Arsenal: Three reasons why Thomas Partey can spark comeback against PSG | OneFootball

Midfielder’s return from suspension could be key as Gunners bid to reach Champions League final

Thomas Partey is available again after missing last week’s 1-0 first-leg defeat to PSG due to suspension

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After losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last week, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta repeatedly stressed how it is only half-time in the tie.

The return of Thomas Partey is a major boost for Arsenal after the midfielder missed the first leg.

Arteta will hope his availability can turn the tide in Arsenal’s favour as they eye a famous comeback.

Here, Standard Sport look at how the return of Partey can boost Arsenal’s chances of going through…

Restore Rice to an advanced role

This is, perhaps, the biggest plus of Partey returning.

In his absence in the first leg, Declan Rice was forced to fill in for him at the base of midfield.

Declan Rice will hope to have a greater influence on the second leg with Partey back

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Rice has plenty of experience playing there, but for over a year he has been used as a No8.

His influence is far greater there and that has been evident during Arsenal’s run to the Champions League semi-final.

Rice is the Gunners’ top scorer during the knockout stages while, across the competition as a whole this season, Bukayo Saka is the only Arsenal player to have been directly involved in more goals.

The 26-year-old is also able to have more of an impact without the ball when playing in an advanced role.

Rice is given the licence to press opponents high up the pitch and it has improved how Arsenal defend from the front, which will be vital against PSG, who like to play out from the back.

Merino can move back up front

When Mikel Merino signed for Arsenal last summer, the idea that the Gunners would be desperate to start him as a striker in a Champions League semi-final would have seemed unbelievable.

But Merino has made the role his own since Arteta turned to him in February after Kai Havertz suffered a hamstring injury.

The Spaniard has helped Arsenal’s attack to function, especially in Europe, by acting as a focal point.

With Partey returning to midfield, Mikel Merino will be back up front in Paris

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Merino was most effective in the quarter-finals when Arsenal beat Real Madrid, and he was directly involved in all of their goals from open play over the two legs.

In last week’s first leg against PSG, the 28-year-old was forced to drop into midfield due to the absence of Partey.

Merino did a solid job, particularly without the ball, but Arsenal lacked a target man to hit when playing long.

Leandro Trossard was deployed as a No9 and he does not have the physicality than Merino does.

On Wednesday, Arteta will be able to use Merino as a striker and that may prove valuable as one of the best ways for Arsenal to beat PSG’s relentless press is by going direct and long when playing out from the back.

The Gunners will also have the added benefit of having Trossard as a weapon off the bench, which is a role he has historically done well in.

Partey can break up play and shield the defence

It took less than four minutes last week to show Arsenal what they were missing without Partey in the team.

PSG’s goal had 26 passes, but the most striking element of it was how Ousmane Dembele was able to dribble the ball from inside his own half to just outside the Arsenal box.

Ousmane Dembele exploited space normally protected by Partey when he scored the PSG winner at Emirates Stadium last week

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Dembele thrived early on by dropping deep away from Arsenal’s centre-backs and into areas that Partey would usually operate in.

Indeed, for the PSG goal, it is hard to imagine Partey not being there to stop Dembele before he was able to play a one-two with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

The return of Partey will give Arsenal’s defence protection and it will also improve the team’s ability on the ball.

In the second leg against Real Madrid, where Partey picked up the yellow card that led to his suspension, the Ghanaian did not misplace a single pass.

The 31-year-old coped with the atmosphere at the Bernabeu to give Arsenal some control and a foothold in the game - which is what they will need at the Parc des Princes.