Arsenal: Of course Nicolas Pepe was a risk, don’t be stupid

Arsenal spent a club-record fee on Nicolas Pepe and, like every other signing in the history of football, he has significant risk attached. Duh.

When you spend £70m on a player, there is significant risk involved. Arsenal knew that going into the Nicolas Pepe negotiations. Think of Paul Pogba at Manchester United. A tremendous player and athlete, but for what he cost, people are still questioning if he was worth it. Just another example of the risk involved in making any signing.

Even in the news today, there was an article about Alexis, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and literally how there is no such thing as a sure signing. Especially when you go between leagues.

So when I stumbled on talkSports driveling nonsense about how the Gunners took a risk on Pepe (and how this wasn’t a good thing), I was fit to bang my head on the wall repeatedly. This is a null statement. They didn’t say anything. They just took an established fact, turned it around in a way that it would inflame Gooners, and called it a day. Another job done.

How some media outlets continue to say the same anti-Arsenal poppycock is simply baffling. Especially when it’s not even like they’re saying insightful things. They’re just saying dumb things, getting paid for it, rinse and repeat.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

But it was the reasoning behind it that was ridiculous. They weren’t even saying that Pepe as a whole was a risk, which he is. They were saying that, based on his performances against Liverpool and Tottenham, that he was a risk.

Literally.

Two matches and that qualifies him as a risk they shouldn’t have taken. Not to mention two matches where he played a largely positive role. He was man of the match against Liverpool despite his fluffed finish and he nabbed his first Premier League assist in a tamer, but still effective North London Derby.

Even if Pepe had come out in those two matches looking like a Magikarp, I’d still be writing this article. Because it’s two *bleeping* matches into his career. Dude has five years in his contract, but after two matches, we have some dullards out there saying he isn’t worth the risk because he’s got no right foot, and because he didn’t stack up against Liverpool.

In his first ever Premier League start.

Have a laugh at these fools. Their consistent anti-Arsenal prerogative accompanied with a gross lack of sensical statements makes them worth little more.