As reported by Express, Thomas Partey has picked up a muscular injury in the defeat to Aston Villa. It was confirmed by Mikel Arteta after the game, piling up the misery for the Gunners.
“I don’t know he had a muscular issue, so we had to take him off he could not carry on playing.” said the Arsenal manager.
Asked about the severity of the issue, Arteta added: “I don’t know we will see the extent of the injury. He wasn’t feeling well enough to continue playing, so we had to take him off.”
A Big Blow For Arsenal?
Thomas Partey’s return to full fitness was a vital aspect to Arsenal’s impress recovery over the past month or so. After making his comeback against Crystal Palace, the former Atletico Madrid star had become a key asset in midfield, alongside Granit Xhaka.
In fact, Partey’s presence in the middle of the park allowed the Swiss international to become more expressive in possession. It was evident in his performances in recent weeks. In addition, Arsenal also looked more solid thanks to some excellent defensive coverage by the two midfielders, with Partey, in particular, showing his ability to sense danger.
It remains unclear as to how long the midfielder will remain out injured. The absence of Partey will indeed serve as a massive blow for Arteta, who has had struggles, and is already short of midfield options after offloading Joe Willock to Newcastle United in January.
What Should Be Arteta’s Play Here?
The primary alternative for Partey at the moment is Dani Ceballos. The on-loan Real Madrid star has recently returned to full fitness after initially struggling with a niggle. However, his addition to the starting eleven could once again restrict Xhaka from playing his natural game as Ceballos is the one who generally likes to dictate the play.
Mohamed Elneny is another alternative, but the midfielder has struggled with form after a promising start to the campaign. He also lacks the quality in possession to make a real difference in Arsenal’s approach play.
One interesting option is Martin Odegaard, who has joined from Real Madrid on loan in January. He was initially brought in as an alternative for Emile Smith Rowe in the number ten position, but the Norwegian can operate in a central midfield role.
Much like Ceballos, Odegaard likes to dictate the play. However, he offers much more quality in possession and can even act as a ball-carrier. So Arteta should definitely look to experiment the new signing in this number eight position, should Partey remains on the sidelines for long.
