Although Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League, they have received criticism for some of their attacking displays, but former Gunner Kevin Campbell is confident this will improve.
Jamie Carragher recently claimed that despite Arsenal’s defensive improvements, a drop-off in their attacking play will ultimately prevent them from winning the title, and many explanations have been offered for why Mikel Arteta’s side are seemingly not attacking with the same intensity as they were last season.
Arsenal have suffered from a number of injury issues, which has seen Jurrien Timber, Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey, amongst others, miss significant chunks of the campaign.
Campbell believes Arsenal will improve with Thomas Partey
Speaking on the Highbury Squad Podcast, the former Arsenal attacker claimed that Arsenal will improve once they are able to play their main midfield trio of Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
“We need a defence we can lean on and plus, if I’m really honest, we haven’t played our best eleven for any stretch,” he stated.
“We haven’t played our best 11. Thomas Partey’s got to be fit obviously, but if Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Odegaard are there and it’s five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 games together, all of a sudden, I think we start playing a hell of a lot better.”
Can Arsenal wait for Thomas Partey to return?
Despite the immense quality he showed for most of last season, Arsenal can no longer rely on Partey to stay fit to change their fortunes.
Arsenal are reportedly looking for a new midfielder in the January window to replace Partey, given that the £45m signing from Atletico Madrid may be unavailable until February, and is seemingly keen on an exit.
Although Partey would improve Arsenal’s ball progression if he was to return to the starting XI, and therefore help creatively, he is not someone Mikel Arteta can afford to wait for, and a signing in his position is a must.
Should a defensive midfielder come in, we could see Declan Rice push further forward and increase his own output, leading to an overall gain for Arsenal.
Arsenal have been strong defensively, but have hardly seen their front three of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka together as a result of injuries, and Arteta may be bemoaning his luck that he has not had the luxury of a fully fit squad at any point this season.
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