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Kevin Campbell wants 30-year-old player starting again for Arsenal in midfield
Arsenal legend Kevin Campbell has claimed that the Gunners will start playing “a hell of a lot better” when Thomas Partey returns from injury.
The Arsenal icon, speaking on , bemoaned how the Gunners haven’t played their best XI “for any stretch” of the season.
Arsenal currently sit top of the table and are on the verge of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, needing just one point to go through.
Despite this, there have been some hitches. There have been a couple of poor results and Gunners have flattered to deceive at times.
For instance, at the weekend, only a late Kai Havertz goal proved the difference for Arsenal against Brentford.
Mikel Arteta has had to chop and change his starting XI numerous times and, with Partey to be out for the rest of the year, this is likely to continue.
Partey has also featured at full-back this season, but Campbell reckons he should play in midfield when fit.
“If I’m really honest we haven’t played our best XI for any stretch,” Campbell said on Highbury Squad.
“We haven’t played our best XI and I want to see if you play Thomas Partey – he’s got to be fit obviously.”
“But if Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and (Martin) Odegaard are there, and it’s five, six, seven, eight, nine or ten games… all of a sudden I think we start playing a hell of a lot better.”
Thomas Partey a top player for Arsenal but injury issues are a problem – TBR View
Campbell has a point. This isn’t the strongest Arsenal XI by any means, and with Fabio Vieira now also out, things just got even more complicated for Arteta in midfield.
The January transfer window could offer Arsenal a chance to bring in some more players, but there’s the festive schedule to get through first, and that’ll push the Gunners squad to the limit.
As for Partey, he’s an amazing player, but the 30-year-old sadly continues to suffer from injury layoffs.
That’s something Arteta needs to bear in mind when the transfer window reopens, with regards to potentially bringing in a replacement to ensure consistency in quality.