I think Partey has been one of our best players this season. Not the character you want to keep around, but from a sporting perspective I'd like him on the team next year. Ideally Zubi is a Jorgi replacement, and gets some time to adjust to the PL.
I share the concerns about Rice as an 8, but a lot of the problems with him playing there get solved with 2-3 more dynamic forwards (and a peak-condition Ødegaard).
Missed this from yesterday, yet again Arteta being a driving force why top players want to join.
Let’s hope we can get this over the line
lorddulaarsenal
Indeed. Our top 3 player this season. Instrumental for our second goal tonight. Sell Jorg, get Zubi in and keep Partey for back up. He’s innocent till guilty and if we have kept him this long then another year doesn't make a difference. We need squad depth.
Sicario2 - Tier 1 Nope. There’s enough smoke to that fire to put him in the bin regardless. We should not be keeping him around for any reason this summer. I couldn’t care less if he was player of the season for the rest of this season. Enough is enough. He’s been a stain on this club for the last 18 months and I can’t stand seeing him in our colors for any longer than necessary.
were an isak away from completing the sociedad infinity stones set
Sicario2 - Tier 1 Do you think he's actually back or is this the usual bump in performance we see when a player has a year to run on his contract? I think we need to move on, he'll probably get a big contract elsewhere which we shouldn't match.
JazzG does it matter if it’s contract related? As long as we only offer him rolling one year contracts it’s fine. His performance are the metric, doesn’t matter the why.
well, it does if he's on £250k per week. You don't pay that to 32 year old back ups.
I saw something in the Ghana media last week, basically saying the decision has been made anyway.
Sicario2 - Tier 1 does it matter if it’s contract related? As long as we only offer him rolling one year contracts it’s fine. His performance are the metric, doesn’t matter the why.
Do you think he'd take a one year rolling contract when he might get a fat multi year contract in Saudi?
Sicario2 - Tier 1 nah its time to let Partey go. Even putting aside the moral argument he's getting older, its a miracle he's been fit this season and we should be moving on anyway. He's out of contract and would likely want 2 or 3 years on a wage rise. Deal makes no sense even without the rapes.
RocktheCasbah I saw something in the Ghana media last week,
I'd peg you as being quite well-read, but wouldn't necessarily have you down as an avid consumer of the Ghanian media.
He was great in the build up to Trossard's goal last night, and have quite a few positive moments elsewhere, but he was massively sloppy overall. At times it didn't seem like we had a midfield in the first half. It was almost like a basketball game in the back and forths and ease with which they could walk through us. He was sloppy in possession on the edge of our defensive third, being lucky to keep it on a couple of occasions, and negligent in losing it on others. I can't see on balance how anyone thinks he was a net positive last night.
Tam I'd peg you as being quite well-read, but wouldn't necessarily have you down as an avid consumer of the Ghanian media.
Oh yeah, all the media all the time, me....
The back and forth is a consequence of loosening control and being more risk taking and vertical. That's why there is such a desire to exert so much control in the first place because you want to avoid these types of exchanges, and ideally suffocate the opponent but that can come at the cost of verticality. On the other hand, if you're being more vertical, less positionally rigid and playing more at pace, you will lose the ball more often, the opponent will get to attack more often and then it descends into that type of game. So it's a case of picking your poison.
Qwiss Partey and Jorginho out
Zubimendi and MLS playing in midfield
lorddulaarsenal This is definitely the way forward. In my opinion, MLS is already better than what Partey is giving us - better athlete, much more secure on the ball, just as press-resistant and has the eye for the line breaking pass. He can play next to Rice or Zubimendi and complement their strengths. My only concern with our midfield moving forward is just Odegaard's best role. I have said this before but I just really feel like his weaknesses (lack of elite athleticism, absolutely no weak foot ability whatsoever, and subpar ball striking and finishing) don't lend himself to the most advanced midfield role. I'd prefer we play a more traditional 10 there especially if we are going to be lining up with Rice and Zubimendi (with Merino and MLS as depth). None of those players are going to contribute many goals. Nwaneri fits the role better IMO and I'd also entertain bringing in someone like Eze/Gibbs-White to add some thrust to our attack. In a perfect world, Odegaard would work on his right foot all summer and come back with it being at least competent but it seems that time has passed.
