Thomas Partey: No Doubting Thomas

[Rasmi]

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

No Rice is not good enough for what he cost. For 105 million I would expect to say that position is locked like Sakas or Odes position. But he’s here now and cost what he cost. So you have to work around him. He’s simply too limited on the ball to ever be elite player

 

[Macho]

No Rice is not good enough for what he cost. For 105 million I would expect to say that position is locked like Sakas or Odes position. But he’s here now and cost what he cost. So you have to work around him. He’s simply too limited on the ball to ever be elite player

I think in the right system he is elite, like West Ham and for England (somewhat).

Arsenal asked way too much of him essentially and I think his previous midfield partners and having a bulk of his football education under Moyes and managers like that has been overlooked by the fanbase (and recruitment).

 

[A_G]

No Rice is not good enough for what he cost. For 105 million I would expect to say that position is locked like Sakas or Odes position. But he’s here now and cost what he cost. So you have to work around him. He’s simply too limited on the ball to ever be elite player

Nearly every midfielder needs the right partner to flourish. Even big money signings like Rice and Pogba.

 

[Entropics]

I have no problems with the idea behind Rice, he does have the talent required to evolve his game like that. He has a manager that at best restrains and at worst utterly ruins every attacking player we have so it was never going to work, but the idea is alright. I can see why Arteta insists with it, even if it brings a drawback as big as having Partey on the pitch making everything in his defensive tactic work worse.

The problem is in general believing a player not good enough for Wengerball like Xhaka is considered a vital cog in this team, a delusion which comes from a nostalgia overdose period where we played mildly well compared to the **** we're consistently served (our best football in the Arteta era was actually the one involving Lacazette but whatever)

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Rice is not the problem here. He's a flexible player that can do a job at 6 or 8, whether it is worth £105m might be a more valid line of attack. We have the use for such a player.

My problem is more that we have no ready made competition for Ødegaard. That is not good planning. It is too much to expect that of Nwaneri to be that player, and we've sent Vieira out on loan? It is a somewhat strange look.

On the whole our midfield strategy has been found wanting when Ødegaard got injured.

 

[High Elbow]

With the amount of money spent on rice, havertz, viera, merino we should have the best midfield in the world. An on form partey is indeed a special player but the fact that we'll still be lacking in midfield next season unless he renews is crazy.

 

[Red London]

Think the midfield looking better when he's there has as much to do with you desperately needing a player of his type more then Partey himself shining. He's playing well, though still levels below his 22/23 form, but you're absolutely starving for creativity and flair from deep which makes him look better by comparison. Like seeing water in a desert.

Half the forum were screaming for a DLP all summer yet you signed a discount Spanish Rice and to no one's surprise it's not working.



I feel like this was clear to anyone who'd watched him in La Liga. Fair few of us kept saying him paired with Rice would be woeful as they're very similar in what they offer; Merino doesn't cover for Rice's deficiencies and he's way below Rice in defensive ability, which means he's a fairly pointless signing outside of being a backup for Rice.

@Sebastes spent all summer saying this yet people kept comparing him to ****ing Xhaka for some reason

I still don’t see Merino similar to Rice lol. He has 2 things which Rice doesn’t do, press resistance where he invites pressure to create transitions, and is a menace getting on the end of crosses. These are 2 distinct traits of his game which Rice never does- he’s also more of a risk taker in general by the looks of things. They mainly just match because they’re dual monsters who aren’t incredible on the ball. But I agree, he’s not like Xhaka either.

Yes, he isn’t far away enough from Rice to make them a great combo. Mainly because we need a regista / controller of the ball at 8 or 6 to add more creativity to our midfield.

My counter to that is Merino wasn’t necessarily signed as the long term solution, but as someone who gives us another option and elite depth in midfield. Ideally we go out and sign a regista at 8 or 6 then we have a great set of options for 2 positions.

 

[Red London]

With the amount of money spent on rice, havertz, viera, merino we should have the best midfield in the world. An on form partey is indeed a special player but the fact that we'll still be lacking in midfield next season unless he renews is crazy.

Conveniently left out Ødegaard who is one of the best AMs in the world Rice and Ødegaard are both good enough to win you a title. We just need a different profile at CM to balance out Rice so we aren’t expecting him to create, and instead be one of the best defensive engines in the world in midfield.

Considering the type of CM we needed (plays between the lines, regista, can control tempo), there weren’t really many available this summer. Im praying we kept our powder dry for next summer where we are anticipating more options.

Partey is a good stop gap but even him, he’s a DM who can play a bit (his high risk press resistance and incisive vertical passes aren’t as common these days despite playing well). We need someone who’s a baller and can do some magic in there.

 

[High Elbow]

Conveniently left out Ødegaard who is one of the best AMs in the world Rice and Ødegaard are both good enough to win you a title. We just need a different profile at CM to balance out Rice so we aren’t expecting him to create, and instead be one of the best defensive engines in the world in midfield.

Considering the type of CM we needed (plays between the lines, regista, can control tempo), there weren’t really many available this summer. Im praying we kept our powder dry for next summer where we are anticipating more options.

Partey is a good stop gap but even him, he’s a DM who can play a bit (his high risk press resistance and incisive vertical passes aren’t as common these days despite playing well). We need someone who’s a baller and can do some magic in there.

I didnt leave out Ødegaard. If im not mistaken he was here before arteta. I did include Merino though, who you are implying isn't what we need by suggesting we still need to go into the market to yet again spend big for the kind of player you're describing..

 

[SA Gunner]

No Rice is not good enough for what he cost. For 105 million I would expect to say that position is locked like Sakas or Odes position. But he’s here now and cost what he cost. So you have to work around him. He’s simply too limited on the ball to ever be elite player

Part of the reason we were so defensively solid last season was because of the impact of Rice. He is massive for our structure when he is played to his strengths

You can make the argument for the price tag, but which player above 80m can be called value for money? Caicedo? Grealish? Enzo? Mudryk? Antony?

It’s always gonna raise eyebrows at that price tag. I think that’s a given.

 

[SA Gunner]

I didnt leave out Ødegaard. If im not mistaken he was here before arteta. I did include Merino though, who you are implying isn't what we need by suggesting we still need to go into the market to yet again spend big for the kind of player you're describing..

Wrong again. Ødegaard was loaned and then bought by Arteta.

If you want to have a go at Arteta and exclude Ødegaard because it won’t suit your narrative, you can rather say that Edu bought Ødegaard not Mikel.

Merino, TP5, Jorginho are floor raisers in my opinion. Players that will be here for another year, possibly two, while Nwaneri, Lewis Skelly, Ødegaard, Rice keep things moving in the seasons to come.

There is a need for a midfielder yes, noises of Baleba, Zubimendi all sound about right.

But the takeaway is.. we aren’t entirely happy with midfield and need more yes, but it’s also still of good quality I’d say

 

[High Elbow]

O

Wrong again. Ødegaard was loaned and then bought by Arteta.

If you want to have a go at Arteta and exclude Ødegaard because it won’t suit your narrative, you can rather say that Edu bought Ødegaard not Mikel.

Merino, TP5, Jorginho are floor raisers in my opinion. Players that will be here for another year, possibly two, while Nwaneri, Lewis Skelly, Ødegaard, Rice keep things moving in the seasons to come.

There is a need for a midfielder yes, noises of Baleba, Zubimendi all sound about right.

But the takeaway is.. we aren’t entirely happy with midfield and need more yes, but it’s also still of good quality I’d say

Ok you got me I couldn't be bothered looking it up. Look, Ødegaard was a no brainer especially for the price. I was suprised madrid let him go so easily.
Floor raisers you say..well on top of another elite midfielder most on here seem to think we also need an elite LW and striker. He (arteta) also better hope Myles kelly and calafiori, a midfielder and centre back, lock down that LB position coz surely we cant be looking at that position again anytime soon. If he is entrusted with more significant spending then he simply had to get it right since we're dealing with you know, hundreds of millions still! If after all that we're still lacking in major silverware the club will look foolish for handing such funds to someone on his first job.

 

[SA Gunner]

O

Ok you got me I couldn't be bothered looking it up. Look, Ødegaard was a no brainer especially for the price. I was suprised madrid let him go so easily.
Floor raisers you say..well on top of another elite midfielder most on here seem to think we also need an elite LW and striker. He (arteta) also better hope Myles kelly and calafiori, a midfielder and centre back, lock down that LB position coz surely we cant be looking at that position again anytime soon. If he is entrusted with more significant spending then he simply had to get it right since we're dealing with you know, hundreds of millions still! If after all that we're still lacking in major silverware the club will look foolish for handing such funds to someone on his first job.

While you looking things up from now on, I’d recommend you also look up…

Chelsea spending, with more experienced managers and football people.

Sp**s spending, with more experienced managers and football people.

Man United spending with more experienced managers and football people.

Man City spending with more experienced managers and football people.

I bet you will see something interesting.

But yes, I do agree. We have to get our spending right and deliver silverware against that spending. Arteta being a new manager doesn’t wash anymore because he is in the job, with the budgets, expected to deliver.

Arteta needs to deliver, otherwise he needs to go. We already see noises around our best players, like Saliba, making moves away

 

[High Elbow]

While you looking things up from now on, I’d recommend you also look up…

Chelsea spending, with more experienced managers and football people.

Sp**s spending, with more experienced managers and football people.

Man United spending with more experienced managers and football people.

Man City spending with more experienced managers and football people.

I bet you will see something interesting.

But yes, I do agree. We have to get our spending right and deliver silverware against that spending. Arteta being a new manager doesn’t wash anymore because he is in the job, with the budgets, expected to deliver.

Arteta needs to deliver, otherwise he needs to go. We already see noises around our best players, like Saliba, making moves away

Since you included man city in that list im not sure what the correlation is but let me guess..spending doesnt always equal success. I got one: arteta's lack of success doesnt justify more spending

 

[SA Gunner]

Since you included man city in that list im not sure what the correlation is but let me guess..spending doesnt always equal success. I got one: arteta's lack of success doesnt justify more spending

I include City in that list, to highlight the level of spending needed to get to success. And that's put next to similar levels of spending and failure.

Arteta's spending does need capping yes, I feel he has the tools to compete for the league now. But that needed the level of investment we've seen, to begin with.

I think lets also be realistic when we make statements. We need to understand what it takes to win at the highest level.

 

[Red London]

I didnt leave out Ødegaard. If im not mistaken he was here before arteta. I did include Merino though, who you are implying isn't what we need by suggesting we still need to go into the market to yet again spend big for the kind of player you're describing..

You’re mistaken. And I explained my thought about Merino in another post. We had Partey and Jorginho on a year left last summer. If they both leave we are signing a new CM. So my thought was that Merino was a signing for the meantime as we didn’t have other great options to choose from- if we let partey and Jorginho go (which imo we should), we are back in the CM market this summer. He is a first 16 signing rather than first 11. If we sign a marquee CM he will be providing elite depth.

 

[High Elbow]

I include City in that list, to highlight the level of spending needed to get to success. And that's put next to similar levels of spending and failure.

Arteta's spending does need capping yes, I feel he has the tools to compete for the league now. But that needed the level of investment we've seen, to begin with.

I think lets also be realistic when we make statements. We need to understand what it takes to win at the highest level.

Yeah im just not convinced arteta is the man. He is married to the idea of this left 8 duel winning player profile that he tried to replace xhaka with by signing havertz and merino. This makes me think he is too predictable moving forward so i think we can forget about winning CL while he is here. He has shown he can go on long winning runs in the league so at least there's a little bit of hope in that next season as we have blown it this season. I dont think our 100m midfielder is offering us anything remarkable at the moment. But hey lets throw him more cash to splash in midfield according to @Red London

 

[SA Gunner]

Yeah im just not convinced arteta is the man. He is married to the idea of this left 8 duel winning player profile that he tried to replace xhaka with by signing havertz and merino. This makes me think he is too predictable moving forward so i think we can forget about winning CL while he is here. He has shown he can go on long winning runs in the league so at least there's a little bit of hope in that next season as we have blown it this season. I dont think our 100m midfielder is offering us anything remarkable at the moment. But hey lets throw him more cash to splash in midfield according to @Red London

Yeah, agreed.

I think his move to being more conservative, I think that 4-1 drubbing at City in 22/23 was the turning point for him, will always have us playing with the handbrake on until he changes.

For us to truly dominate, I feel we would need to deviate from the consistent use of the hard, defensive minded left 8 profile Arteta loves so much. I feel that Rice is exactly the type of six that can give us that cover, while playing two attacking 8/10 profiles ahead of him.

A midfield of Nwaneri--Rice--Ødegaard is something that could really be incisive and sturdy in defense as well. I feel with this setup we would also get a lot more out of our forwards both on the ground and in the air.

 

[Riou]

Would like to just see the club move on from him now, run with Rice-Merino now and you even have a quality experienced player like Jorginho there and a promising youngster in Ethan too...let Partey go for free in the summer.

Sometimes even when a player is quality, when certain things are happening off the pitch you have to put football to the side and draw a new line under things from that point.

As I said we have our whole midfield fit again, lets move on.

 

[Maybe]

Would like to just see the club move on from him now, run with Rice-Merino now and you even have a quality experienced player like Jorginho

That's a big no-no