Nicolas Pepe: The Nutmeg Express!

[BigPoppaPump]

A player with amazing shooting technique, pace and ability to destroy defenders with his dribbling is an interesting "one trick" pony definition.

Yes, he's good at cutting in and shooting but building up he struggles and gets dispossessed too easily.

@Finesse said it well here:

Pepe can be asked to stop taking on players as his first decision. It’s like he just wants to get the ball and start dribbling . Even without scanning to see a run or combination. He should be forced combine , pass and move at all times. He will start relying on his speed and movement and less on body feints.

 

[Trilly]

Glad he scored goal and assists today

No you’re not.

 

[Trilly]

I had to re read this a couple times.

Not particularly clinical? 20 goals in 33 league appearances last season and a shot accuracy of 38%. 17 in 34 the season before and a shooting accuracy of 51%. He still misses easy chances but his overall numbers are actually insane.

Even without the end product, Sterling’s first touch, passing, acceleration, close control, and balance are levels above Pepe. It’s not even close.

It’s also his personality on the pitch. It’s a horrendous comparison at best anyway.

Think he’s talking about pre-Guardiola Sterling not word class Sterling.

 

[blrgooner]

I think Pepe is misunderstood. There is a major difference between his profile of player and Sterling. Any winger that Pepe is currently being compared to like Sterling, Sane, Gnabry, Coman, Zaha, Mahrez. All of these players are direct dribblers who have an explosive first step that can take you on either side.

Pepe isn't like that at all. He doesn't beat players with acceleration, he beats players with body feints and shoulder drops. You don't want him stuck on the touchline as there is no where for him to go after he feints. He wants to feint to get into a position to shoot or pass. On the touchline he just keeps fainting and dwells on the ball.

I've said it before but he has similarities to Özil, what Özil has in vision and passing, Pepe has in finishing. You want Pepe closer to central spaces. So he can feint and pass or feint and shoot. Its actually crazy how clinical he is off a rolling ball. Around the area he can shift and shoot and find all types of angles. Look at all his finishes. Its edge of the box or central areas.

He needs freedom to roam. I wouldn't mind seeing him the Laca role. Laca has 3 problems. He cant sort his feet quickly enough to get a shot off, he is weak aerialy and he cant turn. Isn't Pepe the opposite?

We need to get him closer to Auba and closer to goal.

Agree with you on Pepe`s profile. An additional point is that a player who relies on body feints and shoulder drops usually depends on the defender committing to his actions for a successful dribble. Someone like Pepe is really good at dribbling when the opposition defender is closing him down quickly or is on the run. Out wide, Pepe is isolated with a defender who doesn`t need to commit at all and in these situations he quickly runs out of ideas. This is where all Mahrez,Sterling etc etc are very very different players. In the central areas, defender has to close down Pepe earlier and his brand of dribbling becomes more efficient and dangerous.
I really hope to see us playing with Auba and Pepe up top. I think that has the makings of a lethal combination. I can understand why it is very difficult to achieve with the current squad though.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

At the moment him and Saka has to play on wings with auba CF 3 players capable of scoring and assisting and can bring different things upfront. Yes pepe do lose the ball alot but so was Alexis nobody will care if he manage goal and assist a game

 

[Trilly]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Gnabry another winger who is very much an end product guy? His general play isn't sloppy but he keeps his game relatively simple and focuses on getting in crossing shooting positions?

 

[The_Playmaker]

At the moment him and Saka has to play on wings with auba CF 3 players capable of scoring and assisting and can bring different things upfront. Yes pepe do lose the ball alot but so was Alexis nobody will care if he manage goal and assist a game

It's all about movement and understanding though. Pepe needs to play with Bellerin for s a consistent amount of time. I appreciate that Arteta has a game plan for every game, but we cannot expect Pepe to form any kind of understanding on the pitch if he plays with s different right back and has a different midfielder and a different CF every single game he plays in. It's not even an exaggeration.

 

[Goonger]

I think Pepe is misunderstood. There is a major difference between his profile of player and Sterling. Any winger that Pepe is currently being compared to like Sterling, Sane, Gnabry, Coman, Zaha, Mahrez. All of these players are direct dribblers who have an explosive first step that can take you on either side.

Pepe isn't like that at all. He doesn't beat players with acceleration, he beats players with body feints and shoulder drops. You don't want him stuck on the touchline as there is no where for him to go after he feints. He wants to feint to get into a position to shoot or pass. On the touchline he just keeps fainting and dwells on the ball.

I've said it before but he has similarities to Özil, what Özil has in vision and passing, Pepe has in finishing. You want Pepe closer to central spaces. So he can feint and pass or feint and shoot. Its actually crazy how clinical he is off a rolling ball. Around the area he can shift and shoot and find all types of angles. Look at all his finishes. Its edge of the box or central areas.

He needs freedom to roam. I wouldn't mind seeing him the Laca role. Laca has 3 problems. He cant sort his feet quickly enough to get a shot off, he is weak aerialy and he cant turn. Isn't Pepe the opposite?

We need to get him closer to Auba and closer to goal.

If we were to play 3 at the back, I'd have like to have seen him & Auba up top closer as a pair, similar to how Emery played them way back at Anfield vs Liverpool. Both then would then have more licence to roam, but more importantly both would then be more central. It might not work but would have liked to have seen it for a couple of games to see. Can't see Arteta trying it out mind you, which makes me think we won't ever see the best out of him. Unless there is a big improvement, might be better for all parties if he's moved on in the summer I'm afraid.

 

[KrissKringle]

I wouldn't mind seeing him the Laca role. Laca has 3 problems. He cant sort his feet quickly enough to get a shot off, he is weak aerialy and he cant turn. Isn't Pepe the opposite?

It's like you're not even watching us play. Laca is doing grunt work out there and Pepe doesn't have the work rate or the inclination to get his body on the line the way Laca does.
It's not even about scoring for our CF anymore, but to open up space and help out defensively.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

No you’re not.

Yes I am. Im more of a Pepe fan than most on here. The difference is that I call things like I see them instead of making some stuff up.

 

[El Duderino]

We can't fit both Auba and Pepe in the same team. Need some wingers that can help in the build up instead of kill it every time.

I think we can, but it would take dropping Lacazette and making a call on what role Saka will play and fill the gap he leaves in midfield or the wing with a creative mid or a creative winger.

The good thing is that we need a player of that profile regardless, so we wouldn't just be doing it to cater to Pepe's flaws, he would just be the one who would profit the most along Auba.

 

[Macho]

You absolutely can fit them both in, that's why I think Özil false 9 is a missed opportunity. Although, I can't see Özil doing what Lacazette does but he would be the player that could knit it all together.

Pepe will never be counted on under Arteta whilst he keeps giving the ball away anyways - he has to change that or accept bench.

Certain managers (Wenger) can deal with his risk/reward style cause you know he will produce something when given 90 mins. Arteta is not the kind of manager who would stand for that at all he is too meticulous - you can see him literally telling these guys who to pass to in our build up.

In Arteta's set up its either Auba or Pepe, so @BigPoppaPump isn't actually wrong at all. Ball carriers or someone who will keep ball if nothing is on like Hleb would suit Arteta a lot more.

 

[Moah]

This is just something impossible to ask from a player, specially a winger. No one in the current best 11, fulfills all he is asking from Pepe.

Pepe is a good player, but I just can't see it work with how Arteta plays.
Arteta has got a strict way of how he handles players and his requirements aren't flexible with the players.

Some players just need a little bit more freedom than others. Pepe's style of play will not work while each and every move he has to do are being yelled from the sideline.

 

[GDeep™]

This is just something impossible to ask from a player, specially a winger. No one in the current best 11, fulfills all he is asking from Pepe.

Pepe is a good player, but I just can't see it work with how Arteta plays.
Arteta has got a strict way of how he handles players and his requirements aren't flexible with the players.

Some players just need a little bit more freedom than others. Pepe's style of play will not work while each and every move he has to do are being yelled from the sideline.

Willian doesn’t do this but he starts every game, the little ****.

 

[BigPoppaPump]

I think we can, but it would take dropping Lacazette and making a call on what role Saka will play and fill the gap he leaves in midfield or the wing with a creative mid or a creative winger.

The good thing is that we need a player of that profile regardless, so we wouldn't just be doing it to cater to Pepe's flaws, he would just be the one who would profit the most along Auba.

But we don't have any strikers other than Lacazette, Auba at 9 looks like a myth as much as we want it to happen. Also we need our fullbacks to help in creating chances as well as our midfielders, no creativity in this squad and we don't have players who can create for themselves. This will eventually bite Arteta in the backside it's not sustainable.

 

[Riou]

We have too many players in our attack that need to be "carried" to be effective (Auba, Pepe, Laca) you can't fit them all in, we have just bought too many luxury players at once it seems.

Willian has been poor, but he definitely fits into a team better than Pepe, much better foil for Auba...though Saka should be the player our attack is built around really.

 

[Macho]

Willian doesn’t do this but he starts every game, the little ****.

Exactly what Charles Watts said, the journalist who actually asked him that question.

Watching Arteta hollering at him, give him the evils and the lack of eye contact with their handshake after the game last night, I have just accepted Pepe frustrates the hell out of him and them two just won't work.

Pepe needs to do a whole lot more to get into Arteta's premiership 11 but I think the same applies to Arteta.
Very disappointed in his handling of him, he is our record signing who is a legitimate goal threat and can create, yet we start Willian who genuinely does f*ck all.

 

[Maybe]

This is just something impossible to ask from a player, specially a winger. No one in the current best 11, fulfills all he is asking from Pepe.

Pepe is a good player, but I just can't see it work with how Arteta plays.
Arteta has got a strict way of how he handles players and his requirements aren't flexible with the players.

Some players just need a little bit more freedom than others. Pepe's style of play will not work while each and every move he has to do are being yelled from the sideline.

That's exactly what makes the difference between the best managers and the rest. Understanding their players and creating an environment in which they can thrive is the most important role of the manager these days. Sure, sometimes you buy Partey and Gabriel and it just works, but any manager can do that. The best managers will take the best out of the players that need some guidance and a different approach.
We all know the story of Henry, it was Wenger who believed in him even after his struggles at Juventus and he guided him to become the player he was after his rough start, it was Wenger who was taking the best out of Özil, he knew how to work with a sensitive player like Özil. We've had so many frustrating players who needed understanding from the manager and they turned out to be great for us, and I'm not sure why we are giving up on players so easily instead of giving them the best chance.

It's not like we have Mahrez or Gnabry to take the position from Pepe, it's f****** Willian

 

[BigPoppaPump]

You absolutely can fit them both in, that's why I think Özil false 9 is a missed opportunity. Although, I can't see Özil doing what Lacazette does but he would be the player that could knit it all together.

Pepe will never be counted on under Arteta whilst he keeps giving the ball away anyways - he has to change that or accept bench.

Certain managers (Wenger) can deal with his risk/reward style cause you know he will produce something when given 90 mins. Arteta is not the kind of manager who would stand for that at all he is too meticulous - you can see him literally telling these guys who to pass to in our build up.

In Arteta's set up its either Auba or Pepe, so @BigPoppaPump isn't actually wrong at all. Ball carriers or someone who will keep ball if nothing is on like Hleb would suit Arteta a lot more.

I think a mix of Özil and Lacazette would be perfect for that role, but right now we have 3 forwards who are better in the box taking shots rather than building up or creating for others/themselves. Lacazette plays his best football as a classic number 9 fighting for the ball in the box trying to get shots off and Pepe/Auba need a chances created for them they won't do it themselves.

Wenger's risk/reward style is also why we would concede 4,5,6 goals in certain games and be wide open to counter attacks. I prefer the disciplined style we're doing now. I hated those games we'd concede loads or collapse after going up 3-0.

I can't really blame Arteta though, no manager likes players who lose the ball loads and we have a few in our team like Auba, Pepe, Xhaka even Bellerin. El Neny suits his style so well and looks like Partey is the same way.

 

[Aussie_gunner123]

Honestly, I really think this bloke started playing so much better when he started on the left side & switched over with Willian. I wasn't too impressed when he started on the right when I know he can play so much better.