‘Partey Not Bossing Arsenal Midfield’ – Keown Disappointed By Ghana Star After Slavia Prague Draw

The Black Stars midfielder was in action for 78 minutes as the Gunners struggled for a draw in Thursday's Europa League encounter.

Former Arsenal star Martin Keown has slammed Thomas Partey for not "bossing" the Arsenal midfield after their 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague in the Uefa Europa League quarter-final.

Partey played for 78 minutes before he was replaced by Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.

Prior to his substitution, the Black Stars midfielder managed to make one key pass with two tackles and two interceptions completed.

Despite his contributions, Keown thinks the 27-year-old did not produce a dominant performance against Slavia Prague.

“Partey, as well, tonight, was another player that really disappointed me,” Keown told BT Sport via Mirror.

“Watching it live here, and we’re not getting into the stadiums that often, he didn’t look like he had the legs to get around the pitch.

“He wasn’t really bossing that midfield, and credit to them, by the way, Slavia Prague because they’ve got lots of good players and made good substitutions.

“But that’s an area of the pitch that I would’ve thought by now, he would be bossing.”

The former Gunners centre-back went on to criticise Mikel Arteta’s side after failing to keep a clean sheet since their goalless Premier League draw against Manchester United on January 30.

“It’s gut-wrenching. You thought that Arsenal had just about done enough,” he added.

“They had good opportunities in the game, Lacazette with a great opportunity, then they just got ahead through Pepe after making the changes. The substitutes gave Arsenal much more energy.

“Then the marking for the corner is atrocious or non-existent. Gabriel, in the build-up to that there’s a bit of panic, a nervousness.

“As you say, no clean sheet in 14 games for Arsenal and it showed tonight. When they needed it most, to keep a clean sheet in the last 5 or 10 minutes, they just couldn’t do it.”