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Tag: Partey

  • Partey defends Arteta despite slow Premier League start

    Partey defends Arteta despite slow Premier League start

    Thomas Partey has thrown his weight behind Mikel Arteta by stating the Arsenal manager is building something good with the players at the club.

    The Gunners are enduring a four-game winless run in the Premier League and they currently occupy the 15th spot in the table with 13 points from 11 games.

    Having qualified for the last 32 of Europa League, Arsenal are struggling to reciprocate their form in the European tournament in the English top-flight.

    Upon his return from a thigh injury in Sunday’s North London derby, Partey was taken off at half-time as Arteta’s men fell to a 2-0 defeat against rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

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    The Black Stars midfielder, however, reiterated his commitment to the club amid their poor attacking form in the Premier League and he is aiming to bounce back from his latest setback.

    Since he moved to the Emirates Stadium on the transfer deadline day in October, Partey has made six appearances for Arsenal so far, with five coming in the league.

    “Being part of the Arsenal family is something incredible for me, since the day I arrived I have felt so supported,” the Ghana midfielder wrote on Instagram.

    “The coach had a great influence in my decision to join this team and even though we had some bad results I know we are building something good together. I have had the bad luck to suffer an injury but I hope I can play again soon and fight for this team.”

    Ahead of their final group game against Dundalk on Thursday, Arteta disclosed that Partey has suffered a thigh injury again and he will miss Arsenal’s ‘next few games’ with no specific timeframe for his return.

    “He got injured in the same area,” the Spanish coach  said. “Not exactly the same spot, but similar as it was before.

    “We MRI [scanned] him yesterday [Tuesday]. There was an injury there and he will miss the next few matches.”

    Arteta also defended his decision to play the 27-year-old on Sunday after he completed two full days training ahead of Tottenham trip.

  • Partey injury more serious than first thought – Arteta

    Partey injury more serious than first thought – Arteta

    Mikel Arteta has revealed that Thomas Partey’s injury is more serious than Arsenal first feared and says it will be a ‘few games’ before the Ghana international returns.

    Partey has not featured for there Gunners since he was replaced at half-time of the 3-0 defeat by Aston Villa on November 8.

    Initially, it was believed the £45 million deadline day addition from Atletico Madrid would not be sidelined for too long with what was described as a thigh problem, but he has now sat out Arsenal’s last three matches.

    And, speaking after Sunday’s 2-1 defeat by Wolves, Arteta could not confirm when the midfielder would be ready to return.

    “I don’t think he will be with us in the next few games,” said the Gunners boss. “We have been missing a lot of players. We have many, many different issues, but I don’t like to use that excuse.

    “At the end of the day, we are all the time really close to winning football matches and we end up losing it in the last few games.

    “This is only in our hands with the players that we have. It is what we have to do. We cannot change that. It is in our hands.”

    When asked whether Partey’s issue was more serious than first thought, Arteta added: “Yes.”

    Arsenal host Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday night before travelling to Tottenham next Sunday for the first north London derby of the season.

    They then have Premier League games against Burnley, Southampton and Everton before Christmas, as well as a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.

    The defeat against Wolves left Arteta’s side 14th in the table with just 13 points from their first 10 league games – their lowest points tally ever at this stage of a Premier League season.

    They have scored just 10 goals in the league and could will fall 11 point behind leaders Spurs, should they lose to their neighbours next weekend.

    Arteta insists, however, is not worrying about his job, despite his side’s alarming run of form.

    “The day I decided to be a coach I know that one day I will be sacked or leave the football club,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s the day after I sign my contact, in a month’s time, a year’s time or six months’ time. I never worry about it.

    “My only concern is to get the best out of the players, give the best possible service to the club and become better and better.

    “I know, I repeat, in this profession, one day I will get the sack or leave but I don’t know when that is going to happen.”

  • No Partey for Arsenal on Premier League return at Leeds

    No Partey for Arsenal on Premier League return at Leeds

    Arsenal will be without Thomas Partey when they return to Premier League action on Sunday, with a thigh problem preventing the midfielder from figuring in a trip to Leeds.

    The 27-year-old enforcer picked up a knock during a 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa prior to the November international break.

    That injury denied Partey the opportunity to link up with Ghana for Africa Nations Cup qualifiers.

    He will also be missing for his club side when they head to Elland Road, with a big money summer signing not yet ready to step back into the fold for the Gunners.

    Arsenal revealed in a fitness update on their official website: “Thomas was replaced at half-time during the match against Aston Villa and has sustained a strain to his left thigh.

    “Continues to be assessed, will not be available for this weekend’s match and will continue his rehabilitation.”

    Partey is not the only player that Mikel Arteta will be unable to call upon against Leeds, with coronavirus ruling two other experienced stars out of his plans.

    Arsenal added on Mohamed Elneny: “Tested positive for Covid-19 while on international duty with Egypt.

    “Mo is asymptomatic and following protocols ahead of returning to training. He is unavailable for this weekend’s fixture.”

    They went on to say of Sead Kolasinac: “Tested positive for Covid-19 while on international duty with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    “Sead is also currently asymptomatic and following protocols ahead of returning to training. He is unavailable for this weekend’s fixture.”

    Pablo Mari and Gabriel Martinelli have been long-term absentees for Arsenal, with the pair nursing ankle and knee complaints respectively.

    Spanish defender Mari is being eased back into full training, having suffered ligament damage against Manchester City back in June, while the hope is that exciting Brazilian forward Martinelli will also rejoin Arteta’s squad over the coming weeks.

    For now the Gunners are having to cope without them, with the north London heavyweights still searching for consistency in 2020-21.

    A 3-0 defeat at home to Villa last time represented another step backwards for Arteta’s side, but forward momentum could be established in West Yorkshire this weekend.

  • Emmanuel Adebayor: How I Persuaded Partey To Choose Arsenal Over Chelsea And Man City

    Emmanuel Adebayor: How I Persuaded Partey To Choose Arsenal Over Chelsea And Man City

    Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor encouraged Thomas Partey to join the Gunners over Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

    Adebayor felt Partey would benefit from joining a ‘family club’ and claimed a move to Arsenal would be ‘good for his development’.

    Subsequently, the Ghana midfielder completed a £45million transfer from Atletico Madrid to Arsenal in September following Adebayor’s advice.

    Speaking at an event in Ghana, Adebayor said: “He told me that some clubs in England, namely Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, and others have shown interest in him and he needs advice.

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    “I advised him to go to Arsenal because I have had the opportunity to play there and I think it will be good for his development.

    “Arsenal is more than a club, it is a family, and I’m impressed with his performances so far in the Premier League.”

    Adebayor is not the only one who has been impressed with Partey’s performances. Former Arsenal and England star Paul Merson hailed the Ghana midfielder, calling him the ‘signing of the summer’.   

    He told Sky Sports: “I think Partey’s a massive, massive difference. I mean, what a signing.

    “When you talk about signings in the summer, he’s got to be number one. I cannot believe, without being horrible here, that Arsenal got him.” 

    Partey has had a positive impression at Arsenal, following his debut against Manchester City on October 17.

    There are, however, injury concerns over Partey after the 27-year-old forced to withdraw from Ghana’s double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Sudan due to a thigh strain he picked up against Aston Villa. 

    Partey was subbed off during Arsenal’s 3-0 loss, but the injury concern does not seem detrimental. 

  • £70m summer investment on Gabriel and Partey helping transform Arteta’s Arsenal

    £70m summer investment on Gabriel and Partey helping transform Arteta’s Arsenal

    There are many reasons why Arsenal’s victory at Manchester United on Sunday felt like a notable one for Mikel Arteta’s evolving side.

    It ended a miserable run of 14 years without success in the league at Old Trafford, a run that stretched back all the way to September 17, 2006 when Emmanuel Adebayor’s poked finish snatched a late 1-0 success.

    It was also the Gunners’ first win away at one of the so called ‘Big Six’ since a Santi Cazorla masterclass inspired them to a 2-0 victory at Manchester City in 2015.

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    They have had 29 attempts at ending that run since victory at the Etihad Stadium, but all had proved unsuccessful, with just 10 points picked up over five painful years.

    “Obviously there are many factors for that and it’s not a coincidence,” said Arteta, when discussing Arsenal’s dismal recent record away against their rivals at the top of the Premier League.

    “We have to change that dramatically and very quickly if we want to be fighting with the big teams. Because if we don’t, we aren’t going to have that consistency that’s required at the top level, so it’s big belief for the players as well. 

    “To be fair, this season we went to Anfield and we played them face to face, then we went to the Etihad and we didn’t accept to lose the game, then we came here [Old Trafford] and did the same, except this time we won.

    “It generates the belief and it binds everyone together. I’m really happy that after 14 years without a win, we were able to do what we did.”

    Mentally, ending that winless away run will be huge for Arteta’s side. But perhaps the biggest thing to come from the victory at Old Trafford was the way Arsenal’s new £70 million spine propelled them to their success.

    If there were some outside of Arsenal who had yet to truly understand the quality that Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey have added to Arteta’s side, then they do now.

    The two summer recruits were superb on Sunday and integral to a victory that ultimately was secured with relative ease.