Nicolas Pepe: The Nutmeg Express!

[Ash10]

As long as we keep investing in his development he'll be world class by the time he's 35

#Pepe2031

 

[truth_hurts]

His output isn't good enough. I could stomach inconsistent performances and unpredictability on the ball if it felt as if he were a legitimate goal threat.

Theo Walcott had some horror shows on the wing, but you always felt he had a goal in him.

I like Pepe, but the emergence of Saka and the potential of Martinelli renders him a squad player now and can we afford to have our record signing on rotation? I always liked the idea of him playing as a no.10 but he isn't as busy as ESR or Ødegaard.

It's probably best for everyone to move him on in the summer. He could land a Dortmund, Lyon, Seville or even AC Milan.

 

[Moah]

What ever reason you can muster, there is no justification for not playing him.

You want him to be a good player for your team? Play him.
Do you want to sell him? Play him.
Simple as.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

What ever reason you can muster, there is no justification for not playing him.

You want him to be a good player for your team? Play him.
Do you want to sell him? Play him.
Simple as.

?

The justification for not playing a player that is not consistently performing is that you will drop points. He’s competing with the likes of Martinelli, Willian, Laca, Odegarrd for a spot at the moment.

 

[Moah]

?

The justification for not playing a player that is not consistently performing is that you will drop points. He’s competing with the likes of Martinelli, Willian, Laca, Odegarrd for a spot at the moment.

Define consistent performances.

Do you expect him to score or assist with every 15 minutes he gets per game?

He got benched while performing which means he has no future. If you want to get anything back from the 72m that was spent, then you play him. No one signs players with little game time.

 

[Macho]

What ever reason you can muster, there is no justification for not playing him.

You want him to be a good player for your team? Play him.
Do you want to sell him? Play him.
Simple as.

It’s simple really but people think hiding him solves things

Or moan whenever he’s forced to play at all. Yup, let’s not play Pepe he might cost us 10th.

It’s not my money anyways, good luck to him and the club they will both need it.

 

[Moah]

It’s simple really but people think hiding him solves things

Or moan whenever he’s forced to play at all.

It’s not my money anyways, good luck to him and the club they will both need it.

The moaning on here is something else.

Some can't even comprehend basic logic.

 

[Moah]

People talk about performing and all, when was our last best team performance? We have been hanging by a thread all season.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

While I agree with your post, I can't accept that this is the way going forward. I'd rather take a break from Arsenal until Arteta is gone than watching ESR on the left. Not only it will ruin our biggest investment (which is something Arteta is desperately trying to achieve), but it will also have a negative impact on ESR which is even a worse thing because we can't have another academy failure here.

It tells us that the manager would rather play a weakened team just because he doesn't like Pepe. ESR isn't a winger, never was and never will be

ESR is literally playing in precisely the position he developed in throughout his career in the youths both for Arsenal and England.

Winger is a strange way of putting it, he's an interior left attacking midfielder. He's totally a natural there.

This argument reminds me of the people who complained that Arshavin didn't play in his 'natural position'. Well only one player can play in the 10. And just as Cesc was always going to be the 10 before Arshavin, so is Ødegaard, he has more quality and ESR is more suited to the left interior position than Ødegaard just as Arshavin was.

ESR needs to impact games more. He really should be creating some nice overlap situations for Tierney, but we haven't seen that. He's been a bit meek in recent games, perhaps cause of tiredness. Our best lineup has him in that position (he's better than Pepe), but perhaps Pepe should get the start today if ESR is a bit jaded.

People talk about performing and all, when was our last best team performance? We have been hanging by a thread all season.

Doesn't take a long memory...Leeds, and Benfica on Thursday (actually a rather good performance, conceded nothing aside from two isolated errors, and scored three goals).

 

[Monstar-Gunn4r]

Fairly good so far today, keeping it simple and moving quickly with the ball or moving the ball quickly, still slightly wayward with some of the passes but definitely one of his best performances.

 

[<<reed>>]

Raul has done it again I am afraid

 

[AbouCuéllar]

If he keeps playing like this I will eat my words on him, fantastic performance today, was beating Thomas at will and more importantly loved the composure to link up intelligently with Ødegaard for the 3rd goal (later did the same with Cedric but Cedric bottled it), instead of cutting in and taking a desperate and predictable effort from deep.

Arteta looks to be having a positive impact on him as a footballer, he's really improved.

 

[El Duderino]

 

[SevenOfClubs]

Hopefully he builds on this and Arteta doesn't bench him instantly.

 

[Ash10]

Was very good today. Was tunnel visioned at times tho but overall deserved his goal on merit of the performance. Hope he keeps this up

 

[Pop Tart]

He should not of been dropped after the villa defeat,thougt he was good in that game and he was in form then as well. He is a confidence player.

 

[GunnerShy]

Think the stats show his output was better when Özil played.

No doubt he has been better for us this season when we've played with a 10. Be it ESR or Ødegaard.

Better defensively now and better decision making. I think he probably makes our best XI again. Albeit probably on the left.

The talk of selling him should stop. There's no way we'd reinvest the 30-40m we'd get for him on a better player.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

Arteta squeezing water out of stone here. Credit where it is due!

 

[AberGooner]

So dangerous, had Leicester defence on skates all game. This is what happens when you CONSISTENTLY GIVE HIM THE BALL. Arguably our most entertaining player.

 

[Trilly]

Obviously is at his flying best with space in behind but he’s demonstrated time and time again that he can play in tight spaces, ESR/Ødegaard and a fullback that can actually play football are making a world of a difference. Operated well in tight space for the almost pen, for the pass to Ødegaard and the should have been assist for Cedric

Still another gear or two in there, one from actually playing regularly, a second from having a genuine quality fullback to play with.