Rapid Vienna vs Arsenal result: Five things we learned as Thomas Partey stars in Europa League victory

Mikel Arteta’s side got their Europa League campaign underway with a 2-1 victory in Vienna

(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Partey makes instant impact

If Thomas Partey was brought in to provide the bruising and ballast in Arsenal’s midfield, his first start for the club was all about the subtleties. Yes, there were firm passes and harder tackles, a heavy metal presence introduced into what was always a rather soft undercarriage. But more pronounced, and perhaps the solitary bright spark in a suffocating game, was Partey’s sense of calm.

It is the quality, more apparent than any highlight-reel, that separates players of the highest calibre. The effortlessness with which Virgil van Dijk easies into a goal-saving challenge, or how Mesut Ozil - pre-civil war - used to glide weightlessly into space and time a pass while staring vacantly in the opposite direction.

Partey may only have been training with his new teammates for a matter of days, but seems to have already established himself as the unerring heartbeat of Mikel Arteta’s side, reducing the game to his own tempo, everywhere at once without ever being flustered, doing its dirty work with a fine paintbrush. So when Rapid Vienna broke free on the counter-attack, it was Partey who stepped in serenely to make the last-ditch tackle. And that was the one occasion where he hadn’t snuffed out the danger earlier. There were no airs or graces, just somewhere between intelligence and instinct. In Arsenal’s glorious and increasingly old days, players who joined the club were stepping up in levels. But arriving from Diego Simeone’s meticulously drilled Atletico, Partey was never likely to break his stride.

There is, of course, far more to Partey than being a disruptor, though. Throughout this game, Arsenal’s every move seemed to begin within his orbit. He’d drop deep, take the ball from David Luiz’s unstable grasp, and jog forwards as though without a care in the world. From there, he’d slip a pass between two defenders, breaking the lines. For a side who’ve recently been so devoid of creativity, Partey was the player who single-handedly generated a sense of impetus.

The hard numbers tell the true story. Partey made more tackles than any other player on the pitch (5); touched the ball (102) and completed more passes than any other midfielder (83). It is tempting with any new signing to exaggerate the transformative impact they might have. Only time can write those stories. But what’s clear is that Partey is already making himself one of Arsenal’s most influential players, and he still hasn’t broken a sweat.

Leno endures off-night

The glare on Bernd Leno has often been unfair since the departure of Emiliano Martinez. The German’s every error magnified and scrutinised. But then, if there ever was a lingering doubt over Arsenal making the correct decision, tonight the cracks started to show. Caught in purgatory outside of his box, unassured at crosses and a dreadful error that gifted Vienna the lead in the second half. Every keeper makes mistakes, but if tonight’s performance was not an anomaly, it will be a cause for alarm.

Elneny proves unlikely asset

The curtain was supposed to be drawn on Mohammed Elneny’s Arsenal career. Forgotten in Turkey, seemingly with no way back, the Egyptian might not be so much as a revelation this season, but what he lacks in extravagance is made up for in efficiency. Again, as part of Arteta’s midfielder axis, he was trustingly reliable, breaking up play, recycling possession. There is nothing extraordinary to it, but across a wearing schedule, having those qualities readily available to call upon can be an invaluable asset.

Pepe lacking end product

The brilliance of Nicolas Pepe’s runs are that, before he’s jinked inside, a blur of legs and feints, you know it’s coming. There’ll be a rush of stepovers, a low drop of the shoulder to his right hand side, a sudden shift onto his strong left foot, and then he’s gone. Throughout this match, that pattern lost his marker and Pepe was free. The trouble is that the end product rarely follows. Whether it’s a lack of runners with him, a failure to pick out the right pass, or the curled shot that fizzes over the crossbar, his skills are still short of translating into their just rewards. 

Fans roar on Vienna

This may have been a game stale in creativity and chances, but nevertheless, the force of the 3,000 fans in attendance weighed heavily behind every Rapid Vienna movement. When Eddie Nketiah fruitlessly attempted to cut inside, he was met by a wall of noise. Every tackle was roared to the heaven and those rare shots Rapid managed were howled in the direction of the goal. After so long behind closed doors, the cheers felt almost surreal, and they continued right up until the final whistle.

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