Arsenal: The underlying positives of Nicolas Pepe

Nicolas Pepe is yet to score for new club Arsenal. However, dig below the surface and there are plenty of underlying positives to be excited about regarding the £72 million man.

£15 million Daniel James has scored three goals in four appearances for Manchester United. Meanwhile, Arsenal’s record signing Nicolas Pepe, who cost just short of five times more than the former Swansea City man, is yet to notch a goal. Curiously, that has led some fans to criticise the Ivorian.

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Four games into the new season, of which Pepe has made just two starts, both of those coming against top-four opposition, is not nearly enough to accurately assess the quality of a new signing. Anyone with a remotely sane mind will tell you that much — and this goes without factoring in his learning the language, settling into the team and country, and developing an understanding with his new teammates.

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Nevertheless, some are questioning whether Arsenal were wise to spend more on Pepe than they have on any footballer ever. Well, while he is yet to score a goal, which is only a part of the reason why he is on the pitch, there are many underlying positives to draw from Pepe’s performances thus far, even if they fall short of making the net ripple.

Most pertinently for an Arsenal team that lacked direct, pacy, tricky dribblers last season, Pepe is completing 5.5 dribbles per 90 minutes. That is more than any other player in the Premier League, of players who have played more than 90 minutes. He is extremely skilful on the ball, he has beaten world-class defenders on several occasions, and strikes fear into those marking him, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Danny Rose all choosing to stand off him, afraid of engaging him when he first receives the ball.

He has also created 2.2 chances per 90 minutes this season, which is the fourth-most in the squad, and had 4.4 shots per 90 minutes, bettered by only Alexandre Lacazette. He also assisted Lacazette’s goal against Spurs at the weekend, although that was much more about the Frenchman’s slalom touch and finish than it was Pepe’s pass.

But more than all the numbers, and it is always important to look beyond the statistics and at the context that they are produced in, Pepe has produced several moments in each match that make you stand up and pay attention. His body-swerve spin past Robertson. His shimmy to slide around van Dijk. His drive and burst against Spurs, which was especially potent on the counter-attack.

He clearly has an excellent first touch, is adept with the ball at his feet when being challenged by a defender, and has the technical quality and athletic superiority to fly past players with ease. His end product needs work, admittedly, but this should come as he becomes more comfortable and grows more confident.

Pepe is playing well, he just hasn’t scored. Not that some would ever see beyond the very basics of football. Sometimes, there is more to goals. Pepe is doing everything else, he just needs to make the net ripple and hear the crowd roar.