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I don’t think Partey x Rice is solution
I still give the edge to Fabio or Havertz at LCM
I mean, Rice as an 8 with Thomas at the 6 is enough of a solution that it solved City twice: that is, a quite effective solution against our strongest opposition.
We also know that Rice at the 6 and literally any of our 8s is a better solution than starting Jorginho.
I’m totally unconvinced by Rice as an #8 and last night reaffirmed that 🤷♂️ Play him as a #6 and pick one of Vieira / Havertz / ESR / Trossard at LCM
I think you have to pick and choose when to use at 8
Vs city or Newcastle it works
But vs teams like Chelsea who have dominate ball carriers it’s difficult
Rice as an 8 is fine as long as it’s Thomas and not Jorginho at the 6.
They were both excellent against City. It’s just a matter of how aggressive you want the left 8 to be.
The 6 is so exposed and Jorge, despite other qualities, just isn’t athletic enough to really control all that space with Rice pushing up.
Against City he played in a double pivot, Jorginho was asked to cover less ground and more just be in the right position to cover passing lanes and slowly progress the ball out against a mid block.
Yesterday, he played way further up the pitch as a L8 for most of the game, and Jorginho was asked to be a lone 6 against essentially 3 box-to-box players in Gallagher, Enzo, and Caicedo and a high press.
At this point I don’t think Jorginho can play that lone 6 role against more athletic midfields. I rarely criticize Arteta but I think he got the midfield tactics wrong yesterday. We looked much better when Havertz came on and Rice shifted to the 6.
Offered zero attacking threat around the box last night, created absolutely nothing too. In the end he scored when he was moved back to #6 and from 40 yards out 🤷♂️
He’s played DM his whole career, we should play to his strengths imo
But then he was excellent in attacking threat vs City. Always making runs into the box which should have been squared to him by Jesus.
I think Partey makes everyone around him better tbf like Zinchenko and Odegaard too. When he’s on form of course.