild too and he is that, but what is still inexcusable is that we spent that money on him and failed to fill a far more important / impactful hole. That cost us any chance of a good season in the league, just such terrible and inexcusable summer planning.
Riou
In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over
Country: Northern Ireland
Player:Gabriel
Very good defensively, we didn't really look to attack much, so not sure what he could have done in that regard...but top player, hope he can stay injury free next season.
RunTheTrap
Kai Havertz Offense League
There is a reason why I couldn't look at this thread for too long because I will only end up making myself angry. "Slower than Cellabos", "can't pass", "waste of money", "worse than Xhaka" etc. He's had a poor first season and yet he's been pivotal in us winning at our two biggest bogey grounds, with the sideways merchant Elneny beside him too. He will improve next season, I'm sure of it. Until then that's all I can say.
ScotsGooner89
Active Member
Much better in second half. He has all the attributes to be an unreal prem midfielder, just needs forced by a strong manager to play a specified role.
Thought he was pretty good tbh, at least defensively he did really well.
AfcDaniel20
Member
which attributes are those? I see a lot of red flags to be honest.
- slow with ball and generally
- slow decision making, loses the ball very often in dangerous areas
- i dont think he has even touched the ball once with his left foot
- his passing has been horrible
dont get me wrong he is better than Elneny and Ceballos by a lot and the pivot with him and Xhaka has actually worked pretty well, i just dont think he is going to meet these super high expectations.
yes he is very good when in shape so get him a competent partner so it can free him to play his game.
He looked slightly sharper today, but he's been playing at 80% this season imo. Needs a nice long pre season with a plan with the fitness coach.
He's one of those players who needs to come out next season getting plaudits from commentators for being more fit. It's what's lacking from his game right now.
He's one of those players who needs to come out next season getting plaudits from commentators for being more fit. It's what's lacking from his game right now.
14Henry
Looking for receipts 👀
In shape or when we park the bus? It's easier to be effective just breaking play up when the other team have to play riskier passes etc.
However when we play open and attack as well as defend he seems lost. Or has at least seemed lost in some games.
Beksl
Sell All The Youngsters
Needs a decent partner in midfield. Should be our number one priority to find one this Summer.
People shouldn't expect him dominate the midfield every game because he have disturbed season he don't have good partner with him. the pre-season is key for him to get more in shape i think he'll be even better next season.
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