Arsenal: 3 important jobs for Thomas Partey this season

Arsenal's Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey arrives for the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Arsenal at Turf Moor in Burnley, north west England on September 18, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images) /

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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 01: Thomas Partey of Arsenal tangles with Ruben Loftus-Cheek of Chelsea during the Pre Season Friendly between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on August 1, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images) /

2. Stay Fit for as Long as Feasibly Possible

Thomas Partey can’t get injured. He simply can not repeat what has happened multiple times and seen him miss 21 matches for Arsenal since joining just over a year ago.

With Xhaka out for three months all it takes is one Partey injury to make this team look a whole lot different. Worryingly weakened.

Does he manage his body well? For someone who spent many years under Diego Simeone and is widely regarded as a consummate professional, you certainly think so. Unfortunately that hasn’t paid dividends with the array of knocks and setback he’s suffered in north London.

Nobody wants him to take his foot off the gas, either. Generally speaking, operating in that way is how more injuries occur. Hesitation is never beneficial in football. Partey just hasn’t had the rub of the green.

In asking to play 60 minutes as he did against AFC Wimbledon it has shown that he working hard to get the minutes his body needs to be at his highest level. Proactive steps like that go a long way. As a player at the peak of his powers without European football to play in there is no reason he shouldn’t be featuring in near enough every Premier League fixture this season.

Heavens knows that Arsenal need him to. A player imperative to this team as him has to be fit. There is no suitable Plan B if not. As encouraging as the signs are for Albert Sambi Lokonga are, he just is not Partey.

Manage the workload, manage your body and do every additional regime possible to keep fitness at a premium. Then, maybe, Arsenal can talk about having a successful season.

Partey missed 14 league games last term and Arsenal missed out on the top four by six points (possible hint included).

Continued…

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