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Nicolas Pepe: 2019/20 Performances

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gunner4lyfe

Established Member
Hleb was class, I have a soft spot for him because he's the most prominent footballer to have ever played for the local team I support as well - albeit well past his prime.



I mean, he can be both, no? Hleb was a very skilled midfielder but his inability to finish and get into goalscoring opportunities did put a cap on his capabilities and kept him from being truly world class.
I truly believe if Hleb had stayed he would have reached world class levels under Wenger. Dumb move going to Barca at the time as there was nobody in that team that he could have replaced
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel

...gonna be his year next year, I can feel it!
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England

...gonna be his year next year, I can feel it!
He slyly had guys skidding all over the pitch this season. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him myself just wish we got him on the ball a lot more. I don’t recall Arsenal having a street baller in the team since Nasri.

Shame he’s got shat on and constantly reminded about 72 mil but I‘ve seen enough in his locker to think he’s gonna work. I reckon he will top the assist charts next season.
 
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GunnerBP

Established Member
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I honestly can see Arteta doing something crazy and playing Pepe at AM next season. Not exclusively at AM, but more than we might think.

Pepe looked really dangerous against Chelsea when he moved into the middle, and now that his fitness has improved I can see him putting in a good shift in the center. His technique is good enough to play centrally too.

Pepe at AM can beat his defender 1v1, and then dribble at goal with pace, and he'd have Auba, Laca, and a RW ahead of him. Our 4-3-3 would become a 4-2-4 so quickly that defenses would not know what to do.

At Man City, a good comparison might be Bernardo Silva. Left-footed RW with good technique and work ethic who gets minutes on both flanks and as an AM.

Pepe as a winger could actually turn into just being a part of his development.
 

razörist

Soft With The Ladies, Hard With The Mes

Country: Morocco
He slyly had guys skidding all over the pitch this season. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him myself just wish we got him on the ball a lot more. I don’t recall Arsenal having a street baller in the team since Nasri.

Shame he’s got shat on and constantly reminded about 72 mil but I‘ve seen enough in his locker to think he’s gonna work. I reckon he will top the assist charts next season.
I love the double feint he does, it’s so good, gets defenders every time.
 

HairSprayGooners

My brother posted it ⏩
Watching that video :bounce:

He is pure silk, and its not like he doesn't have end product either, he has a wand of a left foot.

Excited to see him next season. Hopefully we can sign two more advanced players that benefit Pepe.
 

Dokaka

AM's resident Hammer
I honestly can see Arteta doing something crazy and playing Pepe at AM next season. Not exclusively at AM, but more than we might think.

Pepe looked really dangerous against Chelsea when he moved into the middle, and now that his fitness has improved I can see him putting in a good shift in the center. His technique is good enough to play centrally too.

Pepe at AM can beat his defender 1v1, and then dribble at goal with pace, and he'd have Auba, Laca, and a RW ahead of him. Our 4-3-3 would become a 4-2-4 so quickly that defenses would not know what to do.

At Man City, a good comparison might be Bernardo Silva. Left-footed RW with good technique and work ethic who gets minutes on both flanks and as an AM.

Pepe as a winger could actually turn into just being a part of his development.

I think you're overrating his technical ability quite a bit tbh. Bernado Silva is a level or two above Pepe in terms of his first touch, playing with his head up etc.

I don't see an AM type in Pepe at all, he's way too focused on his own feet for that to work in my opinion, and I think his touch is too inconsistent. That being said I do see the value in what you're suggesting but I'm not sure Pepe is the solution to that.

Emile Smith Rowe looks like a better long term solution for that position, if he continues developing of course. Really impressed every time I see him play. Reminds me a bit of Wilshere but with a bit more physicality.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
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Country: England
I think you're overrating his technical ability quite a bit tbh. Bernado Silva is a level or two above Pepe in terms of his first touch, playing with his head up etc.
Think you’re underestimating him like you usually have in this thread and letting them price tag effect your judgement.

Pepe can defo play centrally at a push but yeah no need to as of now. After Auba and Saka, he’s involved in most of our goals.

Emile will get sold eventually, he will solve nothing.
 

GunnerBP

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
I think you're overrating his technical ability quite a bit tbh. Bernado Silva is a level or two above Pepe in terms of his first touch, playing with his head up etc.

I don't see an AM type in Pepe at all, he's way too focused on his own feet for that to work in my opinion, and I think his touch is too inconsistent. That being said I do see the value in what you're suggesting but I'm not sure Pepe is the solution to that.

Emile Smith Rowe looks like a better long term solution for that position, if he continues developing of course. Really impressed every time I see him play. Reminds me a bit of Wilshere but with a bit more physicality.

Laca and Auba have stated that Pepe has the best technique in the squad, so I hope his technique is good enough to play centrally.

Bernardo Silva's technique is better than Pepe's, but the comparison to Bernardo was mostly based around a player that can play multiple positions in attack. I don't think Pepe should exclusively play AM, but I think it might be an option for him in addition to RW.

When I see Pepe play, I see a player that is still developing and has a lot of room to grow. Despite being our most expensive signing he does not have much experience in top-flight football. Playing RW could be part of his development as he becomes a more dynamic player.

I also think ESR is gonna be a top, top player, and could play many attacking midfield positions. Wouldn't be surprised if he had a big season for us next year.
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
Think you’re underestimating him like you usually have in this thread and letting them price tag effect your judgement.

Pepe can defo play centrally at a push but yeah no need to as of now. After Auba and Saka, he’s involved in most of our goals.

Emile will get sold eventually, he will solve nothing.

At this point you should just get his name tatted on you, you're like the Erlis for Pepe.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
Nah you don't go hard for Lacazette the same way you do for Pepe, deep down you know Laca is wack.
Laca had a wack season, I think he’s good.
Pepe had a decent season, his age and technical ability makes me think he has room to grow.

There’s a chance Lacazette is finished at this level, the decline was pretty sharp and sudden but he fixed up at the end of the season so we will see.
Pepe is only up from here barring injuries knock on wood.

I don’t think they are great, like I’ve been following Arsenal since the early 90’s so I know what great looks like. I just feel a lot of the critisms these two get in particular are extremely overboard, constant and unfair at times.
 

Makavelii

Active Member
Just noticed - according to WhoScored’s stats algorithm, Pepe performed the best of any Arsenal player last season just ahead of Auba who was #2.

His 1:1 stats go without saying are amazing as we see in the video above.
But his passing stats are surprisingly really good for a player that far up the pitch and for how many risky key passes he makes.

I’m thinking that 72 mill was well spent. Quickly becoming my favourite player.
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
He slyly had guys skidding all over the pitch this season. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him myself just wish we got him on the ball a lot more. I don’t recall Arsenal having a street baller in the team since Nasri.

Shame he’s got shat on and constantly reminded about 72 mil but I‘ve seen enough in his locker to think he’s gonna work. I reckon he will top the assist charts next season.
People will still complain about him losing the ball which just doesn’t make sense. I saw someone criticise his perfomance in the final because he ‘lost the ball a few times’. There was a moment where he got pressed by Rudiger and lost control of the ball for a split second but recovered it and passed it on. He even got criticised for that. :lol:
 
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Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
Trusted ⭐

Country: England

...gonna be his year next year, I can feel it!
That video is from one season and you can see he uses a lot of the same skills/movements yet people still stay he doesn’t know what he’s doing with the ball. Just a lazy critique imo.

He’s clearly got 1v1 and even 2v1 ability. Arteta needs to get him in more situations like that by giving him an overlapping RCM or RB. Pepe himself needs to get rid of the streetball tendency to want a goal/assist/beat another defender after a nice moment of skill. That video is full of him taking 1-2 defenders out of the game, needs to exploit the resulting space better and I’m confident he can.

I feel like he won Arteta over towards the end of the season because the we seem to utilise him quite a lot more now.
 
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UpTheGunnerz

Vrei sa pleci dar una una iei

Player:Elneny
I feel like he has indeed struggled in periods of the season, and as expected got his fair share of critique because of this. However, i think we all need to be patient with a players first season in general. You never see players struggle to adapt to a new league as much as in the PL. Nico has produced moments of magic as well, and some really solid performances in the latter stages of the season without him getting on the scoring or assist board.

Think he has the potential to absolutely explode next season, with the right surroundings. Ideally i would have liked us to buy a better RB to help facilitate him on the right wing side, but i guess Bellerin could do if he gets his form together.

Dont expect any of the new signings will be more important for us than Pepe next season, or it depends if we get Partey or not. That would be a game changer.
 
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