The Gunners have been linked with the Lille winger Nicholas Pepe since January, but after the latest news from France it is now abundantly clear that the Ivorian will not be moving to the Emirates, although it seems certain he will be leaving Lille at the end of the season. The Lille president admitted: “That does not just depend on the club. It also depends on the player.
“He deserves to play at the highest level. We have offers yes.”
If there is any truth in Arsenal’s interest, then surely one of the offers was from us, but this report from the Metro today says that Lille would be looking for much more money than Arsenal could or would pay. The report said….
Lille president Gerard Lopez has suggested that Arsenal will need to bid €80 million (£68.7m) in order to sign Nicolas Pepe this summer. The 23-year-old is expected to be one of the most in-demand players during the summer transfer window following an impressive season in Ligue 1.
Pepe, who plays on Lille’s right flank, has scored 16 goals and registered eight assists in 27 league appearances so far. Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move, while Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona are also reportedly interested. But Lille are willing to stand firm over the Ivory Coast international’s valuation having already rejected offers worth €50m (£42.9m)
Well it was nce to dream, but does anyone honestly think that Arsenal would even try to win a bidding war for Pepe?
Admin
Yes Nicolas Pepe could be a good addition to Arsenal fc, but Gerard Lopez (President of Lille) is flying a kite and clearly his intentions are not to release Pepe at real market value which is around €40m-€50m and no more as there are many others in the market who are the equal of or better than Nicolas Pepe for below €40m.Raul Sanllehi, Vinay Venkatesham and Unai Emery are aware of who these other players are and one off the hat would be Gelson Martins, but there are 3 others who also stand out and available
?
I can still dream…..
No chance it happens.
The best we can hope for would be Cengiz Under or Cristian Pavon
However more likely we will get Ismaila Sarr or Christopher Nkunku.
I would say Jovic and Cengiz
Also maybe unknow Brazilians players since Raul knows that market very well
I’d be content with Cengiz and Nkunku.
OT I was checking appearance stats and the numbers for our defenders is ridiculously low which shows how much of a injury crisis we had. koscielny was injured for the start of the season so i him and holding stat together.
1st choice back four
bellerin 19 match
sokratis 19
holding/kocielny 10+11
kolasinac 17
so our best defence has an average of 19 matches between them and we are on match-day 29. How the hell do you expect a new coach to implement a new defensive system in his 1st season when he rarely has his best defenders available at once.
only 9 TIMES out of 38(since bellerin and holding are out) there were at least 4 of them were in the 18 man squad. I’m not even going to talk about on the pitch together which is about 5 TIMES.
Process this only 9 times this season were our best defenders fit at the same time, That we are still in the fight for top 4 is a miracle.
Mustafi is our 4th choice CB yet he has the most appearance of them, i would say you can’t have many 4th choice cb as good as mustafi. It’s just that he wasn’t supposed to play so many matches.
Ackshay, thank you for your analyses which support the points I have been making about the disruption caused by injuries to Emery’s ability to coach a stable defense.
Maybe by the end of the season others will appreciate what Emery has had to deal with and the job he has done under the circumstances.
Ackshay and ozziegunner, as one of those who earlier criticised UE’s selection and tactics, let me, once again, re-iterate why I was querying him.
It was nothing to do with the injuries, which any sensible supporter understands.
Perhaps you can explain the following:
Why did he pick seven defenders, play three at the back and, in one match, have just three shots on goal?
The result against Bates away was a joke and that’s why I was questioning him.
Against the likes of Huddersfield and Cardiff that’s what UE was choosing to do…and that had nothing to do with the horrendous injuries he had to contend with did it?
The football was awful, with no game plan, more back and sideways passes than ever and empty seats echoing these views.
Now that he has changed his tactics and brought back Ozil into the squad, the change in the tactics, players and supporters has been remarkable.
UE has to be congratulated on this turnaround, while still having the injuries that we are talking about. The fact that we are still in contention for a top four place and europa success is a mark of his overall achievement, but the frustration regarding individual players and style of play became the overiding topic of discussion and that was down to one man, Unai Emery.
I fail to understand why anyone who asked questions regarding the issues I have mentioned, has been deemed as not wanting UE to succeed…nor have I seen any single fan stating they want him to fail.
As an afterthought, isn’t it remarkable that the three long term injuries, Welbeck, Bellerin and Holding, were all considered part of the dross that needed to be got rid of as soon as possible, yet now are being touted as one of the reasons we shouldn’t question UE?
Tell me why any true supporter would not want Unai Emery (or any other manager/coach come to that) to succeed and become the most successful manager The Arsenal have ever had?
ken1945, I ask you again, how could Unai Emery choose Mezut Ozil to play in any of those games when he was inconsistent in his availability for selection due to injury or illness? Emery can’t be expected to select Ozil if he is unreliable in availability and not showing what Emery requires in training?
Mhikataryan, another midfield creator also had an extended time on the sidelines due to injury. On his return, injury free, Mhikataryan has looked a different player. Therefore Arsenal’s attacking options have also been disrupted by injuries.
Exactly Ken ,the injuried players being mentioned that all of a sudden emery can’t do without ,but 10 months ago were all for the garbage heap.
For me there’s no excuse for our lack of defensive quality’s seeing that emery signed 5 defensive players in the summer and none of them have been injured .so it comes back to wengers players and players that all of a sudden ,are not just good enough but vital to emerys team .wenger had years of injuries to deal with ,he was never given any slack for it so emery shouldn’t be either .
For me he hasn’t been good enough ,but like I said I will save judgment till season end
And regarding ozil Ozzie I think it’s obvious to most emery as a problem with him ,be it he doesn’t rate him or just doesn’t like him ,that’s the managers decision we will see free season if he’s made the right choices
Sorry who are the five defensive players .
1. Sokratis who is a rock
2.Among the best signings of the season
3. Leno enough said .
4.Lich came in free and is the only player short .
While it is good to air your views sometimes do so with empathy .
“how could Unai Emery choose Mezut Ozil to play in any of those games when he was inconsistent in his availability for selection due to injury or illness?” There have been multiple games which Ozil was completely fit to play and Emery chose to not even put him on the bench.
So what exactly is your point? Your inference that Ozil is constantly pulling sickies when he could have otherwise played is unsubstantiated nonsense.
Don’t put me with those who blindly follow emery. I am just as pissed as you when he puts an overly defensive formation. When emery make shit decisions i criticise him
I have already posted my displeasure before at everything you said about his formation, style of play.
Ackshay and ozzieguner, that’s why I posted my thoughts to begin with, your conversation.
Ackshay, I know you have challenged UE’s tactics/selections and your stats were well researched…thanks.
ozziegunner, you seem to believe that UE has done nothing wrong and it’s just fate against him.
Any normal, decent thinking fan could not possibly blame UE for the injuries and/or sickness that happened.
Of course UE couldn’t/wouldn’t/shouldn’t pick a player that came into that scenario.
1. It was the non-selection of a player who was fit, played as captain one game and then dropped from the squad the next that was so perplexingly frustrating, as “d” so succintly pointed out.
2. The style of play, both in defence and attack were even worse than last season.
These were the two topics that, for me anyway, caused the friction as he didn’t seem to want to change the style and seemed intent on belittling Ozil at every opportunity.
In my opinion, Ozil showed just what a strong person he is, never complaining and accepting what was one of the worst examples of our clubs treatment of a player in a very long time.
As Xxnofx has pointed out, the three long term injured players were all, supposedly, dross weedy and mentally frail.
Suddenly they are these brilliant players who are shaping UE’s season, despite the signing of six new players who were “vast improvements” on those he inherited.
I believe that UE and Ozil have, finally, sorted out their differences and I fully expect Myk and Ozil to be part of our squad for every game left this season and next season.
Do you believe ozziegunner, because Xxnofx, d or myself (among many others I might add) questioned this part of UE’s decision making, we didn’t take into account injuries, illnesses, inherited players? That we were being disloyal or wanted him to fail?
Let’s just have an even playing field in all discussions, the most important being that UE DID NOT inherit dross, weedy, mentally frail players, as he himself has proven.
Sunday’s terrific performance was achieved with all but three of these dross players…equalling the three long term dross injuries he was unable to choose.
The Collins Concise Dictionary states:
Dross = Worthless Matter:
Maybe those that use this type of language to describe players of The Arsenal should hang their heads in shame.
Let’s just discuss Unai Emery on his merits, mistakes, man-managment skills, signings and results and not through rose tinted glasses.
Unlike Xxnofx, I believe UE will bring the club back to where it belongs this season, but then again, I’ve been accused of being a dullard, geez, what if this is true..wer’e doomed, wer’e doomed.
The Collins Concise Dictionary states:
Dullard = Dull or Stupid person:
Maybe those who use this type of language to describe supporters of The Arsenal should hang their heads in shame.
OR MAYBE “DULLARD” WAS FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH AND CORRECTLY USED, since you often quote my actual words – though are careful never to attribute them to me – and then disparage them merely because you disagree.
ken1945, I believe that Bellerin, Holding and particularly Iwobi and Welbeck have improved under Unai Emery. Particularly in Welbeck’s case he was in very good form prior to his injury and put forward the first game against Fulham as an example of the role he was able to play for Emery.
I don’t blindly support every decision that Emery makes; however it is my contention that he has been unfairly criticised during his first season in charge. For a manager to come in after Arsene Wenger and keep Arsenal competitive as he has, is a sign of a very competent and astute coach. I also am of the opinion that some on here are so protective of Arsene Wenger’s legacy, or are miffed that their choice of manager wasn’t appointed, that they do wish Unai Emery to fail. Arsene Wenger’s legacy stands on its own and is now in the record books.
Many on here who try to undermine Emery are not prepared to say who they think would do a better job, given the state of the current squad, the available transfer budget, the self sustaining financial model adhered to by Arsenal and the lack of support from Scrooge Kroenke.
There is no doubt that Unai Emery has so far enhanced his CV on what he has achieved at Arsenal, particularly when our progress is compared to what happened at Manchester United. We do not know what undertakings have been given to Emery by the board, or what performance objectives he has to meet.
Unlike Arsene Wenger, we have already seen (informing all that Arsenal could only afford loan deals in the January transfer window) that he is not prepared to be a mouthpiece for the board. If Emery believes he is not being supported by the board, he will receive offers to leave and walk.
A miracle is the word I have myself often used for what Emery has achieved given the injury crisis you detail so well. I consider the constant carping of him and calling for his exit by a few persistently unthinking folk on here , most notably (though far from alone) jah son, to be the postings of “dullards”. I USE THIS WORD ADVISEDLY AND ACCURATELY, since people who fail to give their opinions proper thought ARE dullards. I disagree with many people on many matters, as do we all and that does NOT mean I think them dullards. BUT clear hasty overreaction in temper and lack of thought is what “dullards” do.
We should go for Zaha and Ziyech instead they are both better than Pepe.
I prefer Ziyech to the Pepe guy
We have Kroenke! We will not be signing big fee players. End of subject as far as I am concerned. I much prefer reality!
I hate to be a pessimist but I honestly don’t think Arsenal will EVER become a force again as long as we have Kronke as the owner. The sad part about it is that Arsenal is a “gold nugget” in his investment portfolio so he will never sell unless Arsenal start to loose serious money or some billionaire offer him a sum he just cant refuse.