I sit here by the glow of my computer screen, look out my window at the inky morning, and all I see is that Arsenal are signing Thomas Partey.
That’s what my timeline says, anyway. Multiple reports now that Arsenal are negotiating with Thomas Partey over a contract and that the club will pay the player’s release clause.
I had put this deal way out of mind. Arsenal had come to Atletico earlier this summer and asked to buy the player for less than his release clause. Atletico refused and Arsenal then turned their attentions to Aouar and once again came in with a lowball bid, which was also rejected. My sense (I have no inside info) was that Arsenal wanted to pay less than £40m for either of these two players and that both clubs laughed at our advances. But now here we are stumping up the £45m necessary to get Thomas Partey. and frankly, we need him.
Arsenal have loaned out Guendouzi and Torreira (news is breaking that this may be off) this summer. That gives us just three reliable MFers – Elneny, Xhaka, and Ceballos. It would have been madness at the “we’re only buying Petr Cech” level to go into the season with just those three players in midfield but it looked more and more like that was what we were going to do.
But then we did a surprise. Oh Arsenal, you tricky devil. And we went back in for Partey and this time we are going to just pay the release clause.
That does beg the question of why we did it this way but we can only guess at that: probably because Aouar is the better of the two players? Aouar would be the more valuable for Arsenal, since he’s an actual creative MFer, and he’s younger, and he probably has resale value even if he turns out to be less than worth the full price. But there were noises that Aouar was reluctant to join us and Aulas (President of OL) kept saying he wanted Arsenal to pay £55m. So, that deal broke down. And now here we are.
As for the player himself (Partey), I don’t have enough eyeball time to say much. I remember watching him disappear in a lot of games and wondering what all the hype was about. Only for him to suddenly pop up with a great tackle or dribble out of pressure in midfield. But that’s not really fair because Champions League games are weird and Simeone is especially defensive when he plays against a more attacking team.
But the stats also don’t suggest that he’s a star midfielder. He does a lot of things pretty well; he’s a pretty progressive passer in short/mid ranges and has a lot of experience in a counter-attacking, quick pass up the pitch sort of team. But his long passing isn’t great and he tends to kick the ball out of play a lot. He’s not a shot creator and doesn’t assist. He can dribble, quite well. 84% success rate over the last two seasons. That’s excellent. And he’s rarely dispossessed and doesn’t turn the ball over easily when targeted. He doesn’t make a lot of defensive actions but he did win 40% of his one-v-one tackles on dribbles last season.
He’s a big fella. Pretty good with the ball in small spaces but not a wizard when left alone.
What I hope (wish!) that this signing will do is get rid of the back three that Arteta feels the need to play. Partey is athletic enough to cover the defense and with/alongside Xhaka or Ceballos we might even be able to field a midfield 3 with an attacking mid.
Arsenal Transfer Club did play a football match yesterday – unconscionable to play games while we are still in transfer season – and actually we saw Arteta deploy a midfield three late in the game. He moved Willian to the attacking mid, put Pepe wide right, and told the team to attack. And we scored two goals right away off of that.
It was the only bright spot in what was otherwise a midwinter drab affair and got me wondering (wishing, really) if Arteta might not want to move to this formation and if he’s trying to deploy it slowly. I know that he wanted to shore up the defense first and foremost. And while the xGA isn’t better, the actual goals allowed is.
But the Arsenal attack is suffering. Not just suffering, we are one of the worst attacking sides in the League, by EVERY metric. Something has to be done to fix this problem and Thomas Partey isn’t – as far as I can tell – the direct answer. He’s not a Cazorla or an Ozil. He’s a box-to-box MFer. But indirectly he could be. If he’s able to patrol the midfield and cover the center backs – while still getting the ball forward – then it’s possible that Arteta could slowly start to wind up that awful back three.
Please.
He can be arteta’s “gilberto” signing. Wenger signed gilberto to improve arsenal’s offense.
Where did you hear that?
also, Arsenal’s best offensive (shots created, big chances created, xG) season since 07/08 was when we had a full on DM in Coquelin
Would be be fair to compare him to Arteta – not glamorous but efficient, adding physicality as well?
Of all the player’s we were linked with this summer, Partey is the one I’m least excited about. But, I will gladly welcome his arrival simply because he appears to be an effective, functional and experienced player that should be able to slot right in. Like you, I’ve been underwhelmed with what I’ve seen of Partey, but I do think his presence would allow Arteta to transition to a 3 man midfield in more games.
Yesterday’s match was drab in the extreme and every time Luiz came under pressure, my stomach hurt. Positives were there, however: Arteta showed a willingness to change, Pepe made it clear that he wants to play and win, Bellerin again showed that he’s getting back to his best and Gabriel again showed that he’s already our best defender.
What did you think of Pepe’s game? Willian’s?
I’m trying to stay positive, but that will be much easier when this transfer window closes.
After having said last week that Arsenal don’t attack effectively on the right hand side, they then go ahead and score a really good goal. Never a bad idea to keep your mouth shut! Pepe linked up nicely with Hector and put the ball away beautifully. That might indicate what part of the problem may be. Bellerin has been bang average since his injury, but last night he looked in much better touch. When he gets back to form, assuming he does, then you might see a different Pepe.
I don’t see how you can possibly leave Saka out. He and Pepe can give us the creativity we lack. Play 4 at the back and put Willian in midfield. Auba has to go up top. Laca and Eddie just aren’t cutting it.
We might start looking like a football team.
I agree with pretty much all of this.
Better for gunners to offload partey coz he is our pravided problem a standard defensive midfield
welcome Thomas partey
Maybe Arteta sees Smith Rowe as an option in that attacking midfield or maybe willian will end up centrally so partey patrols the midfield.
Smith Rowe has had a long term injury. Shoulder, I think. I would certainly like to see him get a run, once he’s fit. Had a season up in Huddersfield. The Terrier fans up there thought he was the business. He may well be the long term plan to take over from Willian. I hope so.
Paging Claude with a reference to elegant beasts…
It feels very un-Arsenal to just up and pay the release clause for a player. My impression was that he was more of a target for the previous administration than for Arteta, which is why we were prioritising Mikel’s preference in Aouar, a player of obvious technical quality who can move us up the pitch, and a profile we currently don’t have.
I don’t know Partey but I don’t have a lot of faith in Emery et al’s player choices and while he’s hopefully an upgrade on Elneny and Xhaka, he adds to a profile which we already have kind of covered.
All these are reservations to what is otherwise great news that we are finally addressing that hole in the midfield. Let’s hope Partey is the right-shaped peg.
Thanks for the shout out, Greg.
Tim’s caution about Partey is well worth noting. Everyone looks good in a “Welcome To Arsenal” YouTube compilation. I can say that he LOOKS the part. If he’s half as good as his Ghanaian forerunner Michael Essien, we would all be happy. Ever since Vieira left all those years ago, we’ve been lusting after big, physically imposing midfielders who tackle every blade of grass and who can score goals in lung-bursting runs up the middle. We even used the term “tough tackling” to describe Xhaka and Elneny when their imminent signings excited us.
He’s better that no additions, though, so if we get him, I’d be quietly happy with our business even as I regret that we missed the injection of creativity that Aouar would have brought. Hey, if a player wants to come to you, they do their part to shake the tree. From the reports I’ve read, Aouar clearly did not regard Arsenal as a step up.
Forget individuals for a moment. Here’s what I think we need…
1. Yes, the physically imposing and quick shield that Xhaka is not
2. Line breaking ferryers like prime Wilshere (notice how good Iwobi was for Everton on Saturday?)
3. Magicians and tricksters who can work in tight spaces… can ferry, pass and score. Spring a through ball that no one saw coming. Willian, Saka and Pepe will all get assists, but they are not born unlockers and lock-pickers.
I wonder what Mikel would have done with Ramsey, the kind of hard worker that he likes.
And I understand the Jorginho talk. He is a player in Arteta’s own mould… a thinking midfielder, and a top-tier penalty taker.
When we got Arteta shortly after that 8-2, some of us thought that Arsene, in going after a guy who mainly played the 10 for Everton, was going to play him as an attacking mid. But no, he played in the back of midfield, and although he was not a 6’4″ tough tackling, black physical specimen, what he did was read the play superbly. That is where he stayed till his legs went and he uncomplainingly accepted his role as a captain who was mostly on the bench.
My hunch is that Arteta wants/wanted a smart player more than he wanted an elegant beast. The kind of player that, ironically, Emery also targeted in Ever Banega.
Sad about Guendouzi. There’s a baller in there, although he could improve his offensive output. I read what seems to be a credible report that he refused to apologise, in a disciplinary hearing, for his on-field behaviour. I’ve no issues with Arteta taking an uncompromising attitude towards hotheads, no matter how talented they are.
Arteta has always said (quite rightly) that certain things are “non negotiables”.
It looks to me that Guendouzi over stepped the mark and wouldn’t back down. If so, then he had to go. The thing is, the rest of the squad would have been watching to see if Arteta would weaken. If he had’ve done, his credibility would have been finished.
A shame, but there you go.
Au revoir, Matteo.
He might live to regret it.
Can’t say I know a ton about Partey. But there is one thing he offers that we don’t have in midfield at all: Pace. Umm 2 things he offers that we don’t have in midfield: Strength. Err 3 things we don’t have. Dribbling.
If Partey’s addition lets us move to 4-3-3 and have Saka, Auba, Pepe and Willian in the side, with a dash of Ceballos, plus Bellerin coming into great attacking form, I think we have a chance to improve dramatically.
Like others, I know nothing about Partey except that Clive on the Arsenal Vision podcast is really keen on him, and I tend to like Clive’s opinion!
But I also wonder why we failed to address the creativity problem this summer. Ok, well I guess we did sort of did with Willian, who some believe will be used a bit like a #10 under Arteta? But Willian is 32, and it would be weird if he was able to play at full throttle for even a majority of our season.
All that to say, I think we have to put on our “project rebuild” hats for now in terms of expectations. We all knew this project would take more than one summer window to fix, and some, including myself, predicted that Arteta would need at least two or three years before we started to see real progress.
I will say that Saka looks like he has a ton of potential in terms of creativity. That kid has got some fantastic vision. I wonder if he’s the reason we didn’t feel like throwing huge money at Aouar?
I know that Smith-Rowe has his admirers, but he’s not ready for top level football. Willock and Nelson are squad players. I hate criticising young players, but can only go with what I see. I’ll never warm to Elneny. He’s tidy and positionally disciplined, but he reminds me of office workers who manage to look busy without actually doing anything. But he starts games for Arteta, who re-animated Xhaka and binned Ozil. So what do I know?
What’s clear of our midfield is that, as Arsene used to say, “we are short.”
Smith-Rowe not ready for top flight football? Maybe not, but we won’t know if we don’t play him. As I said earlier in this thread, he’s been out injured. He had a very successful loan period, which is quite rare amongst Arsenal youngsters. My hunch is that he will surprise a few people, given half a chance. He was the star in his year group, coming through the youth system. I like his energy and attitude. I suspect, so does Arteta.
We won’t know if we don’t play him? That’s not how it works. We are not a hit and hope club, I’d have thought. Hey, from what I have seen from the extended play time he was give under Freddie, I don’t think he has it. He runs about a lot. Presumably means he can press effectively. I don’t see what Saka shows us… the ability to slow the game down in his head and “see” the play or bigger picture. But it’s what Arteta thinks that matters. And if he is played and comes good for us, I’d be very happy to be proved wrong. Not all of our solutions are internal… we have to buy.
That’s might be how it works. We will have to be a “hit and hope” club. Going forward, we will rely on young players coming through. All the development income around the stadium is finished. Arsenal rely on match day takings, which is one of the highest in Europe. That income has completely dried up. We’ve performed badly in the transfer market. We’ve just spent a lot of money on Partey and are still shelling out monster pay packets for players who don’t even sit on the bench. I can’t for the life of me see where the money is coming from. Even poor old Gunnersaurus has been given the push.
I think the other thing you have to bear in mind, is that transfer business is even more “hit and hope”. You can spend an awful lot of money and still not be sure of what you are getting. I don’t need to give examples of that. Any Arsenal fan will have a list as long as your arm. There are so many reasons why transfers don’t work out. The player doesn’t like the food or the weather. He struggles with the language. His wife doesn’t get on with the neighbours, hates the shops and misses her family. The list goes on and on. I’m sure if you sat down with Arsenal Wenger over dinner, he would have a few stories to tell! I suppose the advantage with promoting from within, is that they are the “devil you know”. Emile Smith Rowe has been at the club since he was 9 years old. Do you think there is anything about him that the club don’t already know?
The other consideration is the “home grown rule”. Where are we are on that numbers-wise? I imagine it’s a bit tight.
Of even more significance, I found out today Gunnersaurus has left the club. Presumably his wages were putting a toll on our already stretched finances. A bit like Mesut. Rumours that Man Utd have put in a bid for him are unsubstantiated.
No, no, not gunnersaurus. Darn, now im going down.
Some smart aleck on Guardian said Mesut Ozil should don the Gunnersaurus mascot outfit since he is not that busy on matchdays.
The sad thing is, the bloke inside the outfit has been doing Gunnersaurus for over 20 years. A dyed in the wool Arsenal fan, who has been supporting the club since the early 1960s. There is something about that that doesn’t sit comfortably with me. He’d have probably done it for nothing.
Ahm, well, yea short of mfd, though Willock, ESR and Saka are there, no? Xhaka, Elneny, Cellballo and 3 youngsters. Think we can live without Lucas and Guen (btw Id love to see what Bielsa could do with Guen).
But yea, a powerful defensive mid would be like a christmas gift. Paining for it all year long
It’s great news that we are in for Partey because it’s quite clear that we will struggle to finish in the top four with our current midfield options. If Partey can allow us to revert to a back 4 as a solid screening element in a midfield three, on present form a first choice three of Ceballos, Partey and Saka/Willian, then we will be a much better balanced outfit. Fingers crossed we pull the deal off.
Maybe just maybe Partey is on his way. Heres to hoping.
i like thomas but i don’t know that he’s what arsenal needs. i used to watch him quite a bit before the whole bein sports debacle went down in the u.s. he used to come off the bench and play on the wing. gradually, he became a bigger part of their team, settling in central midfield. i’ve seen him play as a #8 but never as a #6; big difference in mindset. with that, i think he’s a bigger version of elneny/xhaka which, to the tune of £45 million makes him an expensive redundancy. with that, he’s played for a very defensive-minded coach for a long time so he’d likely be tactically sound. we’ll see.
as for guendouzi, i love the kid. i’ll be watching a lot of hertha, i guess. he’ll shine in germany because he’s a great talent. i’m surprised that arteta hasn’t given him a chance to come back into the side. there’s no way he’s not better than some of the guys ahead of him. he and dani could yo-yo minutes in a way that eddie and laca do. arsenal don’t really have cover for ceballos and shouldn’t play elneny and xhaka together. we’ll see what mikey has in mind as manager.
maybe mikey will bring wilshere on a free…that’s the kind of business arsenal has been doing. likewise, theo looks to be headed back to southampton. crazy times for old arsenal players.
Jack’s situation makes me terribly sad. Shocked to see that he’s still only 28. I spoke about “prime Wilshere” upthread. But he’s anything but his 20 year old self.
I look out for the ex-Arsenal lads, and was most worried about Theo, who is going back to Southampton. Iwobi shone on Saturday. Good to see that he retains utility to Ancelotti.
Very sad. A very talented player. That was almost part of the problem. The opposition felt duty bound to kick lumps off of him. I remember one season reading the stat that he was the most fouled player in the Premier League. I can actually believe that. My abiding memory of him, was him picking himself up off of the ground on the edge of the box, after being fouled (again). Hardly surprising his ankles are finished. Could have been an Arsenal great. Would have looked good in the current side. Similar in some ways to Liam Brady.
Josh – You have been right many times in the past – more than I have, for sure – so I am hesitatnt to dissent on your Partey opinion, but I must. Our lack of pace and acceleration in midfield has been a consistent problem for years. In this league, pace matters. Once any team breaches our midfield we are completely overrun. We can’t keep pace with counter attacks. Partey has the pace to catch people and tackle to nullify threats. And to snuff them out with acceleration and power we haven’t been able to deliver. The knock on effect will be allowing the rest of the midfield to play higher up in a more attacking oriented game, rather than having to be so defensive-minded. When was the last time we had a player who simply outran and muscled opponents off the ball?
Thomas will allow us to play through the middle in a way we just can’t with our current midfield. It won’t be as easy to harass and beat us up. This signing is our best since Auba, Ozil and Sanchez. Possibly even more transformative. But so far you’ve been right about Pepe having an Iwobi-like value. Let’s see if I’m eating my words again in a few months.
Well, it’s official, so I might as well start watching some best ofs.
Wow, I must admit I’m surprised by the muted celebration! I’m thrilled with this. Arsenal haven’t bought big in midfield since, well, never. Certainly not for a guy whose primary job is not to score or create. Isn’t this what we’ve all been saying we’ve wanted for years? Arteta describes him as an intelligent footballer. The stats show a guy who can win duels and progress the ball. The eye test shows a guy who can dominate physically. What’s not to like?
Of course we won’t know the behind the scenes of how all this went down. But one plausible scenario is that we were in for Thomas all along, waited until the last second so nobody would jump on the deal ahead of us, and got it done. The interest in Aouar was probably genuine but it also served to throw other clubs off the scent. The gunnersaurus announcement this morning in a strange way told me the club was very confident of making a splashy signing; doing a thing like that on deadline day is just inviting memes and trolls. They knew it would quickly get buried in Thomas Partey news, and it has. Don’t fear by the way: he will be back when the fans are back.
Wow, I must admit I’m surprised by the muted celebration, y’all! I’m thrilled with this. Arsenal haven’t bought big in midfield since, well, never. Certainly not for a guy whose primary job is not to score or create. Isn’t this what we’ve all been saying we’ve wanted for years? Arteta describes him as an intelligent footballer. The stats show a guy who can win duels and progress the ball. The eye test shows a guy who can dominate physically. What’s not to like?
Of course we won’t know the behind the scenes of how all this went down. But one plausible scenario is that we were in for Thomas all along, waited until the last second so nobody would jump on the deal ahead of us, and got it done. The interest in Aouar was probably genuine but it also served to throw other clubs off the scent. The gunnersaurus announcement this morning in a strange way told me the club was very confident of making a splashy signing; doing a thing like that on deadline day is just inviting memes and trolls. They knew it would quickly get buried in Thomas Partey news, and it has. Don’t fear by the way: he will be back when the fans are back.
The team has its alpha dog at every level now. We are adding a top player to an already good team. This is big stuff.
I have watched Partey play. For a comparison,think Roy Keane. If Arsenal suddenly had peak Roy Keane in this midfield,how would it play?
I think his passing metrics would improve immensely under Arteta. In a defensive system,a team which plays with no real wingers to hit,his possession metrics don’t shine that much.
I think the biggest thing we gain immediately, is we build through the right more.
Willian/Pepe haven’t been involved in the game much this season, everything goes through LHS.
Need to use the right more.
I don’t think back 3 hinders us offensively.
The system changes into 433 when we are in possession anyway. LWB becomes LCM, LCB becomes LB.
What hinders us offensively is the lack of balance in attack.
We lack creativity,ball retention and goals in the front 3.
Since Willian signing,we improved some on ball retention
If we play a functional front 3,laca drops to the bench.
Then there is not enough goals and creativity in the team.
Now if you play laca,Auba goes wide and our creativity and ball retention reduces(laca has good linkup play but bad hold up play so can’t retain and combine in the final third like Giroud).
It’s an imbalance that holds us back massively.
We should have signed a creative LW and moved Auba to 9 and played Saka RW.
Arteta targetting Aouar and Partey suggests to me,he is thinking in terms of his system.
Very Pep/Conte ish.
Wanting the exact cog that fits the system.
If he could simply add some players and make correct tweaks in attacking dynamics even if it puts the system on hold, would have been better for arsenal.
It’s something Klopp/Poch do.
Much better way to recruit.
I think signing of Partey is great news. I don’t care how much money is involved. What matters to me as a fan is whether we perform better with him in the team. Everybody says build your team from the back. Guess what, Arteta is doing just that. Maybe Arteta wants to be Pep-lite but right now he is more of Simeone-lite. He is clearly working on making us hard to beat. That is the first step.
Creativity will be the next evolution of the team. Don’t be surprised if you see Ozil in the team sometime during this campaign. I also feel that Arteta will adapt his system and push players like Willian, Saka and Ceballos to work harder in the final 3rd. Maybe Xhaka will get pushed forward. Let’s wait and see. There are a few options there. If Partey becomes Viera Mk2 then we have every chance for TOP 4 Trophy this year.
Totally agree that building a better attack is next. I don’t think Ozil will have any role in that, simply because the team has moved on from him and he won’t even be around in a few months time. The future of this team will be built around the spine of Aubameyang, Thomas and Gabriel. In the meantime, guys like Saka and Pepe need those minutes to gel and grow into creative roles.
Interesting comments regarding Partey today. Stating the obvious, we’ll know soon enough.
But Edison Cavani at Manchester United? Now that’s hilarious especially looking back on some the massive big names that flourished elsewhere but flopped at Old Trafford.
Falcao, di Maria, Schweinsteiger and a certain Chilean sold from Arsenal who apparently wanted out after his first training session!
Call ii Schadenfreude, call it whatever you want but I’m really enjoying their season and I think this signing will only make things “better” (more entertaining).
I enjoyed the Sheffield game and am enjoying it more now that we’ve signed Partey. Thoughts on the game:
1. I’d been in denial about how much CF is a real problem area for us. Lacazette and Nketiah are just not top 4 quality starting strikers. Sigh. Nketiah didn’t deliver and I didn’t feel confident Laca would make a difference either.
2. But this Auba guy is good… what if…? We looked a different team when Pepe came in and Auba went central. Willian, who had been bad, looked lively and creative when he moved center/left especially when combining with…
3. Saka. Tim, did you already do a Saka vs Aouar comparison? I’ll go back and check. Even before we signed Partey, seeing Saka vs Sheffield made me much more sanguine about missing out on Aouar. I guess it’d be nice to have them both…
4. But I’m excited about Partey because seeing Gabriel against Sheffield brought home this rather basic point (which I’ve had to deny for so many years as an Arsenal fan): having physically dominant players in the center of the park who are also good footballers is… amazing!! Even during the decent days of Mertesaker-Koscielny, we always felt a bit iffy at the back–Kos a bit small, and Per a lot slow and a bit squishy in the air. Our DMFs have famously been lacking since Gilberto: limited footballistically, slow, and prone to bouncing off of people/falling down at inopportune times. So this lineup gives me hope:
Saka Auba Pepe
Willian
Partey Ceballos
Tierney Gabriel Luiz(Saliba, get well soon!) Hector
Or even the “awful back three” doesn’t look quite so awful:
Saka Auba Willian or Pepe
AMN Ceballos Partey Hector
Tierney Gabriel Luiz
I wasn’t really caught up in the transfers this time around, but I wanted Partey ahead of aouar.
It’s not based on any stats or even having watched many of his matches. From the little I’ve seen I have a very good feeling about this.
I think he and xhaka will form a great partnership and we will go back to a 4231. Suddenly we also look like we have options in midfield with Ceballos, Willian, Saka or even Willock or ESR able to play as an AM, or an advanced #8. When Martinelli returns our attack will have more options too.
I believe top 4 has to be our target, and that we’re good enough to get it.
PS. Really horrible to send Gunnersaurus out to pasture. Even if it’s temporary.
Agree with Shard on this one.
Don’t watch a lot a Spanish football these days and none of Atletico Madrid, mainly because I find Simeone’s style boring but any player coached by him will definitely be ready for the PL from day one………unlike someone from France, no matter how talented( Pepe anyone?)
I find it weird someone would think Partey wasn’t Arteta’s choice and we only got him because somehow Emery wanted him two seasons ago and only now this has been realized.
I think Arteta wanted both Aouar and Partey , but always knew the latter could be had by simply activating his buyout clause at the eleventh hour.
Unlike most, I was never that bothered about Auour, but very excited about the prospect of getting Partey. Maybe it’s my age, but I’ve been pining for a physical MF with pace who could can also dribble for 15 years. Alex Song is the closest we’ve come and he wasn’t the answer. Ok, it’s not as sexy a signing as Auour, but going into the season with Xhaka and Eleneny as our two main MFers just doesn’t bare thinking about, I’m very very pleased with this purchase.
As an aside, I’m extremely happy to see all the Trump get well soon wishers got their wish, so he can get right back to doing the fantastic( or was it tremendous?) job curtailing the Covid19 pandemic.
The carabao game and last epl games weren’t 3 at the back formations. Note that
Shocked at the lack of enthusiasm at this signing. Maybe not seen by all here, but I watched both the CL games vs Liverpool and he was immense, the best player from either side over both legs. Just a couple of snippets for you to counter “the stats also don’t suggest that he’s a star midfielder”:
Partey is the only LaLiga midfielder to play 500+ minutes this season (19/20) with 80+% take-ons success, 80+% pass accuracy, 65+% aerial duels won and 60+% total duels won.
In Europe’s top five leagues this season, Thiago Alcantara is the only player out of the 247 that have attempted 50+ take-ons with a higher success rate than Thomas.
Maybe that’ll help…?
Yes, he’s a good dribbler. I addressed that even mentioning his high rate of dribble success, excellent close control, and very low dispossessed rate.
I apologize that folks are having a slightly different reaction to this signing than you are. But no one is down about the signing at all.
So Ozil has come up in this thread a few times. Look, Ozil is done at Arsenal, and if the manager isn’t even picking you in an 18 man Carabao Cup squad, the writing is clearly on the wall. But let us be honest with ourselves here… it is both a footballing decision and not a footballing decision. Their statements on the player, including Arteta’s, have been contradictory. The club is trying to bully a player on a fat contract in lean times (albeit one who doesn’t fit the coach’s tactical plans) to leave. I find it funny that folks who like to laud Arsene’s ideals are fine with this treatment of one of its longest serving players. Arsene would not have treated the player in this way. And before you come at me about the Frenchman’s lean latter seasons, he had a record of stellar success before that. Thing is, he always retained his values. What sort of club do we want? What sort of values do we want to see reflected in the club we support? One in which footballers are merely commodities?
That is the agreement the player reached with the club. If he is underperforming in training and application, fire him, tear up the contract and dare him to sue. If you want him off the books, pay off his final year. The Kroenkes can find the money if they want to. Just stop the evasions and awkward shifting narratives from the coach and others. Ozil, like a good old fashioned worker properly briefed by his union, is under no obligation to surrender a year of a good income to an already wealthy management.
This is how I see this issue. You’ll probably differ from me on this.
Not at all, I’m completely with you. He is well within his rights to collect his wages just as Arteta is well within his rights to bury him on the depth chart. Not sure there’s anything too nefarious about this.
Quite right. If Arsenal were silly enough to offer him a contract like that, then he has every right to take it. Caveat Emptor. The club are proving to be equally cynical.
Apparently, he’s offered to pay Gunnersaurus’s wages. He might be having a dig at Arsenal. Alternatively, he might just be a good bloke. I think his stance of refusing to take a wage cut, until he knew where the money was going, was also spot on. A shame his career went the way it did. I’m not sure it was necessarily his fault.
Tim, you’re right when you say this signing indirectly, directly improves our attack. The 3 at the back has meant one fewer player in the attacking half, so it’s no wonder shots and creation stats are at an all time low. As others have mentioned, we do have players in the mould of Aouar, but absolutely no-one like Thomas.
Bringing Partey is a serious statement of intent, I honestly think this could be the best signing since.. Sanchez, and maybe even more important. This team now has a spine, a prime midfielder coached to the nth degree by Simeone – that is going to be absolutely ideal for the premier league.
Not to mention his list of attributes which coincidentally this club has missed since 03-04. I’m very excited about what’s to come.
Difficult to get an impression of a player from watching their “Greatest Hits” on You Tube.
The thing that comes across though, is that he is an “athlete”, which is totally important. Players who aren’t quick and strong struggle in the Premier League 2020. Witness Torreira.
game changing historical moment.
we finally get a man’s man in mf and evra cries like a little boy.
2020 still going strong.