How Declan Rice and Thomas Partey have helped Arsenal eclipse Man City and Real Madrid
Arsenal have worked tirelessly this summer to complete the bulk of their business early. Before mid-July, the Gunners had signed Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber which greatly strengthened a number of key positions.
There have been calls for Arsenal to sign even more players but perhaps there is less of a need than people realise, especially in midfield. The system that Mikel Arteta appears to be experimenting with has changed from that of the previous campaign.
Last season saw Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard form the trio in the middle third. Xhaka played a box-to-box style role which saw him progress forwards and support the attack.
This summer, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz are being used in his place alongside Odegaard as a pair of attacking tens. The six, be that Partey, Jorginho or Rice is then tasked with a greater defensive job, supported by the defence which includes a defender such as Jakub Kiwior or Timber moving into midfield to provide that backup.
In some games, Arteta could choose to use two deeper midfielders, perhaps pairing Rice and Partey for trips to Anfield or the Etihad Stadium. For the most part, though, it seems just the one six will be used and therefore suggestions Arsenal are ‘light’ in midfield are, at least whilst Partey remains at the club amid links to Saudi Arabia, misplaced.
In fact, there’s a strong argument that Arsenal have the best three ‘number six’ options in the world. Manchester City have Rodri, Kalvin Phillips and youngster Maxi Perrone.
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While Spanish giants Real Madrid have only Aurélien Tchouaméni. They have other midfielders like Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos, Luka
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