Arsenal Vs Burnley: Nicolas Pepe not needed, yet

Nicolas Pepe is still working back to full fitness. With games against Liverpool and Spurs on the horizon, Arsenal must not rush their record signing. They don’t need him just yet.

As is ever the case when games are played at this time of the year, managers must manage wanting to win the next match with the sharpness and fitness of his players. While some of his more experienced and higher-impact players might be more effective when fit, they may have played fewer minutes in the pre-season and are not yet up to full speed.

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That is why, for example, Unai Emery played a slightly weaker Arsenal team against Newcastle United, with the likes of Calum Chambers, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson all starting in the place of more established alternatives who were not ready to start. And he again faces the decision this weekend against Burnley.

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Emery was asked about how he would manage some of the new players this weekend, with the most interest focused on club-record signing, Nicolas Pepe, who played 19 minutes against Newcastle. This was his response:

"“I am going to decide on Friday because now is a small difference for my decision about the player [Nicolas Pepe]. It depends how they will be tomorrow in the training. But Pepe is training with us, is improving with us, is knowing us, our idea, our style, is able to understand his team-mates better. Physically also, getting better. He’s more close to helping us than he was at the beginning, after giving us an impact during the match.”"

Pepe could be involved, then, but it is likely that he will not quite be at full gas just yet.

Consequently, I feel it would be most sensible for Emery to continue taking it slow with his shiny, new attacking toy. While everyone wants to see Pepe play as early as possible, such is the exhilarating prospect of seeing him in an Arsenal shirt, there are more important matches than Burnley at home on the horizon in which he will be vital.

After the weekend’s home opener, Arsenal travel to Anfield to face Liverpool in what is likely the second-toughest fixture of the season. They then return a week later for the first North London Derby of the season, hosting a Spurs team that will welcome Heung-Min Son back into the fold and are direct rivals for a top-four spot.

While Nelson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are capable enough to create and score against Burnley, relying on their inconsistent ways against the two Champions League finalists would be far from ideal. Emery likely has enough to squeeze past Burnley without Pepe, especially if Alexandre Lacazette is able to return from his ankle problem, but that is not the case in the coming weeks.

Arsenal do not need Pepe, not yet anyway. But they will do, and that is when he needs to be at peak match sharpness. For now, then, taking the steady approach is the right one.