Thomas Partey has struggled to translate his strong club form to the international stage, according to George Afriyie, a former vice president of the Ghana Football Association.
When Partey plays for Arsenal compared to when he represents Ghana, there is a noticeable difference in his performance.
Due to criticism over his underwhelming World Cup performance, the 29-year-old was made the scapegoat for Ghana’s early exit.
George Afriyie mentioned to 3FMin a conversation that Partey might be experiencing the same issue that Michael Essien did at one point in his career.
He explained that Partey’s starting position in Ghana’s team could be a factor because the nation has yet to establish a position for him
“It’s a combination of factors. compare him to Michael Essien. What we saw him in the Chelsea jersey cannot be compared to what we saw in the Black Stars. Essien delivered when it mattered most. I remember we played Congo in Brazzaville and Partey was pushed up front in more of a No.8 or No.10 position and he scored 3 goals,” he stated.
“Against Nigeria in Abuja, he also scored a very important goal that qualified Ghana for the World Cup. So where it matters most, he delivers,” he said.
“It depends on how a coach wants to parade his players. It depends on the set of players he brings around him. It would be very difficult to compare Partey in Arsenal to Partey in Ghana because you need to consider the materials around him at Arsenal and compare that to Ghana. So for me, it is the way we position him and the roles we assign him. Partey has always had the desire and shown commitment that he wants to play for Ghana,” he added.
Partey is likely to be in the starting team when the Black Stars host Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium on March 23. The Arsenal man could be in action again when Ghana traveled to Angola, four days later.
In 43 appearances for Ghana, Thomas Partey has scored 13 goals including the one that sealed qualification for the 2022 World Cup.