Thomas Partey: No Doubting Thomas

[Dokaka]

Yeah sure it was a little over the top, Partey isn't great defensively. But to say he's absolute **** defensively isn't true either, he pocketed Diaz as a RB with a MOTM performance.

Defending 1vs1 at RB is not the same as defending in midfield. Partey let's himself down with his positioning more than anything and he doesn't have the legs anymore to make up for it like he did in 22/23.

With Rice at the base we are much better defensively, but we're creating jack ****. And then people complain about how our football is stale and not as exciting as 22/23. We need better passers in there to get that type of football.

Don't disagree with this, I think the club ****ed up in the transfer window by not replacing Partey/Jorginho and have been very vocal about that.

If it was up to me I'd say **** it, put Rice at 6 and play Nwaneri and Ødegaard in front of him. The current setup isn't doing it and with the amount of points already dropped I'd just go for the hail marry and give Nwaneri a proper go.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Partey doesn't have the legs to play the #8 role for us. Is Rice good enough to get us out under pressure? He always plays the safe pass, hardly opening up the game. Partey and Ødegaard especially have a great chemistry, he often breaks lines to find Martin. Meanwhile Rice, who is amazing defensively, can't do this.



Yeah sure it was a little over the top, Partey isn't great defensively. But to say he's absolute **** defensively isn't true either, he pocketed Diaz as a RB with a MOTM performance.

With Rice at the base we are much better defensively, but we're creating jack ****. And then people complain about how our football is stale and not as exciting as 22/23. We need better passers in there to get that type of football.

Of course rice is good under pressure unsure what going on this season but he clearly been playing with injury or something we bought Rice to DM not LCM what we do is wasting 100M we used him currently last season and caused 15 G/A with him helping us not conceding many

 

[BigPoppaPump]

If you think we’re too defensive and aren’t creating enough now it would just get much worse with Rice playing as a 6.

He’s just not a good 6 guys, he offers nothing other than tackling. The ball won’t ever get up the pitch with Declan at the heart of midfield.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Of course rice is good under pressure unsure what going on this season but he clearly been playing with injury or something we bought Rice to DM not LCM what we do is wasting 100M we used him currently last season and caused 15 G/A with him helping us not conceding many

You keep saying that, but Rice just doesn't offer what Partey does (or Jorginho for that matter) on the ball. Rice is an excellent DM and his off the ball work is great. So why isn't he playing as a 6? Because Partey is much better on the ball. Rice can't turn the opposition over with his passing, and he often opt for the safe pass. Which will bring us non-exciting football, completely dependent on Ødegaard and Saka.

Meanwhile Partey and Jorginho are quality passers, who can receive under pressure and break lines with their passing. This is how you open up opponents and make life easier for our attacking players, because the other team isn't defending collectively.

 

[BBF]

Don't disagree with this, I think the club ****ed up in the transfer window by not replacing Partey/Jorginho and have been very vocal about that.

If it was up to me I'd say **** it, put Rice at 6 and play Nwaneri and Ødegaard in front of him. The current setup isn't doing it and with the amount of points already dropped I'd just go for the hail marry and give Nwaneri a proper go.

It would have been interesting to see if the club brought in a younger profile to succeed him. Maybe that's Rice, or dare I say it, the club might have intended to give him another contract during the season. I'm hoping Rice gets games as the 6 and we call it a day.

 

[Rasmi]

At what point was he suspect defensively?Chelsea have some pretty talented players who were up for it and playing at home. Thought he did alright. We you guys expecting complete domination? We werent at our very best but I think if chelsea play like they did today they will be pretty hard to beat at the bridge. Still our best midfielder

There’s this myth Rice is some sort of wall no one gets by in the middle. He’s as easy to get by. He is quicker, but his reading of the game is worse and he’s positionally suspect. Arteta don’t play him there consistently to protect him from being exposed

 

[Penn_]

If we’re entirely dependent on Ødegaard and Saka regardless of who plays 6. Surely the extra defensive cover comes out top?

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

For us to go back to our assuredness defensively, we have to get Rice back in the six, no question about that. It was Rice’s role when we went on that long run last season.

The question is… where does TP go? Does he play alongside Rice in a double pivot? Does he drop to the bench entirely and Jorginho/Merino/Nwaneri come in as the 8? Or does TP become the 8 himself?

Question questions… will we have the answers in time?

Everything you said is an option. I just hope they are all trued at some point especially if we get a good cup draw. If he can play RB, he can certainly cover for Cala when he goes wandering. It doesn't really matter with him and Jorgi as they should both be off the playing roster in the summer.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Defending 1vs1 at RB is not the same as defending in midfield. Partey let's himself down with his positioning more than anything and he doesn't have the legs anymore to make up for it like he did in 22/23.



Don't disagree with this, I think the club ****ed up in the transfer window by not replacing Partey/Jorginho and have been very vocal about that.

If it was up to me I'd say **** it, put Rice at 6 and play Nwaneri and Ødegaard in front of him. The current setup isn't doing it and with the amount of points already dropped I'd just go for the hail marry and give Nwaneri a proper go.

You're last paragraph is what I want to see. It's a lot of unfair pressure on Ethan bit I'd trust him and MLS to share that burden and keep playing them as much as reasonable. Partey has been okay positionally. It's the speed to get to the first man with the ball that has disappeared. We should have moved Partey and Jorgi on tbh and gone for a Caicedo type. We have Rice/Merino/Partey/Jorgi all inadequate in some crucial way. Horrible squad planning.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

You keep saying that, but Rice just doesn't offer what Partey does (or Jorginho for that matter) on the ball. Rice is an excellent DM and his off the ball work is great. So why isn't he playing as a 6? Because Partey is much better on the ball. Rice can't turn the opposition over with his passing, and he often opt for the safe pass. Which will bring us non-exciting football, completely dependent on Ødegaard and Saka.

Meanwhile Partey and Jorginho are quality passers, who can receive under pressure and break lines with their passing. This is how you open up opponents and make life easier for our attacking players, because the other team isn't defending collectively.

Rice is better defensively but we need to give our actual defenders some respite and attack is the best way to do that. The best option is to pray that Rice can pass to Ode or the left 8 quickly and just sit in. The trouble is that we can be shut down very easily. We spent a lot of money to get a midfield that's insufficient.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Rice, Merino, Ode, Partey


Someone’s gotta ride the bench! Was actually quite impressed with Merinos cameo against Chelsea after an initial bad pass.

 

[fute]

Spent all that money on Rice, who is a 6, but doesn't play him there. Puts him at 8 where he is even less effective.

Why?

Arteta is 'ruthless', no? Look at Ramsdale, Zinchenko, and Jesus as of late when he has better/more effective options.

Yet he doesn't do the same to Partey.

There is a reason for it.

 

[High Elbow]

There’s this myth Rice is some sort of wall no one gets by in the middle. He’s as easy to get by. He is quicker, but his reading of the game is worse and he’s positionally suspect. Arteta don’t play him there consistently to protect him from being exposed

Our defensive game actually hasnt been bad. We've been ruthlessly punished this season without giving the opposition too many chances. It's our attack thats been the problem. You cant always expect to keep clean sheets. The opposition could score from their sheer quality or luck or referee decision. Maybe trying trying to score more on the other end might help a little.

 

[Macho]

All I know is since Partey we've signed

Rice,
Havertz,
Merino,
Jorginho,

on central midfield and this 30 something year old on the last year of his contract still starts.

What gives? We could have done better surely?

 

[A_G]

All I know is since Partey we've signed

Rice,
Havertz,
Merino,
Jorginho,

on central midfield and this 30 something year old on the last year of his contract still starts.

What gives? We could have done better surely?

Sign someone else instead of Havertz

 

[Rasmi]

All I know is since Partey we've signed

Rice,
Havertz,
Merino,
Jorginho,

on central midfield and this 30 something year old on the last year of his contract still starts.

What gives? We could have done better surely?

The Rice transfer has really fvcked us over in many ways. Not only the feee, but it has made future signings more complex as we need players that fit with him. Even in here we go from needing a better ball playing 6 or technical 8 to drop him to 6. Just awkward transfer

 

[Macho]

The Rice transfer has really fvcked us over in many ways. Not only the feee, but it has made future signings more complex as we need players that fit with him. Even in here we go from needing a better ball playing 6 or technical 8 to drop him to 6. Just awkward transfer

He has his fans but yeah Rice to be quite frank wasn't needed as much as I expected.

Regardless of whether he remains 6 or 8 we will have to recruit to around him to make up for his short comings, which many were super against doing for prior signings.

His purchase was based on Havertz working in midfield and it hasn't.

 

[A_G]

The Rice transfer has really fvcked us over in many ways. Not only the feee, but it has made future signings more complex as we need players that fit with him. Even in here we go from needing a better ball playing 6 or technical 8 to drop him to 6. Just awkward transfer

We would’ve needed a technical 8 regardless once Xhaka left. Odd post.

 

[Rasmi]

We would’ve needed a technical 8 regardless once Xhaka left. Odd post.

That was Havertz. The original plan was Rice 6 and Havertz as 8. Just shocking planning and one that forever makes me question this man. I would give Rice long run in the 6 position to see how well he can play and in the summer spend big on a technical 8 and bring in a young 6 for depth. My fear is huge fee on Zubi and Rice permanent 8

 

[A_G]

That was Havertz. The original plan was Rice 6 and Havertz as 8. Just shocking planning and one that forever makes me question this man. I would give Rice long run in the 6 position to see how well he can play and in the summer spend big on a technical 8 and bring in a young 6 for depth. My fear is huge fee on Zubi and Rice permanent 8

So you agree the problem wasn’t signing Rice, it was not replacing Xhaka.