It could be argued that the centre of midfield is a crisis area for Arsenal at the moment following Mohammed Elneny's long-term injury which will see him out of action for months. This has not been helped by the constant injuries that have been inflicted on Thomas Partey.
Albert Sambi Lokonga has now been tasked with anchoring the Arsenal midfield and there is a lot of pressure on him to perform. This has been made even more demanding by the fact that the Gunners begin their Europa League campaign against FC Zurich on Thursday might, which increase the frequency of fixtures.
With Partey possibly back into contention ahead of the Premier League fixture against Everton on Sunday, football.london writers Bailey Keogh and Tom Canton debate whether it would be suitable to start Partey despite the risk of injury, or stick with Sambi Lokonga, even with the approaching fixture congestion.
Bailey Keogh - The Arsenal Way Writer
Despite Thomas Partey’s injury issues, when he is available for selection in the Premier League he must be included in the team. Albert Sambi Lokonga deserves game time in the Europa League, but adding the pressure of both competitions could prove overwhelming for the youngster.
As much as we have to wrap Partey in cotton wool, we also have to do the same for Sambi Lokonga, who suffered as a result of forcing his progression last season, when he was tasked with anchoring the midfield in the Premier League. Arsenal’s qualification to the Europa League was perfect for the Belgian as this is the competition where he can really develop as a player for the north London side, and then have appearances in the Premier League at different stages of the season, rather than consecutively.
It is time to realise that Arsenal cannot rely on Partey due to his injury issues, and the best way to prepare for his absence from the side is to have a Sambi Lokonga, who is not burned out or lacking the confidence to replace him. Overplaying the Belgian wipes out the ideal Partey solution, which is a major reason why even if Partey is not quite 100% fit, Mikel Arteta should still look to start him in Switzerland.
Tom Canton - The Arsenal Way Writer
I look at Albert Sambi Lokonga in quite a similar way to how I view Eddie Nketiah regarding form, quality and opportunity. Give them small spells in the team or from the bench and the benefits are minimal both for the player and the team.
However, give them extended periods of faith and they flourish. Lokonga was arguably the club’s best midfielder last season in the first half of the campaign, but after being dropped upon Granit Xhaka’s return to fitness, his form and displays disappeared just as quickly. Eddie Nketiah, meanwhile, came to life when given his run of games at the end of last season and his goals nearly took the Gunners to the top four.
Thomas Partey returning for Everton would be a rushed and arguably naïve choice with how key he will be. Arsenal showed against Aston Villa with Lokonga there is more than enough quality to do the job. Play him against Zurich and Everton. Allow him these vital minutes of consistency in the team to learn and develop, because the lack of the opportunity last season was harmful and speeding up the return of Partey unnecessarily could be a big mistake.
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