Mikel Arteta has faced mounting frustrations due to the errors made by some of his key players, particularly Jorginho, who had a tough outing against Chelsea. Arsenal managed to salvage a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, preserving their unbeaten Premier League record, but their performance was marred by sloppiness and mistakes.
One of the standout moments of the match was Robert Sanchez’s gaffe, which allowed Chelsea to cut their deficit. Arsenal’s midfield conductor, Jorginho, struggled to cope with the relentless pressure from Conor Gallagher, who disrupted his rhythm and prevented him from dictating the game’s tempo. Arsenal typically seeks to control proceedings and wear down their opponents through combinations in midfield, but Jorginho’s subpar performance hindered this strategy.
Despite Jorginho’s seemingly impressive statistics, such as a 91% pass accuracy and 77 touches, he lost possession eight times during the match, reflecting the challenging afternoon he endured. Journalists and fans were critical of his performance, with one journalist giving him a 4/10 rating and another calling for his substitution on social media.
Given Jorginho’s struggles, there are various options for Mikel Arteta to consider in order to bolster Arsenal’s midfield. Oleksandr Zinchenko could be permanently moved into the midfield, allowing Takehiro Tomiyasu to take up his full-back position. Other midfielders like Kai Havertz, Fabio Vieira, and Emile Smith Rowe are also potential candidates for that position alongside Declan Rice.
However, the most promising option is to reintegrate Thomas Partey into the starting lineup. Despite a slow start to the season due to injury concerns, Partey has demonstrated his ability to provide a controlling presence with greater physicality than Jorginho. Pundits like Lee Hendrie have highlighted Partey’s importance to the team, emphasizing his ability to complement Rice and free up players like Martin Odegaard to be more influential in attack.
