Nicolas Pépé just completed a season-long loan move to Nice for the 2022/2023 season, which likely ends his career at Arsenal. I don’t know how I feel about it. Objectively, if you look at it, it can not be labeled anything but a failure. Joining Arsenal in 2019 as the club transfer record fee of €79 million, anything but player-of-the-year type performances would be the only standard. Nicolas Pépé bagged 27 goals and 21 assists in 3 seasons at Arsenal (112 apps). Not terrible but nothing remotely close to what he should have produced with that transfer fee. Is it his fault that we went out and spent that money on him? Absolutely not. Should we have expected more from him after his last season at Lille? Absolutely.
Why did it not work for Pépé at Arsenal? He absolutely had moments where you recognized his immense talent and potential. He had a wand of a left foot. He had deceptive quickness and an uncanny ability to thrive in uncertain situations, especially when trying to go past defenders. However, there was such a lack of consistency with it that was so frustrating. Unai and Mikel never seemed to be able to get the best out of him but it also seemed pretty obvious that neither really gave him the fairest chance. Unai has stated publicly that Wilfried Zaha was his preferred winger to get in 2019 and Mikel from the start has shown favoritism to every other winger at Arsenal before Pépé.
Pépé isn’t the type of player you want in a possession-oriented team against teams that defend in low-blocks. His style very much resembles an old-fashioned winger where his first instinct is to go at players directly as opposed to looking to combine with teammates firsthand which goes against the fluid possession that Arteta craves. Pépé thrives in chaos and counter-attacks. His best moments at Arsenal came from us countering City in the FA Cup SF or his majestic goal against Wolves shown below.
Nico did well to win the ball off Semedo and then he got the ball from Lacazette and from there, just absolutely emasculated Semedo and Neves before curling it to the far post with his weaker foot. Just frustrating that moments like this came few and far between.
Arsenal had an 18-pass move against City in the FA Cup SF in 2020 where Pépé’s final ball to Auba completed the goal. Here you can see the wand of a left foot that Pépé had whether it be for crossing or shooting. Here the cross to Auba came against a City side not set in its defensive shape where Pépé’s quality was able to shine through a vulnerable defense.
Southampton also just gave up the ball carelessly and 3 passes later Pépé maneuvered his body between himself and the goal which gave Valery no chance to stop him before he put the ball past the keeper.
CONCLUSION: People forget Pépé had 10 PL goals in the 20/21 season and was absolutely left out of the squad in 21/22. Arteta clearly didn’t favor him. Pépé is a player who thrives on confidence and form and Arteta provided and assisted in none of that. To be fair to everybody involved, Pépé was not brought in by the Arteta/Edu regime which left Pépé vulnerable to being an outcast once Arteta arrived. I never fully disliked Pépé because of the fact that I never felt like he got the fairest chance. from Arteta. Even when Pépé when played well and provided goals/assists, he never was able to fully get into the squad. Not saying Pépé is absolved of all blame, but not sure if there was more he could do at times. Price tag wasn’t his fault. The managers never believed in him. He had glimpses which made you believe but was never consistent. It just wasn’t a right fit for all involved which sucks. Just because we are Arsenal, it is almost a certainty Pépé will thrive at Nice cause that is how like works. Nothing but the best for Pépé and absolutely hopes he proves Mikel wrong. I’ll never give up on him.
Featured image credit: AFP
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