Some football fans expressed their displeasure at Arsenal legend, Paul Merson for lambasting Thomas Partey for his performance against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
During the post-match analysis of Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Sky Sports, Paul Merson fumed about Partey’s inability to mark Ollie Watkins tightly.
He added that former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher would never have committed such a mistake.
“With the two goals, Merino and Partey, you want to stop the game and get the referee to give Partey a microphone and ask, ‘What were you thinking?’ because I wonder what he was thinking; I just don’t know.
“Jamie [Carragher] would have never done that in his life, even playing about 600 games. He would have stood with him and never given him space,” Merson said.
In reaction to the remarks, some football fans rejected the pundit’s criticism of Partey, citing the fact that the player is a midfielder, not a defender, and was playing out of position.
Others described the comments as harsh, sidelining his efforts and focusing on his setbacks.
Some also slammed him for comparing Partey to Carragher, whose natural position was a defender.
Read some of the comments below:
And they forgot that Thomas Partey is playing as a makeshift fullback; he’s not a right-back by trade.
— Football Is Awesome (@AwesomeFutball) January 18, 2025
Judging a fish by its ability to climb a tree?
Partey’s not a RB. Timber should have started at RB.— Everest (@everest_254) January 19, 2025
Partey isn’t a RB
— Bruh Koby🇬🇭 (@qobi_cool) January 18, 2025
Don’t play him at RB, we have said that a 1000 times! Play a defender there, play a youth RB there, and things go wrong you cannot blame the kid! Kiwior was available, play him on the right side of defence. Play timber as a RB. Stop playing him out of position then blaming him.
— RichardAK@Arsenal. (@RichardAk4747) January 19, 2025
Partey isnt a right back. So what’s this nonsense
— Pumpin (@dejavupumpin) January 18, 2025
Thomas isn’t a defender 😪
— Tlou Letebele 🐘 (@binkekana) January 18, 2025
Merson was so ott with all the comments on this game, we have many injuries Partey is midfielder he was put again at RB to cover, blame Arteta for not putting Kiwior at cb and Timber at rb. Who really cares what Carragher comes out with and he was not a great defender
— David Peddie (@DavidPeddie) January 19, 2025
Ok Paul Merson calm down ffs his playing out of position he hasn’t played 600 games as CB
— Ineche (@Ineshd14) January 19, 2025
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