Nicolas Pepe put in another poor display as Arsenal lost 1-0 to Aston Villa.
The Ivorian had been one of the better players in the Gunners team when they lost 2-1 to Wolves in their previous match.
He is beginning to show why the Gunners broke their transfer record to sign him, and although he should have done better in the Villa loss, Mirror Football’s Sam Meade says there is a top player in the Ivorian when he plays.
He admitted that Pepe has hardly justified the £72m fee that Arsenal paid to sign him, but from his performances, one can tell that there is more to what he currently delivers.
He praised the former Lille man for always getting into dangerous positions and says he has good feet, but more often than not, lets himself down.
An example is one big chance he created and missed in the Villa loss.
Meade writes: “You’d be hard pushed to find anyone who thinks Nicolas Pepe has justified a club record £72m fee.
“Yet you get the sense that there is a player within the Ivorian waiting to be unlocked.
“He received the praise of his manager in midweek but again at Villa Park Pepe failed to provide the spark his side so desperately needed.
“Frustratingly though the winger gets into some excellent positions, is direct when he has the ball and possesses excellent feet.
“You’d think those aspects together would result in a clinical, dangerous player.
“He manufactured an excellent second-half chance for himself but failed to hit the target, although you feel as if a player full of confidence would’ve slotted it away.
“Arsenal seem to be waiting for the former Lille man to click into gear – more than 18 months after he joined.”