It is fair to say that Nicholas Pepe has rarely proved that he was worth the 72million transfer fee that Arsenal paid to Lille, but last season he improved enough to score 10 League goals and 6 in the Europa League.
But we are expecting him to finally reach his potential this season given a run of games and with the fans back in the stadium cheering the team on. Not everyone may have noticed, but when the fans were finally allowed back into football matches at the end of last season, we played away at Crystal Palace and at home to Brighton, and Pepe scored two goals in both games. That made a massive difference to his stats as he had previously only had 6 goals in his previous 27 games!
So maybe we have now found the reason that he had been underperforming up to then. The Frenchman himself believes that having the crowd behind him makes a massive difference. “Frankly, the difference with an empty stadium is that the match feels a bit dead,” Pepe told Arsenal.com. “You can hear each other on the pitch but it’s the fans that really bring that 12th man. That’s what everyone misses.
“To be honest I played in a lot of empty stadiums before I turned pro, so it didn’t surprise me that much – but there isn’t anything that’s better about playing in an empty stadium than a full one. For me an empty stadium doesn’t have any positives.
“I tried to play the same in an empty stadium as I do when there are fans, but for me when you hear the crowd sing – especially if they call your name – it’s really emotional.
“It shows you the fans really care about you and it makes you really feel part of the club. It pushes you and when you hear them singing your name, it gives you an extra push. It really makes you want to score a goal and return the favour.
“I love the crowds in England,” he adds. “They are closer to the team. In France I don’t think they’re like that. Here they are really close and they truly support the team. They keep going and they push you. Whatever the action is, if it’s an attack or a good pass, it doesn’t matter, they encourage you. That’s the difference.”
If Arsenal can get Aubameyang back to his Golden Boot form after last season’s dip, and if Pepe returns to his amazing form he had at Lille, we could be in for a very interesting season indeed…
we need to play him every game all game he is the best player arsenal have, he is used to being in an attacking team, Arsenal has not been this since Arteta came in, so to have the amount of assista and goals he does have is pretty clever
We he rarely plays more than 2 games in a row and Arteta might even play him in goal for the next match.
He will tear it up this season
I suppose the fact both Auba and Pepe have produced less than expected this last 18 months is not a coincidence. The fact we are not scoring or creating half the chances we were is not just down to the players.
Now I wonder WHO YOU could possibly think guilty of “letting down” those players.
Its obvious Jon!
Its obvious that YOU would be saying it too. Hourly and constantly. Boring! YAWN!
Thanks jon, you little saint you!!!!!!
he is just too inconsistent for me..
He will be unplayable in one game and then completely go missing in the next.
He 100% isnt worth the £70mil we paid.
Consistency is the key to class and he has missed it his entire with the club
ADMIN PAT, is that a promise or your opinion ?.
Well gerry, IF by some chance it were only a “promise,” I wonder how Ad PAT could possibly guarantee such a promise!
That ONLY leaves his “opinion”, don’t you think?
hi,jon fox, my point indeed sir. such a strong statement from the page boss made me ask, hahahaha.
Both!
ADMIN PADDY, it cannot be both sir, you must choose one, hehehehe.
Sir Paddy. I’ve heard it all now!
And if PAT WISHES TO CHOOSE BOTH, WELL HE’S THE BOSS, SO HE GETS HIS WAY.
LIKE SAYING WHO IS OUR MOST HARMFUL EVER PLAYER, OZIL OR XHAKA AND YOU MUST CHOOSE ONE!
WELL I’D CHOOSE BOTH! PLUS BELLERIN TOO!