Nicolas Pepe: The Nutmeg Express!

[A_G]

Arteta fuming

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Arteta fuming

It'd be a great shame if Pepe doesn't at least achieve fan favourite status here.

 

[EinmalImmerEwig]

I think you are wrong.

I remember watching Sterling dribbling really well but failing to produce an end product consistently but he has learnt in the tutelage of Pep and is very good at it right now.
Pepe has got the end product and has the skillset to beat his man. The only concerns are that he will more likely than not cut in on his left foot (which is totally fine if he can learn to mix it up) and he doesn't bust a gut to get into goal scoring positions/ assist positions (probably a psychological block). These two can be easily coached imo. He should be fine with personalised coaching.

I am certain, there is a player in there that can do 30+ goals/assists every year. Unfortunately for him, Saka has emerged and has owned his position. However, we must do this even if it is to raise his stock so we can recoup most of the money we invested.

I hope you're right.
It pains me when an Arsenal player is...well...not performing up to expectations

Fair point with Sterling, but he's got Pep to teach him. I'm not sure Arteta is at a level yet to do that. He also has other priorities.

You then say Pepe has got the skill/end product. That's a matter of opinion. He was good enough for Ligue 1, let's see if he steps up.
It's possible, for sure, but he is a work in progress. ( at 25 )

The bit I'm not so sure about is that the two things you rightly criticize him for - always cutting in to the left and not busting a gut - can be taught.

Start with his non-existent right foot.
He was a Goalkeeper until 15, that means he's played 'winger' for 10 years. So he's got the experience of a 15 year old.
Now with a 15 year old you can work on it, you've still got time. Pepe is 25. He is NOT going to suddenly become two-footed. If he manages it in the next 3 years and stays fit then we might be able to sell him before his contract runs out. Otherwise he is here for the duration.

Your second point about the laziness.
Mate, if you're a lazy 25 year old who's just won the EuroMillions Lottery then it's going to be some special kind of man-management that makes you up your game. Specially when you know you have to retire when you're 35 but you could retire at the end of this contract ( June 2024 ) after having earned £36,400,000 quite easily.

If I'm wrong then I will admit it.
June 2024.

 

[EinmalImmerEwig]

Arteta fuming

He had 11 touches in that clip. All left foot.
Exactly the same move. Every time. Go left, shoot far corner. Every time.

In the Newcastle game he had the ball in the area and went right once. The ball ran out of play because his right foot is only for standing on. It had no idea what to do.

He is earning £833 an hour. EVERY HOUR.
In the time it took me to write this post he earned about fifty quid.

 

[EinmalImmerEwig]

Interesting to see where he goes when he leaves us, don't think he will have a career post Arsenal that will make us regret him not working out here, even though he does have talent.

He can go where ever he wants. He'll have earned £36,400,000
He wont go to another football club in England. He'll sit out his contract here and then go back to France and dazzle them with his trick.

 

[EmeryCouldnt]

He had 11 touches in that clip. All left foot.
Exactly the same move. Every time. Go left, shoot far corner. Every time.

In the Newcastle game he had the ball in the area and went right once. The ball ran out of play because his right foot is only for standing on. It had no idea what to do.

He is earning £833 an hour. EVERY HOUR.
In the time it took me to write this post he earned about fifty quid.

the type of thing that only works against our defense

 

[EinmalImmerEwig]

It'd be a great shame if Pepe doesn't at least achieve fan favourite status here.

Nr. 1 is Perry Groves, Nr. 2 is Perry Groves, etc., Nr. 7 is LIAM BRADY, etc.

Perry was cult, but he was ****. BUT he tried hard and you knew that could have been you. You were happy for him because he bled red and white, he gave that mythical 110%, you could see how much it meant to him to play for The Arsenal.

We have had true footballing legends at our Club. From Eddie Hapgood, Alex James, Drake and Bastin through to McLintock, George, to Brady, Steve Williams and Tony Adams, and then of course to Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira.

So many fantastic players, so many fantastic personalities, and then there's our record signing, an ex-goalie turned right wing, one-trick pony, who looks like he's had a couple of bong hits before he comes on, and plays like it as well.
You couldn't make it up!

 

[tap-in]

Arteta fuming

Every single touch of that move is with his left. Its a very good left though!

 

[DanDare]

Surely he's been told in training to touch the ball less and vary what he does. If he's not managing it by now he probably won't ever

So disappointed because some of what he can do you can't learn it's just pure talent.

He'll never get to near the top level that some of his talents deserve

 

[Jack_the_boy]

Like Gervinho he is showing poor decision making. Gervinho’s level of decision making didn’t improve throughout his time here, so I don’t hold much hope that Pepe will either.

 

[celestis]

Arteta fuming

This is why Pepe thinks he can 3/4 players at once in matches. Willian what an example of defensive work ethic.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

Nr. 1 is Perry Groves, Nr. 2 is Perry Groves, etc., Nr. 7 is LIAM BRADY, etc.

Perry was cult, but he was ****. BUT he tried hard and you knew that could have been you. You were happy for him because he bled red and white, he gave that mythical 110%, you could see how much it meant to him to play for The Arsenal.

We have had true footballing legends at our Club. From Eddie Hapgood, Alex James, Drake and Bastin through to McLintock, George, to Brady, Steve Williams and Tony Adams, and then of course to Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira.

So many fantastic players, so many fantastic personalities, and then there's our record signing, an ex-goalie turned right wing, one-trick pony, who looks like he's had a couple of bong hits before he comes on, and plays like it as well.
You couldn't make it up!

Okay boomer.

 

[Mrs Bergkamp]

Every single touch of that move is with his left. Its a very good left though!

The funny thing is that his right foot is quite decent. He just needs to mix it up and have a crack.

 

[Moah]

Like Gervinho he is showing poor decision making. Gervinho’s level of decision making didn’t improve throughout his time here, so I don’t hold much hope that Pepe will either.

What kind of nonsense is this? How do you even get to a conclusion from that?

Some of the things people manage to come up with always baffles me.

 

[Melquiades]

There are 3 major problems with Pepe :

1) He's extremely one-footed and thus very predictable.
2) He doesn't make quality runs at or behind defenders to utilize his pace, instead always wanting the ball at his feet at a standstill.
3) His work rate off the ball is mediocre at best.

Result is a very flawed player who struggles to fit into a system. Absolutely, there is some talent there and I think he could look better if a team built their system around him more or if he was playing in a slightly lower league (like Ligue 1) but at this level that's not going to happen.

As per the Athletic article posted earlier, I agree in general with what they're saying that good transfers can be ruined by bad management and vice versa, but I also don't agree that comparing the situation Pepe is in at Arsenal to guys on that hapless Villa team in 16-17 is an accurate or fair comparison, either. This has been a winning team since Pepe came here and a teenage academy player in Saka has had no problem looking absolutely outstanding in basically the same position/role on the same team in the same system.

 

[bergholt]

Arteta fuming

To be fair, dribbling past Willock + Willian isn't exactly tricky

 

[Rimaal]

The problem is it’s just not Pepe. Pepe will go this summer - I’m not quite sure if he knows that, but that guy is done.

We don’t maintain the value of our signings well, that’s just the truth. Guendouzi, Torreira, Saliba, AMN, these aren’t 30 year old crocked guys - it’s poor and we have to be honest. Too easy to solely blame players you don’t like.

The players thriving are just too few. When people’s favourites inevitably start going wonky as well, some of you will start to get it.

No he won't. Not unless we're loaning him or taking a huuuuge loss on him.

 

[Rimaal]

Arteta fuming

Do that in match, which he does all the time, and he'll lose the ball, which he does all the time.

 

[TromsoGooner]

Arteta fuming

Willian putting in the effort in training I see.

 

[A_G]

Do that in match, which he does all the time, and he'll lose the ball, which he does all the time.

He might score too