Nicolas Pepe: The Nutmeg Express!

[Blood on the Tracks]

Let's not totally write the guy off yet. I'm sceptical he's going to make it here, there are big flaws in his game. But over the past few weeks we've seen a few players really turn around fans perceptions with good performances.

I think he's going to have to show something as an impact sub second half of the season. I'd start him in the FA Cup game against Newcastle though.

If things haven't changed with him by the summer it's time to move him on. He'll have had 2 full years here by then, that's long enough to make a judgement.

 

[Finesse]

Pepe offers something different potentially. He just has not showed that consistently enough and developed a synergy with the rest.

With Pepe on the ball , his team mates sort off let him get on with it in hope. Rather than come closer , makes space and movement for a combination move or pass etc. Pepe cannot tame down his initial instinct to receive the ball run at opponents and dribble before lifting his head to find out what to do next. This is Dembele’s main issue at Barca too. At Dortmund that worked and made him the player he is. At Barca it does not. Messi is the best at finding that balance. Knowing when to run at opponents and when to combine and move.

The move for the second goal yesterday would never have happened is Pepe was in Saka’s place.

As the days and months tick along he is becoming personally overwhelmed by his price tag vis a vis his expectations to be the main man delivering. It is weighing down on him and at every game , chance he tries to make the difference. It’s playing on his mind like a clock. Same as the fans are expecting him to just blow up and finally start delivering.

I am afraid this is the end unless he redefines his game and mentality. Arteta has tasted the wrath of the fans a lot and will not dare change what is giving him soft breathing space. Saka is the RW player for now. His only opportunity is the LW which remains the vacant spot currently harbouring a very dire Auba.

 

[<<reed>>]

Rest in pepperoni Nico

 

[billyf]

Now that Arteta has switched to 4-2-3-1 I'm sure he will want to assess him again. In this system Pepe will always have someone close to him to play 1-2s which will allow us to open tight defences given his skill on the ball.

 

[dashsnow17]

He's now the 3rd choice RW behind Saka and Willian, people are kidding themselves if they think he has a future here. Not a bad player, but he's not playing in a team that suits him and he's playing under a coach that obviously really really doesn't rate him. Willian is having a catastrophe of a season and he's still ahead of Pepe in the pecking order.

Best the club can hope for is to include him in a swap deal or player plus cash for someone, cos we'd be lucky to get 30m for him at this rate. Better off putting out feelers to the likes of Dortmund, Lyon and Napoli and see if they'll include him in a deal for Brandt, Aouar or Koulibaly.

 

[Jack_the_boy]

Now that Arteta has switched to 4-2-3-1 I'm sure he will want to assess him again. In this system Pepe will always have someone close to him to play 1-2s which will allow us to open tight defences given his skill on the ball.

From what I’ve seen of Pepe he doesn’t play 1-2’s, he wants the ball to his feet and he will then assess what he’s going to do. It’s counterintuitive to fast, free flowing football.

 

[Gunner-Union]

How hard would it be to show him clips of other top wingers and say do this ffs. He has scary pace and if running direct at fullbacks would cause absolute panic but trying to do it from a standing start facing the wrong way slowing everything just doesn’t work

 

[Trilly]

Reads like an obituary in here but I guess he is done atm. Football is a funny game thoigh and who knows, an injury (or a better manager!) could could open things up for him

Even if you ignore Saka’s hot streak he does offer better balance as a RW, a playmaking on the ball type to complement Auba on the other wing.

I think that’s what Arteta has wanted from the jump because he gave up on Pepe from the moment Willian was available even though Pepe matched Willian’s G+A despite being much less experienced, in a worse team and having way more upside. We all thought Willian was coming in for depth or as a no10 option and he was immediately stuck on the RW.

That’s one of the decisions that convinced me that Arteta is a bit of a weird man but Saka has saved him from having to answer to that. On the other hand he now has a 70M winger he gave up on and a declining 32 year old that he just signed on big wages and they’re now both on the bench for a player he has watched for a whole year. Willian becomes an increasingly pointless signing with every passing week.

Bad management either way you put it really and I think Arteta really doesn’t have time for Pepe. He could have given him some minutes against Brighton’s 6’7 LB who everyone takes turns rinsing or giving him a run out against West Brom who had given up for the last third of the game. Wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a bit of politics at play from bad vibes Mik, Pepe isn’t his guy but Willian is.

 

[Trilly]

How hard would it be to show him clips of other top wingers and say do this ffs. He has scary pace and if running direct at fullbacks would cause absolute panic but trying to do it from a standing start facing the wrong way slowing everything just doesn’t work

You could literally show him clips of himself from two years ago. Ultimately we shouldn’t have signed him as both Emery and Arteta have never really tried or been able to to set up the conditions that earned him his move.

I think there’s another twist in this tale though, seems to happen quite regularly with Arsenal players.

 

[Oxeki]

Sadly this league isn't for him. He is very very talented, but its one of those where you need to cut your losses before the value depreciates even further.

I think we can still get £40M for him and I think PSG would take that. Maybe even Barca.

Barca are broke. They couldn't even afford 25m for depay. The only way we get 40m is if we're selling to an English club

 

[truth_hurts]

Saka has set the standard for our current wingers. This is a good thing for us. Saka has one wing whilst Auba and Martinelli are battling it out on the other. Pepe would have to find the kind of form and have a level of impact that we haven't seen since he signed in order to get his place back. I think that this is great.

 

[billyf]

From what I’ve seen of Pepe he doesn’t play 1-2’s, he wants the ball to his feet and he will then assess what he’s going to do. It’s counterintuitive to fast, free flowing football.

In the system we were playing before noone was playing 1-2's. In the current system it's easier for our attacking players to do so. There are more players in the middle, so there are more options for the ball handler to pass. Especially when Laca plays as CF because he likes to drop deeper and contribute to the build up.

 

[Trilly]

For context final third dribbling around 40% upwards is generally considered very good in top level football, also midfielders and defenders will usually score higher than forwards as they have more space. Iwobi has the highest success in the league which might be partly due to his recent move to fullback but he's always been a top dribbler tbh

Traore just doing Traore things as usual though.

Pepe still makes it into the top 20 or so dribblers in the league but a long way away from about this time last season where he was ranked as the fourth best in the entire league and would have been sitting about halfway between Ndombele and Richarlison. #Arteta effect. Let the arguing begin!

 

[Macho]

He's had like 4 starts in the league - only a certain amount of minutes.

They should base it on a certain amount of appearances. Iwobi and Traore have been in and out their respective teams as well - it doesn't really make sense.

I'm a fan of Wyscout though, that's what I use.

 

[Trilly]

He's had like 4 starts in the league - only a certain amount of minutes.

They should base it on a certain amount of appearances. Iwobi and Traore have been in and out their respective teams as well - it doesn't really make sense.

I'm a fan of Wyscout though, that's what I use.

Per match I'm guessing means per 90 otherwise the whole graph would be flawed. Overall still decent numbers although AM will tell you he can't dribble.

Enroute Hertha anyway, that Saliba post on insta won't go down well with our Tyrant, sorry I mean manager.

 

[Why]

Per match I'm guessing means per 90 otherwise the whole graph would be flawed. Overall still decent numbers although AM will tell you he can't dribble.

Enroute Hertha anyway, that Saliba post on insta won't go down well with our Tyrant, sorry I mean manager.

Well he cant really... Why he is bottom for successful dribbles, and high for attempted. He tries, he just fails a lot

Odd player is Pepe, he has moments where he looks world class. But that is incredibly rare. He is the player I find myself shouting at the most when he plays, he just seems to give up on long pass his way to easily. Where as a Saka will chase a 50/50, Pepe just stops running.

Might be low confidence, I dunno. But we know he has a shot on him he just doesnt cut in and try it enough.

 

[Macho]

Per match I'm guessing means per 90 otherwise the whole graph would be flawed. Overall still decent numbers although AM will tell you he can't dribble.

Enroute Hertha anyway, that Saliba post on insta won't go down well with our Tyrant, sorry I mean manager.

His dribbling attempts have cut down drastically compared to last season and he's only on for 15/20 mins and is largely a passenger.

In any case the state of Pepe is disappointing, but it happens. The clubs job is to do their best to try and claw back some value from his sale by putting him in the shop window somehow.

 

[Trilly]

Well he cant really... Why he is bottom for successful dribbles, and high for attempted. He tries, he just fails a lot

Odd player is Pepe, he has moments where he looks world class. But that is incredibly rare. He is the player I find myself shouting at the most when he plays, he just seems to give up on long pass his way to easily. Where as a Saka will chase a 50/50, Pepe just stops running.

Might be low confidence, I dunno. But we know he has a shot on him he just doesnt cut in and try it enough.

Well the graph overall covers the best dribbles in the league, 40% is a good mark for a forward so he just squeezes in at the bottom.

Yeah his mentality has been lacking here, looks low on confidence and isn't a fighter like some other players, probably needs the daddy Wenger approach but isn't getting that in this new era. Best for all parties involved to move on. Him poking fun at the Saliba situation is probably a sign that he's given up on playing here. Saliba did the same thing a few weeks ago with Guendouzi.

 

[Macho]

Him poking fun at the Saliba situation is probably a sign that he's given up on playing here. Saliba did the same thing a few weeks ago with Guendouzi.

That's my take on things as well. Him seeing the funny side and trolling doesn't bode well.

You'd want to see him angry but he's pretty much like f*ck it.

 

[A_G]

Unai Emery Etxegoien knew ball