If there was one negative to take away from Arsenal’s 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu, it was Thomas Partey’s late booking.
Talk about avoidable situations. Partey wasn’t carded for a tackle, but for shoving former Gunner Dani Ceballos after the Spaniard blocked the Ghanaian’s attempt to take a quick free-kick. Declan Rice’s reaction to the caution told us everything we needed to know.
Arsenal were coasting into the Champions League semi-finals. Mikel Arteta was already thinking about his plan for taming Paris Saint-Germain’s scintillating cohesion. As a result of Partey’s booking, the boss won’t be able to call upon his physical holding midfielder for the first leg on Tuesday night.
Partey’s suspension is a big blow for the Gunners, who are facing a majestic Parisian midfield laced with industry and technical brilliance. Partey has played a key role in the club’s deep continental run, with his work this season set to earn him a contract extension.
He’ll return for the second leg in Paris, but Arteta must utilise an alternative midfield three at the Emirates next week. Here are three ways Arsenal could line up in midfield in Partey’s absence.
1. Rice – Merino – Odegaard
For just the fourth time in the Premier League this season, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino partnered Rice in midfield when Arsenal visited Portman Road and thumped Ipswich 4-0.
Knowing that Partey is suspended for the first leg, this felt like a trial run for the front six that will start against PSG on Tuesday. After excelling as a makeshift centre-forward, Merino dropped into midfield but was given plenty of freedom to crash the box and occupy the space vacated by fluid false nine Leandro Trossard.
Merino was brilliant, but his absence from the 2-2 with Crystal Palace in the week is a concern. He’s now a fitness doubt for PSG’s visit.
If the Spaniard’s fit, you’d have to expect this triumvirate to be the solution Arteta opts for in Partey’s absence,
2. Lewis-Skelly – Rice – Odegaard
So, what if Merino isn’t fit to play on Tuesday night? Well, with Jorginho also out injured, Arteta may have to opt for something new.
Myles Lewis-Skelly has seamlessly transitioned to left-back after spending the bulk of his youth career in the middle of the park. The England international often occupies central spaces when Arsenal have possession, forming a pivot alongside the holding midfielder. Lewis-Skelly’s composure and ability to ride challenges means he’s ever so hard to press, and utilising him as a Partey replacement is feasible.
Rice could then operate in a more advanced position, but he’d doubtlessly offer the teenager plenty of help in all phases. We have to assume that Martin Odegaard is a shoo-in to start despite his indifference this season.
Speaking back in March on potentially deploying Lewis-Skelly in midfield, Arteta commented (via GOAL): “He can do as a 6 and an 8. It will depend a lot on the relationships and the chemistry with other players, how this evolves within the team.
“And football, which direction it goes , what demands of certain positions as well. He is certainly a player that can play a in lots of positions.”
3. Rice – Odegaard – Nwaneri
We’ve all wanted to see young star Ethan Nwaneri work in tandem with Odegaard, although some have suggested that the teenager deserves to steal more of the skipper’s minutes from the right half-space.
Nwaneri has sparkled in 2025 and proven that the Gunners have nurtured a potential game-breaker. However, he didn’t play much of a role against Madrid with Bukayo Saka back in action, and the Hale End starlet is unlikely to feature heavily down the stretch.
Arteta surely won’t opt for such a gung-ho approach against this calibre of opposition; one made up of two playmakers operating ahead of fire extinguisher Rice at the base of midfield. But wouldn’t it be fun?! Not only am I intrigued to see how Nwaneri would work in tandem with Odegaard in the middle of the park, but how the skipper would function from a left-sided role.
