Arsenal: Thomas Partey starting to display brilliance

Words nobody ever expected to be uttered six months on from his arrival, Thomas Partey has, so far, been a disappointment at Arsenal.

£45m on deadline day to not only soften but completely annihilate the blow of missing out on Houssem Aouar was parted with, and the return has only captured the imagination, not realised it.

Signing Thomas Partey was risky even without what has transpired. A considerable outlay on a 27-year-old midfielder who won’t fetch anywhere near that figure come the end of his four-year contract, it was a bold move.

Thus far, it hasn’t paid off.

Arsenal vs Liverpool: Thomas Partey starting to display brilliance

Little of that is the Ghanaian’s fault. It’s now 17 matches he’s missed for the club since leaving Atletico Madrid with muscle injuries galore stunting his integration. None of this means he hasn’t flexed his world class muscles and demonstrated ability above that of his fellow midfielders, but it’s been stop-start at best and performances of late haven’t justified the price tag.

Patience, though. Just because we’re yet to see the full throttle Partey doesn’t mean it isn’t on the horizon. The circumstances of his arrival and the events that followed attached limitations to his expression.

Far from flawless, the second half of the 3-3 draw against West Ham, and even at times in the first half, showcased the precise reasons Arsenal smashed the piggy bank.

His ability to control the ball and move it on in as few touches as possible oozes class. Understanding the economy of touches is important; possessing the skill to enact that belief is vital.

On no other occasion in the Premier League this season have his passes totalled more distance than at the London Stadium, where he consistently broke through West Ham’s lines at distance to find Martin Odegaard in space. With Partey in the team Arsenal can play more expansively with up to six points of reference in attack. Assisted by his teammate‘s positioning, Odegaard was able to wave his magic wand.

Of course, the situation differed from what it will be against Liverpool with West Ham pegged back and defending their lead, but it evidenced the finer details of Partey’s brilliance.

Mistakes still need to be eradicated – across the board. That’s untouched. However, well rested and with a fine 45 minutes of action behind him, Partey can begin to substantiate the spending against Liverpool.