How to solve the Nicolas Pepe Problem?

[selassie]

This is by no means a player hate thread and I do actually like some aspects to Pepe's game. I think there is no denying we have a real problem in our squad with him, 72Million pounds even in that market we bought him in should give you the finished product.

If we are being truly honest, Gabrielle Martinelli who cost a 10th of his price looks a far better player and adds a lot more to this team than Pepe.

Pepe has shown flashes of star quality, but by and large his game has been inconsistent, at times woeful and he doesn't strike me as someone with a strong character and tough mentality.

For me, it's come to the point where we have to accept this guy isn't the one, he has flopped under 3 different managers now...none of them trust him. At best he comes across as a squad player to me, one we will never get anywhere near to our investment back if he was put on the market.

Thoughts?

[I am invisible]

I’d take the loss on Pepe and try to move him on this summer. Nothing against him personally, but he just doesn’t fit with what we’re trying to do - too one-footed and predictable, and I never feel like he’s completely part of the team when he’s out there.

[Marc Overmars]

He’s capable of producing something out of nothing - however as mentioned he’s too predictable and easy to read, shows too much of the ball to his opponent and I also think he isn’t up to standard physically.

Saying that because of his ability to produce something from nothing, I think he can be useful but he’s certainly not someone to rely on. If he left then I wouldn’t really care but for the remainder of the season I would still try to get a tune out of him.

He’s no team player that is for sure though. If he’s not on the end of an attack then he doesn’t really provide much.

[Gooner23]

Assuming that Saka will switch to the right now we have Martinelli / Auba on the left. Pepe gives us some cover for the remainder of the season, but I'd also look to cut losses in the summer and move him on. Not the player we hoped for. I think he'll always be too inconsistent and frustrating.

[selassie]

Aye, pretty much agree with all the responses, he's becoming an after thought to a certain extent, certainly not one of the leaders of this emerging set of young attacking talents we have. Sure he might be able to do a job off the bench...but that's not what the investment was intended for.

[I am invisible]

I think the player himself could probably do with a clean break too - he's too young to just sit on his contract and let his career fade into obscurity.

[I am invisible]

Having a #10 alongside him to play off, as well as a Lacazette who doesn’t have to drop so deep all the time to link play, will both be a big help to Pepe, as will having players like Gabriel and Partey in the side, who like to hit early, diagonal balls to the right wing. I can see us getting more out of him with all of those guys in the side.

Ultimately though, his extreme one-footedness makes his intentions way too predictable for this level, and he’s yet another player who needs too many other players around him to fill in his blanks before he’s useful. I’m not even sure that I buy that he’s that useful on counter attacks? We’ve pretty much done nothing but sit deep and try to counter for the last year and he hasn’t exactly set the world alight? And now teams have sussed out that tactic he seems to have disappeared altogether.

[Gooner23]

Having a #10 alongside him to play off, as well as a Lacazette who doesn’t have to drop so deep all the time to link play, will both be a big help to Pepe, as will having players like Gabriel and Partey in the side, who like to hit early, diagonal balls to the right wing. I can see us getting more out of him with all of those guys in the side.

Ultimately though, his extreme one-footedness makes his intentions way too predictable for this level, and he’s yet another player who needs too many other players around him to fill in his blanks before he’s useful. I’m not even sure that I buy that he’s that useful on counter attacks? We’ve pretty much done nothing but sit deep and try to counter for the last year and he hasn’t exactly set the world alight? And now teams have sussed out that tactic he seems to have disappeared altogether.

He's just so slow and predictable in everything he does. You look at the left footed Saka in the same areas and everything happens twice as quick, with more variety.

[Mac76]

He's just so slow and predictable in everything he does. You look at the left footed Saka in the same areas and everything happens twice as quick, with more variety.

in other words we were sold a pup by a corrupt agent and Raul - i'm willing to bet the club had enough on Raul to actually get him convicted of fraud and/or corruption but to avoid all the negative publicity they simply got rid of him

[I am invisible]

in other words we were sold a pup by a corrupt agent and Raul - i'm willing to bet the club had enough on Raul to actually get him convicted of fraud and/or corruption but to avoid all the negative publicity they simply got rid of him