Before Arsenal’s first team-sheet of the new Premier League season arrived, Thomas Partey was not a pressing topic.
Where Jurrien Timber would play, and how Mikel Arteta would fit Kai Havertz in following Leandro Trossard’s impressive pre-season were the questions on the table.
Now after two weeks, the same matter raised at prior to that 2-1 victory against Nottingham Forest still remains: Partey at right back?
The Ghanaian midfielder was seen in this role on occasion last season, but rather through need than want.
It appeared all the more perplexing because the change has left Gabriel on the bench, despite being an integral part of the Gunners side last season, while Partey has long thrived in a central role. As an axis with Declan Rice could well be a daunting combination to face.
Thomas Partey is thriving at Arsenal this season despite new midfield arrivals at the club
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has deployed new defensive tactics at the start of the season
Gabriel has been subject to interest from Real Madrid and Saudi Arabia, which some believed to be the reason for him being on the bench so far.
Though Arteta dispelled that after myth the Crystal Palace match, saying: ‘Nothing at all (to do with a potential transfer). It’s about the games we were expecting, how I wanted to defend and attack.’
In context it revealed that Partey at right back is tactical. It does make sense to experiment at this stage of the season against opposition who are not challenging for the top four positions, as Arteta seems to suggest with ‘about the game we were expecting’.
More broadly, it frees up one of their prime attacking weapons: Bukayo Saka. As seen by his sublime curling strike against Forest, dropping a shoulder before whizzing the ball into the top left corner, the winger is a handful to contain — and then some.
Ben White played at right back in the last campaign and built a great connection with Saka on that flank. It emboldened him with the licence to think goalbound and be able to lose the ball through trying to make things happen.
Declan Rice’s (left) £105m arrival was expected to limit Partey (right) of chances but he has found renewed success in Arteta’s new system
Because of his influence, Saka can often be bombarded by his opposite number and a midfielder in a bid to stifle him.
Having Partey, who has good ball control and spatial awareness, at right back helps stop counter-attacks further developing down the pitch on that side and quickly win possession back when Saka is thwarted.
Against the more formidable sides, Arteta has the option of pairing Rice and Partey in the middle, bringing Gabriel back in as centre back and shifting White to right back.
There’s plenty of workable equations for the Arsenal backline — which many other teams would desire.
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