Arsenal cannot use Jorginho in the same way as Partey and even Ramsdale’s tactics are affected by the change
GREAT contribution from our 2023 version of Edu, but still no party without Thomas Partey.
It’s not easy to be objective and analytical whilst recovering from last week’s Arsenal rollercoaster of emotions and fortunes, but I am going to give it a go.
Saturday lunchtime’s goal fest at Villa Park might offer an insight into what life without Thomas Partey could look like in the short-term at least.
As someone whose views I respect suggested to me, with Jorginho playing at six, the table-topping Gunners will have to outscore opponents, because we will concede goals.
The adopted Brazilian effectively won us the match against Villa, with the help of a certain ex-Arsenal keeper, but he was also part of our shortcomings that allowed us to leak goals and opportunities.
Operating a system utilising a sole six with Partey is not only Mikel Arteta’s preferred system, but also the one on which this season’s success has been built. But you need a back-up player of the same style.
Manchester City have done it with Fernandinho and now Rodri, and Liverpool have done so with Fabinho, but these powerful, athletic, mobile midfielders, who can not only break up play but also create are in short supply.
You only have to have watched Liverpool this season without the experienced Brazilian to see the difficulty Arsenal could have without Partey for a sustained period.
Jorginho has so many attributes to be admired – his tenacity, passing, vocal presence and of course his invaluable winning mentality and experience.
On the flip-side, though, he simply does not have the mobility in the defensive aspects, or the speed in transition of the elite Ghanaian.
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This being the case, Arteta could tweak the system in Partey’s absence and ask Granit Xhaka to play with the Italian in a more conventional 4-2-3-1, leaving Martin Odegaard as a more central 10.
But you sense the Spaniard would sooner persevere with the system that has give his team the success this campaign.
Jorginho played his best football as the deepest midfielder, more as a playmaker operating in front of a back three for his country, most notably in Euro 2020, and for Chelsea.
He will not have that luxury playing for the Gunners, so you sense that more may be asked of the full-backs. And at times both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ben White provided admirable support at Villa Park.
It might also be worth asking Aaron Ramsdale to use his long-ball accuracy more often, to mix it up and on occasion enable us to launch attacks from an alternative angle.
We saw this notable asset used by the England keeper far more in his first campaign, before his manager began using Partey in a deeper role.
Is this something we could see again while Jorginho deputises?
In short, Arsenal can thrive with Jorginho at six but he will need awareness and support from his central defenders and full-backs.
Ideally we want Jorginho as a 2023 version, 20 years on, of the man who signed him, Edu.
Certainly he create opportunities for his new team if he has the platform offensively. You can see already that his new team-mates value him and the new strengths he brings, but they will also need to be aware of his frailties.
We must also be mindful that the Brazilian-born Italian was purchased as an experienced cover player, after the long-term injury sustained by Mo Elneny.
Jorginho was brought in, at a bargain price, to offer rotation and respite for Partey and certainly not to replace him.
Arteta would have hoped he could play on Thursdays, perhaps in Europe and come on late in the Premier League with his wise and cool head to close out matches.
This was after all how the manager used the Egyptian he is replacing.
I hope that Partey is back this weekend, and we can resume business as usual, but if not Jorginho will not let anyone down if the team assist in managing his defensive load.
In an ideal world, at 31, we would all want Jorginho to be the 2023 version, 20 years on, of the man who signed him, Edu.
Our current Technical Director was a delightful footballer, who we all loved dearly.
When Gilberto Silva or Patrick Vieira were injured, we were never unhappy to see his name on the team sheet, confident he would do his job. Equally though, if both were fit, Edu would seldom start a really big match.
I am delighted to have Jorginho as our 2023 Edu, but I still want Partey fit to face Leicester.