Arsenal: Thomas Partey & Sambi to profit from Tomiyasu profile

Arsenal fans have become smitten with Takehiro Tomiyasu already. Solely on the soft factors, he is an aggressively likable character: he speaks well, has a warming smile and already has banter with his teammates.

As for hard factors, he is proactive, engaged, tenacious, secure, combative and surprisingly technical for someone his size. All in all, a superb piece of scouting that has enabled Arsenal to adopt their three-man defensive build-up seamlessly.

Not only did they scout the right profile, they acquired exactly the right man for it. Not one supporter isn’t on board with Tomiyasu’s signing and all those who weren’t before have been gladly converted.

It isn’t just the defensive shape that has improved, either.

https://twitter.com/Frimpon/status/1439960988254679044

Thomas Partey & Albert Sambi Lokonga to profit in the Arsenal midfield against Brighton thanks to Takehiro Tomiyasu’s versatile profile

Tomiyasu has arrived as a stabaliser and an enabler. Bringing structure and security to the defence, what his profile has allowed Arsenal to do in midfield has played a huge role in the impressive outings for Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga this season, and will in those to come.

As outlined, no longer having Granit Xhaka drop into the defence to form a back three in order to inject deep progression, with Tomiyasu at right-back Arsenal can maintain their preferred build-up shape with three competent and progressive defenders. Ben White helps this, too.

Hector Bellerin, Cedric Soares and Calum Chambers couldn’t do this job, while Kieran Tierney taking up one of those positions on the opposite side is a misuse of his attacking skillset.

Sambi, and Xhaka, weren’t able to profit as much from this prior to Partey’s return with the Brentford and Chelsea games proving to be humbling, but since against Norwich (Sambi), and Tottenham (Partey), the addition of a set back three consisting of actual defenders has eased the burden on the midfield.

Partey and Sambi are yet to start a Premier League match together, with that pairing set to debut against Brighton barring any unexpected tactical tweaks. With the 22-year-old in the right-back slot, the midfield now needn’t be reduced by 50% and suddenly lanes and options ahead are increased.

Both can play as midfielders in the midfield. There may come the occasional moment where one drops in between the centre-backs if wide areas are to be flooded, but this is now a rarity with a cemented back three, and centrality can come via the two progressive options in the centre of the park.

Furthermore, one more hindrance of the Xhaka and Partey combination where the former drops deep is it limits the Ghanaian in a ball-carrying sense. His elegant yet brutal charges through midfield can have the cover of Sambi, and vica versa, which he is limited in performing without the extra cover. It’s something we haven’t seen a great deal of this season.

Both can play as No. 6’s and both can play as No. 8’s. An actual double pivot, whether lined up flat or on the angle, allows the pair to dovetail and perform both roles in unison. Tomiyasu having the technical and physical versatility to blend between a centre-back and right-back effortlessly is paramount to this. It’s very clever scouting which has a knock on effect that improves other areas of the pitch.

Against Brighton Arsenal can see the first rendition of this pairing in action from the beginning of a Premier League encounter. It’s the silver lining of what is a desperately unfortunate injury to Xhaka, but one that can bring dynamism and ball-carrying in central areas.