Summer Transfer Temps and Journeymen

[I am invisible]

I read an article about Pepe when we signed him and it said he was a risk taker, he was brave and audacious. Sometimes that skill or flick didn't work, sometimes he lost the ball, but when it did work it usually ended up in a great goal-scoring opportunity for his team.

In an Arsenal shirt I've seen no evidence of any of that. If anything he's the opposite, he plays it safe and backwards even when there's an opportunity to get forward. His close control is pretty good, but he doesn't look particularly good at dribbling at pace one on one against a full back.

Maybe it's just a confidence issue, but every time he's had a good game and I think he's going to really push on he just fizzles out again. I hope I'm wrong but I'm starting to think we've got the wrong player.

To be fair he did everything I was asking of him yesterday (i.e. was willing and ready to use his right when he needed to, was far quicker and more decisive with his actions and he did his bit defensively) and I think it made a difference? Kept his markers guessing and off-balance, and stopped the whole oppo defence getting back and getting organised as he tries to work an opening on his left.

I do think there's a very good player in there - my main gripe with him (and when I say 'him' I mean Raul and Emery) was always that he felt like a bit of a hush-signing to cushion the blow of ending up with Luiz after we lost Koscielny and Monreal, had to loan Saliba back to St Etienne, failed in a bid for Upamecano, and failed to move Mustafi on. (And potentially rinsed most of next summer's budget!)