Everton vs Arsenal: Ideal conditions for Partey & Odegaard

Will the third time be the charm? As consecutive away-day defeats on Merseyside and in Manchester brought the autumnal momentum to a halt, Arsenal will be keen to impress on their latest northern adventure this week when they take on Everton at Goodison Park.

After a display marred by individual carelessness and collective timidity in front of a raucous Old Trafford crowd, Mikel Arteta threw down the gauntlet to his senior players post-match and challenged them to lead our young group through this difficult period. Such advice ought to be heeded ahead of an imminent return to Stanley Park, and two players who simply must step up to the plate are Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey.

Although still only 22 years old, Norwegian captain Odegaard is nevertheless part of the leaders’ cohort at Arsenal and has mostly flattered to deceive this season. The summer arrival showed glimpses of his talent in midweek as he orchestrated the press early on and created a match-high three chances in the first half, but once again he demonstrated poor composure in possession and clumsily fouled Fred to give away the decisive penalty.

However, Everton’s inefficient midfield dynamic provides an immediate shot at redemption as, somewhat uncharacteristically for a Benitez side, they have been very open in central areas lately and are leaving big spaces between the lines.

Everton trip a great chance for Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey to step up and secure three vital points for Arsenal

As a result, Odegaard may have a big influence on proceedings as his accomplished skillset will help to pick apart the home side’s defence, and perhaps he can also lay down a marker for the upcoming festive season.

A similar dictum applies to Thomas Partey who in midweek fell far below the standard he set at the Theatre of Dreams last year. Normally the commander-in-chief for ball retention and progression, the former Atletico man contributed significantly to Arsenal’s lack of control following Emile Smith Rowe’s bizarre opener, with repeated miscalculations and some foolhardy attempts to beat the press leading to numerous United turnovers and perhaps contributing to our excessive caution.

In theory, such disappointment raises questions about the merits of his continued selection, but Partey’s undoubted tactical intelligence and passing range make him too good to ignore. He will be particularly valuable in countering the hosts’ target-man approach, where his physicality and reading of the game should give him the edge in winning the second ball.

Recent away outings have served as a steep learning curve for the squad and, while it remains to be seen how they will respond to those setbacks, Everton’s dreadful run of eight matches without victory – including three defeats in a row in the Premier League – suggests this is an ideal fixture for restoring confidence.

Signs of promise have already begun to emerge in defensive areas and Hale End is still flying the flag up front, but the onus is now on the midfielders to stand up and be counted, and they have all the quality and circumstances they need to deliver a much-needed win.