Thomas Partey’s outstanding Arsenal form down to key ingredient

After a perfect February where Arsenal recorded three wins from three it looked for all the world as if Martin Odegaard would scoop the club’s Player of the Month award.

Dazzling displays littered with magic moments woke the population up to his already established brilliance. Not to be forgotten, however, was Thomas Partey.

It was as recent as late November when huge question marks were being asked of the midfielder. There were faint calls for him to be dropped for Sambi Lokonga. He would give an interview in the build-up to the Premier League defeat at Goodison Park on December 6 where he would rate his Gunners career as a 4/10.

That startling assessment of his performances was refreshingly forthright. While there were reasons behind his winter slump – expectation, fitness levels, positional use – the truth is that as a signing he hadn’t shown the consistency to warrant the £45m outlay being a certified success.

Thomas Partey’s exceptional Arsenal form under Mikel Arteta is down to the midfielder finally believing in his already established talent

There have been various mitigating factors. Injuries have made a telling contribution, with the recovery time Partey needs to then get back to his best level longer than it is for most.

But the talent has always been there. It was noticeable from his first start for the club that he was on a level above the other midfielders in the squad when it comes to raw ability.

What has held him back is the belief to unlock that. For much of his time in north London he hasn’t been able to harness his talent. Shackled by the unrelenting self-doubt that he can express himself in the way expected of him, it’s affected his performances.

Now he looks relieved of those stresses. His own worst critic, these are the shoulder drops and first time passes of someone who has broken free from those mental chains. How he conducts himself across the pitch is only capable from someone who is blocking out all the negativity and channeling positivity.

Most admirable is how he’s moved into a role of greater responsibility and embraced it in a way you would expect his fragile confidence to have otherwise buckled under. Arsenal now rely on Partey to hold the base of the triangle while perpetually screening both in front and behind of him, and he’s tremendous at it.

Partey is everything one could desire from a battle-hardened No. 6 with the addition of some touches and movements more akin to a Cesc Fabregas type. But he always has been this, it’s just been concealed under a cloak of internal reproval he has struggled to unfasten.

The credit goes to him. Tactical alterations and the collective growth of the group has seen every individual improve, but this is the result of all the extra training sessions and health changes that Partey has underwent. Beneath these glittering performances is extensive work on and off the training pitch.

Partey had the chassis, the engine, the tyres and the steering wheel. All the needed was the key.