✍️ OFFICIAL Nicolas Pepe (Out)

[Trilly]

Would be sad to see him go, I think he has the makings of a special player.

Hopefully not true, as I feel we could at the very least get some more out of him and then let him go at a bigger price.

The only way is if he outlasts Arteta and the new manager is someone who knows how to utilise wide forwards.

Think we’d see enough to up his value if that happened, maybe even keep him. As things stand though Arteta is looking very likely to earn an extension.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Not being flippant, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out for a player at a certain club and it’s no deeper than that.

You may recall when Torres was an absolute beast for Liverpool, had a big £££ transfer to Chelsea and suddenly turned into Nicolas Bendtner overnight.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Agree fully tbh. Most of my time spent defending Pepe was arguing what you’ve said here. He’s not an elite player but he could be elite at some things if we used him well.

Either Arteta can’t do that or has decided it’s not worth it. Probably the latter but I think we might struggle with Auba being the only real goal scorer (so far) in the team. I’m ignoring Laca because he’s not long term and tbh his finishing seems to get worse each year.

I think the issue with Pepe is that we are just not good enough at this point under Arteta for him and Auba to be compatible (apart from the issue of both him and Saka being much better on the right, which also complicates matters), we don't get the ball into the final third with enough consistency and construct attacks with enough efficiency for it to be worth having two end product players who struggle in combination, hence why we had to bring Laca into the side and we've seen something of an improvement since doing so.

I'm disappointed in Arteta's inability so far to create a functional build-up that could've made real potent use of the talents of Pepe and Auba at the same time--it's more about that than supposedly "using" Pepe wrong, IMO...he's used Pepe how he should be, as an inverted winger, wide forward--but yeah, when you have serious limitations in your play as Pepe (or Auba) do and you're in a side in construction like this with a manager learning on the job, these are the realities you expose yourself to. With each passing game I wonder more if it's even preferable to have Auba in the team over Pepe or Martinelli, because him needing Lacazette to make him functional limits pretty seriously his value as a player, but given his track record and caché it's understandable Arteta's decision to stick with him, to see if he catches form, because between the two end product machines Auba is just simply the one with the bigger output if things go right.

That said, you guys have overrated him, or overrated the value / rarity in the market of a player with significant deficiencies like him. I'm not sure there's that much difference, for instance, in Pepe and Martinelli's value, should Martinelli be given a run of games.

In short, he's an expendable player. I would've tried to sell him after his first full season or even after the first half, as I said at the time, before his value decreased (too much, that is, as of course it had decreased already after a half season, and more after a full one), but at least with his surge of end product at the end of last season he's probably recovered some value.

Not being flippant, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out for a player at a certain club and it’s no deeper than that.

You may recall when Torres was an absolute beast for Liverpool, had a big £££ transfer to Chelsea and suddenly turned into Nicolas Bendtner overnight.

There tend to be reasons, though, it's not so simple as that, so in a sense I disagree and it is deeper than that.

With Torres for instance it was very much about the decline in physical capability post-injury of a player very reliant on his physical attributes.

 

[Riou]

Not being flippant, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out for a player at a certain club and it’s no deeper than that.

You may recall when Torres was an absolute beast for Liverpool, had a big £££ transfer to Chelsea and suddenly turned into Nicolas Bendtner overnight.

We talking about the same Bendtner that outscored Drogba in 2008/2009?

 

[Trilly]

I think the issue with Pepe is that we are just not good enough at this point under Arteta for him and Auba to be compatible (apart from the issue of both him and Saka being much better on the right, which also complicates matters), we don't get the ball into the final third with enough consistency and construct attacks with enough efficiency for it to be worth having two end product players who struggle in combination, hence why we had to bring Laca into the side and we've seen something of an improvement since doing so.

I'm disappointed in Arteta's inability so far to create a functional build-up that could've made real potent use of the talents of Pepe and Auba at the same time--it's more about that than supposedly "using" Pepe wrong, IMO...he's used Pepe how he should be, as an inverted winger, wide forward--but yeah, when you have serious limitations in your play as Pepe (or Auba) do and you're in a side in construction like this with a manager learning on the job, these are the realities you expose yourself to. With each passing game I wonder more if it's even preferable to have Auba in the team over Pepe or Martinelli, because him needing Lacazette to make him functional limits pretty seriously his value as a player, but given his track record and caché it's understandable Arteta's decision to stick with him, to see if he catches form, because between the two end product machines Auba is just simply the one with the bigger output if things go right.

That said, you guys have overrated him, or overrated the value / rarity in the market of a player with significant deficiencies like him. I'm not sure there's that much difference, for instance, in Pepe and Martinelli's value, should Martinelli be given a run of games.

In short, he's an expendable player. I would've tried to sell him after his first full season or even after the first half, as I said at the time, before his value decreased (too much, that is, as of course it had decreased already after a half season, and more after a full one), but at least with his surge of end product at the end of last season he's probably recovered some value.




There tend to be reasons, though, it's not so simple as that, so in a sense I disagree and it is deeper than that.

With Torres for instance it was very much about the decline in physical capability post-injury of a player very reliant on his physical attributes.

I agree for the most part except the part about exaggerating the rarity of a player like Pepe in the transfer window and saying Martinelli may be similar.

I agree that players with less deficiencies in their game are quite common but I disagree that players with his qualities are as common. That’s what I’ve always pushed on here, not that he’s a flawless player but that the qualities he has are’t easy to come by. There aren’t many wide forwards with his combination of pace, dribbling and natural finishing ability. Tbh it’s the latter of those three that makes all the difference imo, he wouldn’t start every game at a Liverpool/Bayern/City/any other dominant team but he’d score a lot of goals.

You look for a player with all three and we’re going to be paying at least 50M again unless we do some magic and find another Salah.

 

[Macho]

I think the issue with Pepe is that we are just not good enough at this point under Arteta for him and Auba to be compatible (apart from the issue of both him and Saka being much better on the right, which also complicates matters), we don't get the ball into the final third with enough consistency and construct attacks with enough efficiency for it to be worth having two end product players who struggle in combination, hence why we had to bring Laca into the side and we've seen something of an improvement since doing so.

I'm disappointed in Arteta's inability so far to create a functional build-up that could've made real potent use of the talents of Pepe and Auba at the same time--it's more about that than supposedly "using" Pepe wrong, IMO...he's used Pepe how he should be, as an inverted winger, wide forward--but yeah, when you have serious limitations in your play as Pepe (or Auba) do and you're in a side in construction like this with a manager learning on the job, these are the realities you expose yourself to. With each passing game I wonder more if it's even preferable to have Auba in the team over Pepe or Martinelli, because him needing Lacazette to make him functional limits pretty seriously his value as a player, but given his track record and caché it's understandable Arteta's decision to stick with him, to see if he catches form, because between the two end product machines Auba is just simply the one with the bigger output if things go right.

That said, you guys have overrated him, or overrated the value / rarity in the market of a player with significant deficiencies like him. I'm not sure there's that much difference, for instance, in Pepe and Martinelli's value, should Martinelli be given a run of games.

In short, he's an expendable player. I would've tried to sell him after his first full season or even after the first half, as I said at the time, before his value decreased (too much, that is, as of course it had decreased already after a half season, and more after a full one), but at least with his surge of end product at the end of last season he's probably recovered some value.




There tend to be reasons, though, it's not so simple as that, so in a sense I disagree and it is deeper than that.

With Torres for instance it was very much about the decline in physical capability post-injury of a player very reliant on his physical attributes.

Trademark lengthy post, but I actually agree with this. We've butted heads over Pepe in the past but you actually have one of the more nuanced balanced views of him on here.

I disagree with the overrated part though, it's been the opposite in my opinion here he's been completely shat on.

Unless you are talking about market though? 24 when we signed him? goal scoring winger? we overpaid massively for what he does so I kinda agree, but you have to keep in mind looking at Mikel's ideal wingers wouldn't be cheap either really. How much would Benardo Silva cost? or even Sterling for eg? (random examples)

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Loan with option to buy one presumes...

 

[Kysus]

He would shine at pool

Not being able to utilise Pepe is Arteta's biggest questionmark.
We need more goals and Pepe, if used properly, would provide those in abundance.

 

[Rasmi]

He would shine at pool

Not being able to utilise Pepe is Arteta's biggest questionmark.
We need more goals and Pepe, if used properly, would provide those in abundance.

He wouldn’t shine in any pl club and I love how every fan base think Newcastle are run by mugs who will pay crazy for their flops

 

[Rex Stone]

Genuinely though if we sell him in January and Saka gets an injury, what then?

Likely going to have to play Auba on the wing again but that’s a dreadful time for everyone.

I know people have mentioned some young winger we’re linked with but he’s not going to help us get top 4. He’ll probably need a few years to fully develop.

We have Pepe on a longish contract, I really wouldn’t sell him because he’s a good option off the bench.

 

[Kav]

He wouldn’t shine in any pl club and I love how every fan base think Newcastle are run by mugs who will pay crazy for their flops

Did you see how they recruited a new manager? of course they are ran by mugs.

Pepe is a legit shooter. He will command a decent fee is he goes. I think if he goes to Newcastle they will be seriously dangerous on the counter with ASM (best winger in the league). If they want him let’s get ASM in exchange.

 

[Riou]

Auba and Laca won't let Pepe leave before they do, tbh.

He's here until the summer, which is a good thing...we need the depth, think he still has a solid part to play this season.

We should be looking to loan Martinelli in January, if anything, he needs some regular minutes right now.

 

[Rex Stone]

Auba and Laca won't let Pepe leave before they do, tbh.

He's here until the summer, which is a good thing...we need the depth, think he still has a solid part to play this season.

We should be looking to loan Martinelli in January, if anything, he needs some regular minutes right now.

Martinelli getting linked with Brazilian clubs. It’s over for the Samba Jordon Ibe.

 

[DasBootist]

Not being flippant, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out for a player at a certain club and it’s no deeper than that.

You may recall when Torres was an absolute beast for Liverpool, had a big £££ transfer to Chelsea and suddenly turned into Nicolas Bendtner overnight.

Torres wishes he could be Bendtner

 

[Riou]

Martinelli getting linked with Brazilian clubs. It’s over for the Samba Jordon Ibe.

He's Emery's legacy to Arsenal, shame it's ending this way...

 

[Garrincha]

Martinelli just like Saliba should count as HG after this season... if we dont want them have to think PL clubs will be very open

 

[AbouCuéllar]

Trademark lengthy post, but I actually agree with this. We've butted heads over Pepe in the past but you actually have one of the more nuanced balanced views of him on here.

I disagree with the overrated part though, it's been the opposite in my opinion here he's been completely shat on.

Unless you are talking about market though? 24 when we signed him? goal scoring winger? we overpaid massively for what he does so I kinda agree, but you have to keep in mind looking at Mikel's ideal wingers wouldn't be cheap either really. How much would Benardo Silva cost? or even Sterling for eg? (random examples)

As you know, I can't really do brevity. I try but if I can't get in the nuance I want to I prefer to just not opine.

I meant overrated by you and Trilly, of course there's been a lot of opinion that's been over the top on him, I've been guilty of going too far in writing him off myself at times when he's been a in a dry patch. That's natural for a player like Pepe, I think, in part, because end product players who frustrate with their association play or disappear for large patches of the match are very frustrating to watch when those few moments of end product don't appear.

As for the market, I mean that there are players like Pepe out there available on the market...Coman, Sterling, Chiesa was bought after Pepe, Antony was someone I would've wanted us to sign if we hadn't signed Pepe, Depay, Saint-Maximin, Sarr are similar level players and surely there are some Ligue 1 players up and coming who I'm forgetting who can offer a similar level. That's what I mean by not as unique a player or as much a rarity on the market as is made out sometimes.

saying Martinelli may be similar.

I do feel that if Martinelli were given a run in the team as the LW he could put up similar numbers to Pepe, perhaps slightly lesser but compensating with the fact I think he'd have a slightly better global effect on the team due to his faster style of play and great work rate.

 

[Macho]

I meant overrated by you and Trilly, of course there's been a lot of opinion that's been over the top on him, I've been guilty of going too far in writing him off myself at times when he's been a in a dry patch. .

Nah, seems that way because we are some of the few who root for him. You can’t overrate a player people often say is the worst on the pitch.

You have to understand I grew up watching the invincibles and I know what WC players look like. I merely stood up for him against a forum who hates him and hates his price tag.

With Pepe it wasn’t so much actually Pepe himself tbh, it’s the blatant over the top double standards.

Pepe going missing for 90 mins and popping up with the winning goal,
and ESR going missing for 90 mins and popping up with the winning goal - is literally the same thing but the reactions and scrutiny it gets from AM characters is day and night.

The fact that I’ve typed this, some will be quick to remind me that ESR is only a wee baby boy and Pepe is a 72 million bum and needs to do better, but that’s the war I’ve been fighting on here.

 

[A_G]

this seems more realistic than a PL club

 

[Rex Stone]

this seems more realistic than a PL club

Two year loan bid with a £1.50 option to buy spread over 10 years incoming.