Nicolas Pepe: The Nutmeg Express!

[Blood on the Tracks]

Our league form is so weird that’s the only reason why I am saying it might work out that he’s a cup player for now.

Me personally I’d start him every game but not only does Arteta not want to do that, he can’t until the end of the year anyways.

I wouldn’t have even signed Willian, but it’s done now. Just have to turn this meh situation into a good one.

I've heard some say that Pepe needs too much time and space for our league. If that is the case I think he's probably going to always struggle in the league.

I've still got hope though. Maybe a couple of decent performances in the Europa League will get him ready and high on confidence to nail down the starters spot in the league when he's available. Personally I'd like to see him get an uninterrupted 10 game or so run.

When he's on form he definitely offers something different to pretty much anyone else we have.

 

[Macho]

I know some questioned Arteta's handling of Pepe but to me he seems like one of Arteta's project players, I think he really rates him.

I don’t see it at all

Feels like a bit of PR to me and I still think Hertha Berlin is never too far away with Pepe.

If someone came with 50mil for Pepe in the summer, Arteta 100% bites your hand off and breaks the bank and wage structure for Bernado Silva.

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

I don’t see it at all

Feels like a bit of PR to me and I still think Hertha Berlin is never too far away with Pepe.

If someone came with 50mil for Pepe in the summer, Arteta 100% bites your hand off and breaks the bank and wage structure for Bernado Silva.

We probably both rate Pepe more than most on here, but for £50m in the summer I bet you'd be tempted to sell. I think I would anyway

 

[Trilly]

He was probably close with Guendo too before he failed the uck tests.

Bro why?

 

[GDeep™]

We probably both rate Pepe more than most on here, but for £50m in the summer I bet you'd be tempted to sell. I think I would anyway

50M

You won’t even get 30M. No club is paying big for a 26/27 year old who has had 1 top season in his career and is missing more than 2 months of next season to go play in the African nations. Especially in this COVID environment, big fees for guys like Pepe are pie in the sky talk.

 

[GDeep™]

Then there is this.

A “Don” Raul special, ay @say yes

 

[Rasmi]

We are here now and just has to make it work. He has talent and flaws. He will always make mistakes on the ball and lose the ball. But he can still be a very productive wide forward. He has very good cross and shot on him. We need to make him take more shots and play closer to goal

 

[scytheavatar]

We are here now and just has to make it work. He has talent and flaws. He will always make mistakes on the ball and lose the ball. But he can still be a very productive wide forward. He has very good cross and shot on him. We need to make him take more shots and play closer to goal

Problem is that the only way to "make him take more shots and play closer to goal" is to do something no one is willing to contemplate: bench Auba. And rightfully so, do you think Pepe can ever be as productive as Auba?

 

[razörist]

Him and Tierney being friends completely blew my mind. I wonder if Pepe even understands what Tierney is saying most of the time. When Pepe first came, I was expecting him to be the third amigo in the Laca and Auba bromance but it seems like he’s not in their clique. Seems like he’s too old to be chilling with the Hale End boys and not old enough to be with Luiz, Mustafi etc. I do want him to make some friends here.

Pepe's close with Gabi as they obviously played together. I feel like he's close with Auba and Laca too - french connection... He's definitely really close with Ainsley. I actually see a good partnership forming there if Ainsley gets more games on the right of MF. He was probably close with Guendo too before he failed the uck tests.

 

[Rasmi]

Problem is that the only way to "make him take more shots and play closer to goal" is to do something no one is willing to contemplate: bench Auba. And rightfully so, do you think Pepe can ever be as productive as Auba?

I think both can be close to goal......we can have more than one player getting close to goal. Him and Auba should be two man attack like kane and son. But pepe in this squad is the one I would put my focus on rather than chelsea trash like willians

 

[The_Playmaker]

Its just hypocritical from Arteta. So is this the level he needs to play at consistently every game? He needs to be creating all of his own chances and smashing in 30 yard screamers every game.

The only reason he got closer to goal was because Cedric plays the ball down the line as he opens his body up like a normal right back. Bellerin doesn't play that pass. He also overlaps, where as bellerin underlaps.

Start Pepe in our normal line up and he does nothing again.

Why is Salah so dangerous? Because people are worried about Firmino in the pocket, Trent on the overlap. People aren't worried about Lacazette and we have no overlap. We set him up to fail.

 

[Manberg]

Its just hypocritical from Arteta. So is this the level he needs to play at consistently every game? He needs to be creating all of his own chances and smashing in 30 yard screamers every game.

The only reason he got closer to goal was because Cedric plays the ball down the line as he opens his body up like a normal right back. Bellerin doesn't play that pass. He also overlaps, where as bellerin underlaps.

Start Pepe in our normal line up and he does nothing again.

Why is Salah so dangerous? Because people are worried about Firmino in the pocket, Trent on the overlap. People aren't worried about Lacazette and we have no overlap. We set him up to fail.

What’s your solution?

It was Auba against Leeds not Laca, similar things happened. Is your only solution to drop Bellerin for Cedric and that will make things better?

 

[The_Playmaker]

What’s your solution?

It was Auba against Leeds not Laca, similar things happened. Is your only solution to drop Bellerin for Cedric and that will make things better?

No, it won't make things better because Cedric is useless.

Nelson----------Auba-----------Pepe

------------Saka----------AMN--------------

--------------------Partey

I would still play Bellerin but I'd push him high on the overlap which would allow Pepe to move infield.

Nelson and Saka can interchange and the build up can happen down the left with Tierney, Nelson and Saka.

Partey also has the diagonal switch to the right which he repeatedly played at Atletico.

AMN protects the counter if Pepe loses the ball.

Was it a coincidence AMN played in midfield towards the end of the game? He is the only player we have who can protect the counter if we push our rb forward.

 

[Manberg]

No, it won't make things better because Cedric is useless.

Nelson----------Auba-----------Pepe

------------Saka----------AMN--------------

--------------------Partey

I would still play Bellerin but I'd push him high on the overlap which would allow Pepe to move infield.

Nelson and Saka can interchange and the build up can happen down the left with Tierney, Nelson and Saka.

Partey also has the diagonal switch to the right which he repeatedly played at Atletico.

AMN protects the counter if Pepe loses the ball.

Was it a coincidence AMN played in midfield towards the end of the game? He is the only player we have who can protect the counter if we push our rb forward.

How far forward? If you push Bellerin too far forward you run the risk of the opponent having an overload on the counter. An issue we saw frequently under Wenger and would no doubt be further exploited with the way premier league teams rely on pace in the modern game.

Bellerin moving inwards as a support role minimises that risk. A risk too great to take seeing as how often Pepe loses the ball.

 

[OnlyOne]

"Like omg who do you think Pepe is friends with? I see him hang out with Tierney but I wish he was friends with Laca and Auba instead"

Spoiler

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

Love to see @BigPoppaPump come in from left field and totally jab everyone out in a thread. One of the reasons i am still around, i reckon

 

[BigPoppaPump]

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Dunno if this is Arsenalmania or gossip girl ffs.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

I don’t see it at all

Feels like a bit of PR to me and I still think Hertha Berlin is never too far away with Pepe.

If someone came with 50mil for Pepe in the summer, Arteta 100% bites your hand off and breaks the bank and wage structure for Bernado Silva.

Thought you were a decent poster tbh, amount of crap you've posted over the past couple of days has me doubting that though.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

No, it won't make things better because Cedric is useless.

Nelson----------Auba-----------Pepe

------------Saka----------AMN--------------

--------------------Partey

I would still play Bellerin but I'd push him high on the overlap which would allow Pepe to move infield.

Nelson and Saka can interchange and the build up can happen down the left with Tierney, Nelson and Saka.

Partey also has the diagonal switch to the right which he repeatedly played at Atletico.

AMN protects the counter if Pepe loses the ball.

Was it a coincidence AMN played in midfield towards the end of the game? He is the only player we have who can protect the counter if we push our rb forward.

Shock, you're posting ANOTHER team with absolutely nowhere near enough creativity. Ffs, AMN is the most useless player technically. Why you filling your team with runners

 

[Macho]

Thought you were a decent poster tbh, amount of crap you've posted over the past couple of days has me doubting that though.

I'm exaggerating and making up troll scenarios, but I don't think Pepe is working out as much as I want him too. It happens.

He is underperforming, but he is clearly not an Arteta player anyways - the whole Willian thing is a shame especially off the back of last season.

If not this summer, he is going the summer after - assuming Arteta is here.