David Seaman can’t understand what Arteta is doing with £45m Arsenal man this season

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David Seaman has admitted he can’t understand why Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is starting Thomas Partey at right-back.

Seaman was speaking on his podcast following Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Fulham.

After such a successful campaign last year, Arsenal haven’t quite hit the ground running this season.

They won their first two league games but both Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace could have stolen a point at the end of their matches.

Fulham made Arsenal pay for some late sloppiness with Joao Palhinha converted from a corner.

Mikel Arteta has made some interesting calls when it comes to his team selection.

He’s rotated Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard in the centre-forward position in the absence of Gabriel Jesus.

Gabriel Magalhaes has surprisingly yet to start a league game and Arsenal’s defence has looked different to last season.

Arteta has opted to start Thomas Partey at right-back much to the confusion of David Seaman.

Given how well Ben White played there last year and with Gabriel waiting on the bench, it looks like an obvious switch.

Whether it’s a change he chooses to make against Manchester United at the weekend is yet to be seen.

Seaman unsure of Arteta’s Partey decision

Asked about Arteta experimenting with the £45m player at full-back, Seaman said: “It just feels awkward for me. For me, he’s a better player in midfield.

“I don’t know what’s happened with Gabriel [Magalhaes] because he played nearly all the games last season when he was fit or when he hadn’t been sent off and now he’s changing it.

“It is a strange one and I’m still trying to work out why.”

The midfielder has recently been praised by teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko, who admitted he was the most underrated player in the Premier League.

It’s a big call, but the faith his Arsenal teammates have in him might be why he’s being asked to play a more unfamiliar role.

Arteta also looks set to play Declan Rice in Partey’s old position for the foreseeable future although Seaman would like to see him move back to his old position.

It will be interesting to see where the Ghanaian lines up at Old Trafford on Sunday.