Pepe LeFrits We're in trouble if that's the case because he seems to be the only full-back we have who can invert now that Timber is out. He was so much vastly better than Partey at it, it changed the game so much when he came on. We tried doing the traditional inverted full-back with Partey for 10 minutes after half time but struggled through to get through the first line of their press.
I don't think the players fully have internalised the movements, patterns and routines with White and Partey interchanging and it cost us today, but I guess that can be the price for trying to evolve the team.
Best analysis I’ve read of the situation this Peps. The Timber injury is huge, because he allowed us to keep that familiar shape, and pattern of play/relationships by slotting in for Zinchenko. He could do that inverted full back, but he also would’ve been so much more effective in the Tomiyasu/Kiwior role if we chose to play Partey at RB. Like you say, Arteta is trying to evolve the side and make us less predictable, but it feels like one step back at the moment. Hopefully the two forward comes further down the line. That, or we just slot Zinchenko back in, go back to last season, and pray he doesn’t get injured.
