How Arsenal focus on Partey could remedy Chelsea’s midfield imbalance

Athletics News of Friday, 4 September 2020

Supply: purpose.com

2020-09-04

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The Blues surface to have quite a few options in the middle, however, a lack of an all-round defensive midfielder could scupper their period.

On the deal with of it, Chelsea have manufactured wise purchases this transfer window and look set to make more with the anticipated addition of Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen probable to go by in the coming days.

Irrespective of acquiring the third-finest assault in the Premier League very last period with 69 objectives scored, as effectively as being the 3rd side at the rear of Manchester Town and Liverpool to produce the greatest volume of big chances, Frank Lampard’s included yet another playmaker in Hakim Ziyech and a prolific goalscorer in Timo Werner.

Indeed, both of those moves have their deserves. Even although the uncooked stats recommend the West London facet did not essentially will need to prioritise their attacking possibilities this summer months, they often seemed quick of concepts in the last third and experienced a bit when Tammy Abraham declined in the second part of 19/20.

Figures provided by Understat also exhibits that the Blues underperformed their Predicted Targets by 7.23, only 4 sides beat this in the entire division. In shorter, experienced the 5-time Prem winners transformed extra really promising likelihood, they’d have rivalled the eventual tally of champions Liverpool.

The other significant concern for Lampard was at the back, and signings of primary remaining-back again concentrate on Ben Chilwell has been done, as has Thiago Silva at centre-back who, even with his state-of-the-art a long time, they hope would noticeably make improvements to a workforce that authorized 54 plans last season.

While these signings are reasonable, an location that seems to be dismissed is defensive midfield, where by the Premier League giants deficiency a accurate holding midfielder.

The opportunity arrival of Havertz from Leverkusen, despite being regarded as a generational expertise, only adds to positions that previously search loaded, when the club really don’t have an all-rounder that can engage in at the foundation of their midfield.

Consequently, it has been astonishing that Chelsea haven’t thought of Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey as the great anchorman for a side that at this time looks attack-heavy. Whilst several observers will balk at this recommendation supplied the existence of the significantly-maligned Jorginho and Environment Cup winner N’Golo Kante, neither deliver what the Blues automatically have to have in that purpose.

The Brazil-born Italy worldwide, even with his adeptness in recycling possession, lacks the defensive awareness demanded to dominate as a blue-collar midfielder in entrance of the defence.

His inability to be alive to risk is perfectly-recognized and was terribly uncovered in a cameo vs Crystal Palace, wherever a final-ditch Kurt Zouma deal with prevented a Palace intention, while a weak challenge to halt Andrew Robertson vs Liverpool at Anfield was only surprising.

Equally instances highlighted the weaknesses of the regista without the need of the ball, predicaments in which Kante thrives.

Nevertheless, irrespective of the campaign by a lot of pundits to have the Frenchman deployed in front of the defence, his limitations in possession stays a weak point. To be fair, he did give respectable-to-good performances in that placement publish-lockdown, with the team’s impressive showing from Manchester Town significantly notable.

Still, Kante’s ideal football has arrive when partnered with a further midfielder or organic anchorman. This was the case with Danny Drinkwater at Leicester Metropolis in 2015/16 and alongside Nemanja Matic at Chelsea the next period.

There are also uncertainties about the 29-year-previous actively playing a far more measured role in midfield different to his all-natural inclination to hunt for the ball larger up the pitch. This was evident in the Blues’ 3-2 defeat by West Ham United in July exactly where two-time Prem winner was caught large up the pitch in the develop-up to the speedy crack that gained the Hammers the game.

Interestingly, what Jorginho and Kante absence in their ability-established, Partey possesses in his repertoire.

Every indication in the final handful of months has pointed to a move to Arsenal but with the North London aspect not able to comprehensive the transfer nevertheless, it’s been surprising that other clubs haven’t manufactured a shift for the Ghana star.

Partey’s recognition and astute positioning see him put out fires ahead of they demonstrate damaging and he’s almost never one to arrive out 2nd-finest in a tussle, an place of issue for Jorginho considering that his move in 2018.

The former Napoli man gained 45 per cent of his duels in the league previous time compared to the West African’s 64 per cent in La Liga. Curiously, even Kante didn’t fare properly right here winning only 41 per cent of complete duels in the earlier marketing campaign.

An spot of great importance will be Partey’s energy in aerial duels. He won 71 p.c of battles in the air last phrase, significantly superior than Kante (37 percent) and Jorginho (26 per cent), and a statistic that’ll impress Lampard provided his voiced fears about the side’s weaknesses in such tussles.

For all that power in floor and aerial duels, the 27-year-previous isn’t only a midfield destroyer but is an expert in recycling possession and progressing the ball upfield. The African performed the best quantity of passes into the ultimate 3rd for Diego Simeone’s aspect previous period and he rated 3rd for progressive passes, driving Kieran Trippier and Saul Niguez.

He’s relatively push-resistant and is not one particular to be caught in possession consistently. He was dispossessed 15 moments in La Liga in 19/20, pretty excellent to Jorginho (22), Kante (32) and Mateo Kovacic (27).

Also, Partey astonishingly concluded the most dribbles in the Atletico aspect with 47 from 56 tries, a achievement level of 83.9 per cent. This was greater than Kovacic’s 76.6 p.c, as effectively as Jorginho and Kante, whose proportion of dribbles concluded read 70.8 and 60.9 respectively.

In an attempt to uncover the appropriate balance in midfield last time period, Lampard attempted distinct mixtures in the middle of the park but most didn’t offer balance for a sustained interval owing to the deficiencies of the staff readily available.

The workforce played its greatest football with Kovacic and Jorginho pairing in midfield but neither supplied the security of Kante. The introduction of the France ball-winner observed the aspect lose some panache in the center of the park even though a midfield anchorman in a three proved unsuitable because of to the aforementioned strengths and weaknesses of Chelsea’s midfielders.

Partey offers remedies in that he’s similarly adept as a lone defensive midfielder or in a pairing, which supplies Lampard with the probability to be adaptable with his choice with somebody of the Ghanaian’s profile in the staff.

The Blues have built reasonable transfers so significantly but introducing a defensive foil for their fragile backline has not been regarded as yet. With Partey, the London giants could quickly solve midfield difficulties that could threaten their force to near the gap on Liverpool and Gentleman City…and ultimately problem for the title again.