Arsenal: 3 vital tasks for Thomas Partey after injury return

How many times have supporters been in this position? It feels like a monthly occurrence in which the fate of Arsenal suddenly rests in the palms of Thomas Partey as he returns from some newly discovered injury.

Last season was filled with such instances: ‘judge us when Partey is backp’, ‘Arteta can’t do anything without his best midfielder’.

Ahead of facing Norwich on Saturday, the same narrative has been rewritten. After looking annoyingly sharp and fit throughout pre-season, Ruben [insert word of choice] Loftus-Cheek decided to put a dampener on all of that.

After a stop-start campaign in which the Ghanaian was only able to hit his full stride on a handful of occasions, him being in north London for a full pre-season was hoped to be the platform for him to explode onto the Premier League.

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Arsenal: 3 vital tasks for Thomas Partey to fulfill when he returns from injury – hopefully in time for Norwich in the Premier League

Instead he’s missed four games with an ankle problem and the three of those that were league clashes were all fairly horrendous.

Seeing him back in training in the week building up to the clash with the Canaries offer huge reassurance, although given it will have been six weeks since he had any match practice the game may come too soon for him.

How he gets on during the week will determine that and whether it’s Saturday or the following clash with Burnley when he’s back in action, a lot rests on his shoulders.

Arsenal need a big season from the 28-year-old and his new recruits. He’s in the supposed ‘prime’ of his career and also being one of the senior members of this squad it’s up to him to step up to the plate.

1. Add Verticality With Martin Odegaard

Such was the state of last season that we look back on that ‘second half against West Ham’ as one of the more enjoyable periods across the entire campaign.

Eventually drawing the game 3-3, the 45 minutes after the break were, in fairness, great to watch. Looking for reasons as to why it was to fluid, aggressive and penetrative, there are two names to remember: Odegaard and Partey.

Partey made multiple ball recoveries during the game but what stood out most of all was how often he found Odegaard in between the lines with a series of splitting through passes.

This verticality brought variance to how Arsenal attacked and, most importantly of all, got the team from one end of the pitch to the next with a tempo that has abandoned the Emirates Stadium turf for far too long – unless, that is, when it comes from someone not in red and white.

What partnership Partey and Odegaard can forge will be crucial to the pace of Arsenal’s build-up and the quality of their chance creation. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is someone who wants the ball fed in behind and playing through the thirds in fewer passes will open up more inviting angles for him.

How quickly Partey clicks with the Norwegian will depend on his fitness but the sooner these two start adding penetration through central areas the sooner Arsenal can get their forwards into positions of actual threat.

2. Bring in Defensive Awareness

Mohamed Elneny is a good scanner of danger: he is constantly keeping an eye either side for runners and shifting into positions of where he can reduce the majority of threat.

Unfortunately, what his brain tells him tends not to transfer onto his feet.

Granit Xhaka is also a good scanner of danger: he seeks deep runners and sideways avenues, usually barking at others to cut lanes.

Unfortunately, it takes him two minutes to react and turn and therefore he is easily bypassed.

Albert Sambi Lokonga is lacking in this department: yet to get up to speed with the Premier League he is guilty of losing his man and being dragged into unnatural positions, and roaming No. 8’s exploit this side of his game.

Fortunately, he is only 21 years old and already showing signs of progress.

Thomas Partey, meanwhile, is an elite scanner of danger: he not only foresees deep runners and passes in advance, he also has the athletic and technical craft to shift laterally and either put a halt to attacks or assume possession entirely.

Fortunately, he is coming back into the team and whoever he partners will be relieved of some defensive requirements.

One of those players who isn’t always appreciated enough until they’re out of the team, Partey’s outstanding defensive capabilities, turnovers, tackles, interceptions and recoveries will be welcomed back with open arms.

3. Help Nurture Sambi Lokonga On and Off the Pitch

Already one before, Partey is now undoubtedly a senior member of this squad and someone the younger players in the team need to be able to turn to for advice.

Sambi is a perfect example of someone who could use the experience and knowledge of the 28-year-old.

Capable of playing both as a No. 6 and a more box-to-box option, the similarities between the pair are there. A progressive passer and a progressive carrier, his touches on the half-turn and range of distribution are a nod to that which his older teammate is known for.

But as mentioned, he has to work on the defensive side of his game.

Well versed in Diego Simeone’s dark arts of defending, there are few central midfielders who can offer tips on positioning and decision making those areas than the Ghanaian. Arteta will also lay claim to being a good mentor in that regard, but Partey will be the one on the pitch with him showing him the ropes.

There is great dynamism in that partnership; two players who can bounce off one another and due to Partey’s behind-the-ball ability being more destructive than Xhaka’s it can help free Sambi up to play slightly more advanced on the double pivot angle.

Partey will have a big role to play in Sambi’s development even if the Belgian has done brilliantly up until this point in his career.