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When Arsenal’s deadline day Thomas Partey arrived at the club for the first time this week, social media was awash with great enthusiasm among the fan base.
In recent times in the Emirates, only the arrivals of Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sánchez and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have been greeted with as much anticipation as Partey’s last gasp.
After years of chasing the Ghanaian midfielder, Arsenal finally got their man after fulfilling Atlético de Madrid’s £ 45 million buyout clause.
The transfer has been seen by many as the missing piece in the puzzle for Mikel Arteta, the man needed to help Arsenal compete for Champions League spots after four seasons out of the top table.
And former Arsenal scout Francis Cagigao has reiterated that stance, but has gone one step further.
“I saw him for the first time about six years ago playing with Almería on loan from Atlético de Madrid and he was more from box to box, even attacking,” Cagigao told Sportsmail.
‘I think we’ll see him without the shackles because he played a lot in a restricted midfield unit [at Atletico].
“He could be the final piece of the puzzle that makes Arsenal challenge for the title.”
And Arteta, who finally has a player at his disposal that can allow him to modify his formation in various ways, also realized how important this hit was. Speaking on Thursday before his possible debut against Manchester City in the Premier League, the Arsenal manager admitted: ‘I’ve seen the rumor around the place, I think the fans are really happy.
‘I’ve seen some very positive reactions after we bought it, the same with the team, the squad and the staff.
“He is a player that we had on the radar for a long time and we have managed to incorporate him and he will be a very important addition to the team.
Arsenal fans were so excited about his arrival that they even started a Twitter trend called ‘#NoThomasNoPartey’, and they hope he can be the man who can lead them to a party at the end of the season.
In recent campaigns, if you look closely at Arsenal, their midfield has become too laborious, a far cry from the silky football played under legendary coach Arsene Wenger.
While both Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos have impressed with Arteta since his arrival in December last year, especially the first after his career in the Emirates seemed almost over after their fight with fans, something has been deeply missing from the heart. . from the midfield.
The midfield is too at a pace for Arteta’s liking and he knew he needed a change with Arsenal struggling to create a lot for their deadly attacking threat.
There was no bite or incisiveness, but Partey was hired to change that vision and add that ruthless streak to midfield.
And his stats compared to the Gunners’ usual midfield cast demonstrate that point emphatically.
While Partey’s perception is that he will provide a solid shield against defense, his complete game will serve as a breath of fresh air for Arsenal fans.
His box-to-box nature means he’s just as effective on offense as he is on defense, and since the beginning of last season in the soccer league, he has taken 37 shots in 38 games compared to Xhaka’s 15 and 14. of Ceballos.
Partey has also scored more goals, albeit only three, than his new teammates during that time.
The chances of the creation of Partey are low, but that is not why Arsenal invested so much in bringing him to the club. The 27-year-old will offer that immediate escape route from the back, turning defense into attack in an instant.
His combative character shines through in his statistics, achieving 64 successful dribbles compared to 25 for Xhaka and 34 for Ceballos.
Meanwhile, on the interception front, Partey has produced 50 while Xhaka and Ceballos have only produced 23 and 39 respectively.
The Ghanaian star also leads the way on the tackle front, making a whopping 76, while the Arsenal duo’s stats are well below.
Partey’s strength in 50/50 battle and aerial duels should also greatly benefit Arsenal, while his never-die attitude has allowed him to make far more comebacks than his new teammates in midfield.
He has joined Arsenal in their peak years and the club knew that tying his signature was a significant advance.
The former Atlético star will allow Arsenal to play with more freedom and give Xhaka and Ceballos the opportunity to prosper in their own way, allowing the former to dictate the pace of the game while the latter can advance further and bring that creativity in the game. top. .
Most importantly, the arrival of Partey will provide that balance that Arsenal have needed for quite some time. For a while the midfield has struggled to link the attack, but the box office approach of the Ghana star should free Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and company to do what they do best.
It’s a rude awakening to start your career in England against Pep Guardiola’s City, but make no mistake, the signing of Partey is a breakthrough for Arsenal.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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