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Nicolas Pepe: 2019/20 Performances

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pikey2000

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The only reason Mahrez isn't a starter for his 'elite' club is because they are a joke in terms of squad depth imo. Funny you mention it though, because it seems like he's just become a starter, think it's five in a row for City now.

I'd be gassed if Pepe became as good as Mahrez.
The only thing he lacks in consistency at the moment, other than that they are identical players to me, Mahrez didn't make a big impact until his second season at Leicester, I can see Pepe being the same.

The only reason everyone is on Pepe's back and Mahrez was under the radar is the price tag.

Think Mahrez is starting at the moment as we've just come through one of the busiest parts of the season, fully expect to see Sterling back in on left and Mahrez rotated on the right before long.

Not saying he isn't great, and I also think Pepe will be great, but I don't think they are top top tier players, more than good enough for us as a starter at the moment though! We are light years away from dreaming of having that calibre player as a squaddie.

Maybe when we get taken over by a Nigerian cement barron :)
 

Gooner416

Master of Stonks
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19555350-7559449-image-a-29_1570735459794.jpg


His Arsenal career thus far.
 

Hleb's Sirush

Established Member
His decision making can be abysmal at times. Apart from that he had a decent game. The main issue I see is still the same as before. He is positioned too wide and deep for my liking. When he receives the ball in those areas he usually loses it because he will try to dribble that far back and take on half their team.

When he receives the ball closer to the final third, he becomes so dangerous. That late break that could possibly have been a penalty is what he is all about. Unfortunately for us we just can't seem to get him in that kind of situations often.
 

Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
Pace and dribbling from him, that's it. Footballing brain is not there. Tries to do it all himself rather then pass.

That has to do with his positioning, imo. He picks the ball up all the way in the flank and tries to get to the center by taking on the entire team, which is no easy task. Doesn't have an RB overlapping him, so he usually ends up having to get by two players instead of one.

His decision making can be abysmal at times. Apart from that he had a decent game. The main issue I see is still the same as before. He is positioned too wide and deep for my liking. When he receives the ball in those areas he usually loses it because he will try to dribble that far back and take on half their team.

When he receives the ball closer to the final third, he becomes so dangerous. That late break that could possibly have been a penalty is what he is all about. Unfortunately for us we just can't seem to get him in that kind of situations often.

Agreed 100%. Anyone who watched Pépé at Lille will know that his production comes from whenever he's able to get to cut into more central spaces. I think he'd benefit tremendously from having a RB that can overlap.
 

HaffBR

Designer of fancy pyramids
Pace, Dribbling (the only world class dribbler in the Arsenal squad perhaps)... I think he is good, needs to improve his decision making but it is possible.
 

Trilly

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Decent ish (for our standards game). Decision making could/should improve with time.

Thing is though, how do you learn from mistakes when you get the ball in dangerous areas approx three times per 90. Improving things like decision making is all about experience and repetition.

Majority of touches occur seem to occur far right with 2-3 defenders in front of him. Choices are usually pass it back, take on your man (which everyone seems to hate) or swing a hopeful ball into the box.

We need to get our attackers regularly receiving the ball in promising areas, when that’s happening often enough then you can really start to criticise a players decision making. I think we can all agree that a player starved of service doesn’t tend to make the best use of the ball?

This defence applies to Lacazette and even Martinelli tbh. Auba is the only guy we have who just knows what to do and when to do it. That comes with being a world class player in the prime of his career.
 

Country: Iceland
Think he has talent but he is lacking for this level I think doesnt have much football brain... If we can get 60 M for him next summer we should take it and run!
 

Macho

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Look at @Pop Tart post as to why they're similar. No need to bring race and nationality into this ffs as if I were, you knob. :lol:
Lazy assumption from someone ignorant is all I see tbh.
You don’t know anything about Pepe to be posting such memes.
 

Macho

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As for his performance today, the usual stuff - our brightest spark in attack but poor final ball and just too slow when it comes to releasing, forces dribbles when he could just do a one touch.

This will be ironed out over time once he gets used to his team mates and vice versa. Looks like unfamiliarity in general and over reliance on individual skill rather than lack of football brain issue which people are quick to accuse players of.
 

Token Yank

Well-Known Member
Our most dangerous player (again) yet people are slagging him off. Set up two good chances for Martinelli, close to winning a pen, meanwhile linking up with the French Darren Bent.
 

Bloodbather

Established Member

Country: Turkey
Set up two good chances for Martinelli

The dribble action that freed him from two players followed up by him setting up Martinelli in the box shows what type of player he is. Super dangerous when he's able to close in on central positions coming from the right, adept at linking up the striker with passes from that spot or going further toward the center scoring himself.

He's very similar to Mo Salah in what he prefers to do and what he excels at. Obviously not the same level, but that's the way his talents are best utilized.

0_mosalah201718.jpg


This is Salah's heatmap from the 17-18 season. His hottest locations are those more center-right areas and that's where he's at his most productive. Pépé is much the same, but most of the time he gets the ball all the way down at the flank, or close to the halfway line. We just can't overload in a way that gives the ball to Pépé in that center-right position across the box. Not having a RB that can overlap is a significant reason why, it forces Pépé to provide width by sticking to the flank and his only way of moving to more central positions are by taking on multiple players. He's skilled enough to be able to pull it off sometimes, but most of the time it results in him either losing the ball, or attempting a shot from far out that hits a player. Taking shots from far out isn't his game either, his goals at Lille came almost exclusively from inside the box, most of them around the penalty spot.

The only game this season where I saw Pépé have opportunities to play centrally enough to find himself near the penalty spot was the Liverpool game at home where he started next to Aubameyang in a 4-3-1-2. He did squander the opportunities he got in that one, but it was his most Lille-like performance. Even that one was more counter-attack heavy anyway, not really a case where overloading gave Pépé those opportunities.

Optimizing Pépé is important imo, not just because he's a huge investment, but because he's definitely the most skilled player on the team and one that can elevate the team to a different level.
 
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