Arsenal: The 5 big tactical consequences of Thomas Partey arrival

1. The return of 4-3-3

As has been heavily hinted throughout the piece, Partey’s arrival would provide Mikel Arteta with the chance to turn a 4-3-3 shape with a lone defensive midfielder and two half-eights. Whether he indeed takes this avenue remains to be seen, but it is what he was schooled in and might suit Arsenal well beyond Ozil and Xhaka.

Pep Guardiola has been a proponent of the 4-3-3 throughout his coaching career. At Manchester City, his most famous midfield trio consisted of Fernandinho flanked by Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva. While Arsenal do not possess any players like de Bruyne and Silva, — who does?! — Partey certainly compares well to Fernandinho and could play that crucial holding role superbly.

Both ally a strong and imposing frame, good mobility, a terrific intelligence, spatial awareness and reading of the game, and ability in possession to provide offensive progression and control from deep. This well-rounded skill set is necessary for such a demanding role that very few players in world football can play at a high level. Few have been better than Fernandinho in recent years, and Partey would represent a similar option at the base of the Arsenal midfield.

Given Arteta’s schooling under Guardiola, it is not unlikely that he will want to shift to a 4-3-3 but has been forced to play the 4-2-3-1 due to the players he has at his disposal. Partey would be the start of supplying Arteta with players that suit the 4-3-3. It could inspire a foundational change in the Arsenal system.