In Arsenal’s 4-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night, Thomas Partey demonstrated his talent. Although there were expected bids for the Ghana international, whose contract with Arsenal expires next summer, he is more likely to stay.
After a tremendous run in the last five games of last season, anchoring the Arsenal midfield for five straight wins, then captaining Ghana in two post-season World Cup qualifiers, and still being fit to play a key role in the preseason, one can argue he’s found a way to sustain his fitness.
Despite having a lukewarm preseason, he was outstanding against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night. He didn’t start the game and came on as a late substitution, but he looked much more agile in his 28 minutes for Arsenal against Leverkusen, and he had a burst of speed that we hadn’t seen in a long time.
Partey is just something else; his understanding of the lone 6 role is extraordinary. He literally dominates the entire midfield, and his passing skills (both short and long range) are incredible. With Partey on the pitch, Rice and Odegaard play higher forward, unlike when he’s replaced by Jorginho, when the two end up dropping deeper.
If we want to smother teams and score more goals, Partey is the No. 6 we should look to next season.
Some Gooners aren’t thrilled that we’re keeping him, but they don’t realise that when he’s fit, he has special traits that can help Arsenal. His availability next season will be crucial for Arsenal’s title bid.
Jack Anderson
