Nicolas Pepe: The Nutmeg Express!

[14Henry]

Man put Barnes

@14Henry do you need a lay down? Did you slip and fall in an accident at work?

Harvey Barnes can't even do it for Leicester ffs.

Pepe is actually better than Traore in terms of end product as well. And hes also a better winger than Martial, who hasn't even had a shot on target in the league this season.

Whilst you make a gnats handful of fair comments i think its harsh to bash a player who has stepped up to the plate almost every time he's been called upon this season.

Amazingly you don't give the same treatment to Auba. Who will do nothing for a whole game then score and you'll say he's man of the match.

Most bizarre poster on here.

Harvey Barnes has been excellent for Leicester this season and at 22 should kick on.

Pepe is 25 18 months into the league and people are still debating him which says it all.

Pepe steps up to the plate? Talk me through his performances against Liverpool and Leciester in the cup and Dundalk.

Also tell me if we put Pepe up for sale tomorrow who would be interested and for how much.

 

[MikeVinna]

It seems the players are basically told to work their asses off without the ball and be flawless on the ball. But you can go too far with that and it’ll kill the creative players first. I hope Mikel finds that balance because Pepe still offers us more on the ball than any of our attackers, apart from Saka.

Starting Willian over Pepe is ridiculous in my opinion.

 

[14Henry]

Hold on a sec, Bruno and Salah are not Arsenal players, so Pepe should be compared to Willian and Nelson, his direct competition for the right wing.

If you wanna say that Willian is better and he's done enough to be a regular starter, fine, but don't put Pepe down because a player from some other club is better than him, that's simply ridiculous. We can only play our own players, and for you, Willian should be a regular starter

I can compare Pepes impact at the club to other players impact at their respected clubs. I was talking about Salah and Bruno because someone said even they lose the ball a lot. Go back and read the rest.

 

[Trilly]

You know the thread is no longer worth reading when Auba is being called a **** striker.

 

[Maybe]

I can compare Pepes impact at the club to other players impact at their respected clubs. I was talking about Salah and Bruno because someone said even they lose the ball a lot.

Let's be real, for every Salah and Bruno, there will be 10 big failed investments.
I'm not saying Pepe is on their level currently or that he will ever be, but he is the best we have for this position, and even if Arteta or some fans disagree on that, I think it would be OK to give a couple of starts to Willian and a couple for Pepe and see who does better. The situation is a disgrace really, and what's happening to Pepe now, will happen again in the future, maybe to Martinelli for example

 

[Trilly]

I can compare Pepes impact at the club to other players impact at their respected clubs. I was talking about Salah and Bruno because someone said even they lose the ball a lot. Go back and read the rest.

Klopp asked for a player with Salah’s exact attributes because he had a role already prepared for him.

Bruno came into a team that already had the solid defensive foundations (when Pogba isn’t playing) and the flying forwards who only needed his service.

You sign players and then you play to their strengths. The Pepe signing is extremely questionable as we’ve never even tried to recreate Lille Pepe. We don’t look for him on the counter, we don’t play him in behind, we don’t try to get him in and around the box.

People will say these are excuses but there’s honestly no point of signing a player if you’re not going to play to their strengths.

Would Salah be Salah if he was forced to play as an orthodox get it to the byline and cross winger? Would Bruno be getting all his plaudits if United played him on right wing or in central midfield?

Then people forget that players are human beings and that months of poor management and performances start to weigh on them. Football is a confidence game after all.

 

[Football Manager]

Auba a sh*t striker, one of the worst takes ever

I said he is a world class finisher/poacher

 

[Football Manager]

You know the thread is no longer worth reading when Auba is being called a **** striker.

If auba is 1/10 as good on the ball compare to the below players. We don’t have to play defensive counter football. We can control possession and destroy the opponent. How can people not see auba is such a limited player? And how can people not acknowledge that the player I've listed below are so much better?

 

[Trilly]

I said he is a world class finisher/poacher

I understand but you also said he is a sh*t striker.

Finishing and getting into goal scoring positions is let’s say...about 70% of being a striker? Some would say more, I’m not sure many would say less.

If Auba is absolutely elite at that then he simply can’t be a **** striker? He might be lacking in other areas but he’s one of the best (if not the best) at the most important part of being a striker.

Those guys you have listed are better than Auba yes but there aren’t many of them. In fact they’re all past their peak right now.

 

[14Henry]

Klopp asked for a player with Salah’s exact attributes because he had a role already prepared for him.

Bruno came into a team that already had the solid defensive foundations (when Pogba isn’t playing) and the flying forwards who only needed his service.

You sign players and then you play to their strengths. The Pepe signing is extremely questionable as we’ve never even tried to recreate Lille Pepe. We don’t look for him on the counter, we don’t play him in behind, we don’t try to get him in and around the box.

People will say these are excuses but there’s honestly no point of signing a player if you’re not going to play to their strengths.

Would Salah be Salah if he was forced to play as an orthodox get it to the byline and cross winger? Would Bruno be getting all his plaudits if United played him on right wing or in central midfield?

Then people forget that players are human beings and that months of poor management and performances start to weigh on them. Football is a confidence game after all.

There really is no point going around in circles. Some people rate Pepe, I don't. I havent seen anything from him that suggests to me he is going to make a big impact at this club.

I have watched him in all types of games whether that be Dundalk or City and havent seen anything.

People are letting a couple of brilliant moments which count for about 5% of his overall contribution decide that hes good enough. That's fair enough but theres a clear reason why he isnt starting. And the professionals see him everyday and are a lot less impressed with one goal and assist against a pub team.

Similar to Saliba. He isnt in the team or squad because he isnt good enough. Pepe the same. Nelson not getting many minutes in the league is the same reason. As I said Willian does the basics in football right. Maybe not the glamorous stuff but he can hold a ball, carry it 20 yards and pass it without falling over it. And while his moments of magic are rare his mobility and overall game is better than what I have seen from Pepe.

 

[Football Manager]

I understand but you also said he is a sh*t striker.

Finishing and getting into goal scoring positions is let’s say...about 70% of being a striker? Some would say more, I’m not sure many would say less.

If Auba is absolutely elite at that then he simply can’t be a **** striker? He might be lacking in other areas but he’s one of the best (if not the best) at the most important part of being a striker.

Those guys you have listed are better than Auba yes but there aren’t many of them. In fact they’re all past their peak right now.

When people are comparing Messi to Maradona, you wouldn’t expect them to compare messi to a 60 years old maradona. Of course I mean those players at their peak.

 

[Maybe]

Klopp asked for a player with Salah’s exact attributes because he had a role already prepared for him.

Bruno came into a team that already had the solid defensive foundations (when Pogba isn’t playing) and the flying forwards who only needed his service.

You sign players and then you play to their strengths. The Pepe signing is extremely questionable as we’ve never even tried to recreate Lille Pepe. We don’t look for him on the counter, we don’t play him in behind, we don’t try to get him in and around the box.

People will say these are excuses but there’s honestly no point of signing a player if you’re not going to play to their strengths.

Would Salah be Salah if he was forced to play as an orthodox get it to the byline and cross winger? Would Bruno be getting all his plaudits if United played him on right wing or in central midfield?

Then people forget that players are human beings and that months of poor management and performances start to weigh on them. Football is a confidence game after all.

True that. Manchester tried to fit Pogba and Fernandes this season and it looked awful with Fernandes struggling to play his game. Yesterday, Pogba was benched and Fernandes was given the freedom to play his game, and you can ask Everton supporters what the results of that were.
Arteta never tried to do something like that for Pepe, he actually made things very difficult for him. Think he spent too much time at Manchester City where they have the luxury to just buy 5 new players when something is not working, but here, he will need to learn how to work with every player and optimize things instead of spending a fortune each season

 

[Maybe]

As I said Willian does the basics in football right. Maybe not the glamorous stuff but he can hold a ball, carry it 20 yards and pass it without falling over it. And while his moments of magic are rare his mobility and overall game is better than what I have seen from Pepe.

I struggle to see how this works for us really, we'be been appalling going forward but you make it sound like everything just works better with Willian being here, and other solutions weren't even tried. That's without saying player A is better than a player B, we only insist on one "solution" which didn't really look great so far

 

[HairSprayGooners]

If he was extremely talented we wouldnt even be having this conversation

A player can be extremely talented but not work out in a certain league or team. Look at Di Maria. What you're saying is incredibly narrow minded

 

[HairSprayGooners]

@14Henry tell you what he did against Dundalk? He scored an unbelievable goal on his weaker foot.

Are you being purposely obtuse? Or just genuinely lack any football intellect?

Can clearly see the guy is a top level finisher. His one touch finishing is fantastic. Just needs some consistency and he'll be an elite player. If you cant see that please never be a scout or anything of the sort. You have abysmal opinions.

 

[Trilly]

There really is no point going around in circles. Some people rate Pepe, I don't. I havent seen anything from him that suggests to me he is going to make a big impact at this club.

I have watched him in all types of games whether that be Dundalk or City and havent seen anything.

People are letting a couple of brilliant moments which count for about 5% of his overall contribution decide that hes good enough. That's fair enough but theres a clear reason why he isnt starting. And the professionals see him everyday and are a lot less impressed with one goal and assist against a pub team.

Similar to Saliba. He isnt in the team or squad because he isnt good enough. Pepe the same. Nelson not getting many minutes in the league is the same reason. As I said Willian does the basics in football right. Maybe not the glamorous stuff but he can hold a ball, carry it 20 yards and pass it without falling over it. And while his moments of magic are rare his mobility and overall game is better than what I have seen from Pepe.

You basically ignored everything I’ve said because you’ve made your mind up. Fair enough.

I’ll leave you with this. We have one of the five best strikers on the planet and he has one goal from open play all season. You should look at a player’s surroundings before you write them off.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Also I think the whole said player isn't in the team because they're terrible is another horrendous opinion.

Pretty sure Pepe isn't in the team because of work rate and consistency not because he's a bad player.

 

[14Henry]

@14Henry tell you what he did against Dundalk? He scored an unbelievable goal on his weaker foot.

Are you being purposely obtuse? Or just genuinely lack any football intellect?

Can clearly see the guy is a top level finisher. His one touch finishing is fantastic. Just needs some consistency and he'll be an elite player. If you cant see that please never be a scout or anything of the sort. You have abysmal opinions.

As stated in my very first post. When Pepe has 1 decision to make ie shoot he is very good. When he has 3 or 4 options hes terrible.

Again your starting to get personal and deviating from the arguments. Can you not handle someone having a different opinion than you?

Pepes performance against Dundalk was poor. His goal. Brilliant. But 1 action against a pub team does not make the other minutes he played irrelevant.

Pepe against Liverpool under 23s was terrible. Pepe against Leicester in the cup was terrible.

Pepe believe that Pepe is a time bomb waiting to explode and take the PL by storm because he can finish. Walcott was an excellent finisher but his overall game was poor. Pepe is exactly the same.

People saying Pepes only bad cause the people around him are bad. It's always someone else's fault. Go and look at Manes performances when he was playing with Moreno, Clyne, Can, Lucas, Lovren etc and youl still have a relatively consistent and top performer. Yes he got better with better players around him but he still stood out in a crap team. When Pepe plays he doesnt stand out.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

As stated in my very first post. When Pepe has 1 decision to make ie shoot he is very good. When he has 3 or 4 options hes terrible.

Again your starting to get personal and deviating from the arguments. Can you not handle someone having a different opinion than you?

Pepes performance against Dundalk was poor. His goal. Brilliant. But 1 action against a pub team does not make the other minutes he played irrelevant.

Pepe against Liverpool under 23s was terrible. Pepe against Leicester in the cup was terrible.

Pepe believe that Pepe is a time bomb waiting to explode and take the PL by storm because he can finish. Walcott was an excellent finisher but his overall game was poor. Pepe is exactly the same.

Walcott couldn't put in the balls Pepe does. Just casually forgetting Pepe's assist against City for Auba?

You're skirting round a very important point here. What's the difference between Auba and Pepe in what you're saying? Surely you also think Auba is basically a tall Theo Walcott?

He came on and got us going against Sheffield United, running from his own half to score a goal. But we'll also forget about that and just call him a poor footballer in games where most of our players have been poor.

You see what I mean though? You're just saying a players poor despite being giving a lot of evidence against that

 

[Jury]

Pepe believe that Pepe is a time bomb waiting to explode and take the PL by storm because he can finish.

Someone once said you can live for approx 4 years without water, but you can’t live for half an hour without confidence. Just think about it.