Thomas Partey Leading by Example This Season
Thomas Partey has struggled with injuries at Arsenal since arriving in North London in October 2020. Now the Ghana international is fully fit, he is leading by example on the pitch for the Gunners.
Partey is one of the best midfielders in world football. It was a huge coup for the club when they secured his services from Spanish club Atletico Madrid. A player of his quality is something the Gunners have been missing since Patrick Vieira left in 2005.
It is no coincidence that Arsenal’s results over the last couple of months have improved. Partey has been able to have a consecutive run of games on the pitch which has allowed him to find his best level.
After a terrible start to the campaign, some Arsenal fans feared the worst this season, with relegation a big concern. The Gunners are now big outsiders in the best EPL relegation odds, with Norwich, Burnley and Watford the top three in that market respectively.
Arsenal can now look towards pushing for a return into Europe. Partey has a lot of Champions League experience from his days with Atletico Madrid, so if they are able to secure a European spot again, he will be at home in the competition.
First Premier League Goal Came Against Aston Villa
Partey has never been known as a goalscoring midfielder during his career, however, he showed he can convert a chance when he scored against Aston Villa in a recent 3-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
If the Ghanaian is able to improve his goalscoring return this season, it will be a big boost to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. The Gunners have relied too heavily on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang over the last few years. They need other players to contribute to their goals tally this season.
The most goals Partey has scored in a campaign is five. He recorded that tally in all competitions in the 2017/18 year at Atletico. His side won the Europa League that season. Surprisingly, his goalscoring record for Ghana is much better than at club level. He has scored 12 goals in 33 appearances for his country, including two goals in October of this year.
Distribution Is of The Highest Level
As well as being a tough-tackling midfielder, arguably Partey’s best attribute is his distribution. In his recent run in the team, the Arsenal man has consistently broken through opposition defences with his well-timed passes.
Partey is able to keep possession of the ball very well. He is patient in that he is happy to wait for the opportunity to arise before releasing the ball. His stats back this up as he is often the Arsenal player with the most touches, passes and tackles in a game.
Arteta can build around Partey over the new few years when he adds to the team in the upcoming transfer windows. If they can find players of a similar quality, it may not be long before Arsenal are a big force once again in the Premier League.
