Pundit admits he was baffled by Arteta’s decision on 30-year-old before Arsenal win

Add as preferred source on Google

Ben Foster has suggested that everyone on the Wrexham coach was left baffled by Mikel Arteta starting with Thomas Partey at right-back for Arsenal in their opening day win over Nottingham Forest.

Foster was speaking on his YouTube channel after the Gunners opened their Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory at the Emirates.

It was hardly a vintage performance from Mikel Arteta’s side. They failed to put the game to bed while they dominated. And ultimately, Forest were able to set up a tense finish after getting one back late on.

Arteta sprung a few surprises with his team selection. Eddie Nketiah and Kai Havertz both started. Gabriel Magalhaes was left on the bench, and Ben White moved into centre-back. And Thomas Partey was deployed at right-back.

Foster was left baffled as Partey started for Arsenal at right-back

Partey actually started in that position at the City Ground last season. And he endured a nightmare afternoon as Arsenal suffered the defeat which confirmed Manchester City as champions.

And Foster admitted that many could not quite believe it when they learned that Arteta had picked the Ghanaian in the role again on Saturday.

“Thomas Partey at right-back, everybody on the coach on the way to Wrexham were looking at it and saying what on earth is Thomas Partey doing there at right-back? That’s just bonkers. But they got over the line. So I think is all that matters to Arsenal,” he told his YouTube channel.

It will be interesting to see if Partey features in the role again in the future. It hardly proved to be a masterstroke – as comfortable as Arsenal largely were.

In fact, everything seemed to be just too congested in the middle of the park, with Forest defending in a low-block, and Partey pushing forward.

Arsenal do have a number of options for the right-back role. So Partey does not have to play there. And he will be needed in midfield at some stage, you would think.

It was perhaps another moment where Arteta has tried to be too clever. But, as Foster suggests, Arsenal got the most important job done in the end.