Arsenal lost to Everton yesterday, a result no one saw coming considering the Toffee’s horrendous form this season.
Fans had expected the league leaders to get a huge win from the contest, but Everton had other plans and got the win they worked for.
After the home side took the lead, Mikel Arteta made some changes to see if his team could get back into the game.
One substitution he made that some Arsenal fans did not agree with was to take off Thomas Partey and leave Granit Xhaka in the fixture.
The Daily Mail reveals most Arsenal fans were shocked by that decision and disagreed with his judgement in that situation.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Some of us have forgotten that Partey was injured days before this match and it was even a surprise that he was in the team for the fixture.
The Ghanaian is one of the most trusted men on the Arsenal side and he probably had suffered a problem before being subbed off.
Arteta knows his importance on the pitch and would not remove the ex-Atletico Madrid man if he did not think it was the right decision.
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Apart from a dominant few minutes at the beginning of the match, it had all the hallmarks of being a frustrating afternoon.
Sean Dyche had put a rocket up the Everton backsides and they were doing it for him as they had not done for Lampard who, from my point of view, was not good enough and the players looked as though they thought so too. The new manager bounce may be true but SD is a wily and seasoned manager and they were playing for him.
My point is that we didn’t look like scoring and Everton certainly did. We were not at our best and we were outplayed and out fought on the day including up to the point that Partey was subbed Did taking Partey off make that much difference if he was still not fully fit?
Exactly.
Partey is one of our two most important players and irreplaceable as far as I am concerned. I don’t think in Jorginho we have a player who can defend, intercept, etc in the same way. Yes on the ball Jorginho is capable but can he cover and press the way we do when we don’t have the ball? The jury is very much out on that one.
The other player that seems irreplaceable is Odegaard. But over all, as soon as we have to delve into our backup players we drop meaningfully IMO. This is normal given the rebuild we have had to do. It is just frustrating that we seem to have a number of good signings but at the same time seem to overlook the obvious needs. Jesus is out and we don’t sign a striker capable to step in if Nketia gets injured. That’s a big gamble. Last season we saw how much it cost us when we lost Partey for an extended number of games but only tried late in the window for Douglas and now in January brought in, last minute, an old pair of legs in Jorginho. It feels risky to me.
However, we will have to rest Partey from time to time, but yesterday was a timely reminder of how important he is and the amount of pressure on Jorginho to show he is not too old to hustle and fill the spaces when we are not in possession of the ball.
If TP was unfit as suggested, he wouldnt have started. Unfit players are generally eased into a game. Putting unfit players into the oven is a recipe for disaster. I think Partey was fit but Mikel thought Joginho would do a better job but we ended up losing the midfield battle. Joginho stayed back close to Gab and Saliba and didnt push ahead like TP does. I just think with TP and ode on, Everton were likely to buckle towards the end. Onto the next.
Partey had a very mediocre performance, just like all other players in midfield and attack.
We were no worse off, after he was substituted. It was a team performance much below, what we have seen this season.
Fair enough.
Though I had the impression we were even worse when he was withdrawn. Everton mid looked even more reassured. Doucuore and Onana were constantly in our half than before.
Had the same impression really. I think we lost any chance at a late fight back with him withdrawn
Odeegard, Xhaka and Partey were muffled and that’s what killed Arsenal at Everton.
It was criminal to let Martin mark a very physical defender like Tarkowsky Everton center back should have been marked by either of Partey, Xhaka, White, Zinchenko and Saka.Saliba and Gabriel were marking both of Onana,Calvert and Docoure
Partey was already out. But you have a point Ode vs Tarkowski is clearly a mismatch.
I think if you at Arsenal yesterday, you realise the boys were far from their best. They terribly lack confidence, teamwork and proper coordination. Removing TP was a mistake if at all he was just fit. I think Arteta gambled because constantly ho could see the game was always taken to their doorstep with supersonic speed.
Many people didn’t realize that Partey was uncomfortable from the first whitsle. Misplaced passes were so obvious from him and in evertons midfield, you had three lanky players who could intercept passes with their long legs. Everton crowded the midfield and used the width in the 5 man middle to stifle saka. I really wished Trossard started earlier. Martinelli hugged the touchline and was frustrating to watch.
Arteta made a mistake and he must learn from his mistake. there is no player better than Party saka and odegard in EPL.
* Tomiyasu is better than white
* zenchenko can play as a midfielder
* when there is a physical dominance team use defenders:- Tierney , Gabriel , saliba or white , Tomiyasu
Midfielders :- party , zenchenko , xhaka , saka , odegard , finally Trossard as a striker
My only issue is as I said before the match Partey should not start the game, that’s what Jorginho join the team for.
But that’s water under the bridge Saturday game against Brentford will be one the most important game we have ever played for over a decade.