Arsenal’s surprise solution?

In the absence of Thomas Partey against Fulham, Mike Arteta gave Mo Elneny his first start of the season.

So often a player many see as basic & ‘not good enough’ in this game he displayed something Arsenal had been lacking… control.

With a 98% passing accuracy, he kept the ball ticking. While his passing isn’t as punchy as Partey’s, he’s a lot better at keeping the ball.

Arsenal enjoyed 73% of the ball, by far their highest of the season. Even though football isn’t all about possession, top teams most often dominate game in that department.

While Elneny’s profile does require other players to progress the ball, like Saliba vs Fulham, it’s still something very useful.

Do I see him starting over a fit Partey? No. But off the bench when Arsenal need to control a slow down a game? They should turn to Mo Elneny.