"Arteta did not push me" - Thomas Partey talks about his first season at Arsenal

 

 After his £45 million transfer to Arsenal, the Ghanaian midfielder had an up and down debut season in the Premier League, with injuries limiting his progress.Since joining Arsenal, Thomas Partey has revealed that his first season in English football hasn’t gone entirely to plan. Atletico Madrid sold the Ghana international for £45 million at the close of last summer’s transfer window.

Despite showing flashes of brilliance, the midfielder has been hampered by a series of injuries. Partey made just 24 Premier League games in a season in which Arsenal missed out on European competition for the first time in almost a quarter-century.

“Well I think everybody has seen it, there’s been ups and downs,” the Arsenal star said of his first season in England.

“We’ve had good times and bad times, but this is my first season and I think I had to adapt to how they play, get used to my teammates.“I think now I’m getting used to them and I know with hard work everything will be okay for the next season.

“Of course, it’s not easy. The Premier League is one of the best leagues in the world and if you want to be there you have to be able to do everything well.

“So I like this challenge and I’m ready to do everything.”

Partey’s most contentious moment came against Tottenham in the north London derby in December, when the 28-year-old seemed to be shoved off the field by manager Mikel Arteta.

Partey pulled up lame shortly after the incident as Spurs countered to make it 2-0. He has, however, maintained that the episode was misinterpreted, implying that he had no negative feelings about Arteta’s part in the incident.

He said: “Well I think people misunderstood that situation.

“I remember when I first took the ball from one of the Spurs players and then I felt my calf, and then I was walking straight to the bench.

“And then I didn’t know what happened, I saw them attacking us.

“Arteta did not push me. I tried to run back to try and save the situation but I could not because it was very painful. And then the media took it and everything went viral.”

Partey, on the other hand, believes his injury problems are now behind him, saying: “When you see the last few games I was able to play more than 70 minutes, some matches 90 minutes. So I think I’m feeling good.”

SOURCE: 442gh.com