Arsenal: The one troubling thing about Nicolas Pepe

Unai Emery is absolutely right about Nicolas Pepe, but there is still one troubling thing about the Arsenal man that doesn’t make sense.

Unai Emery came to the defenses of record Arsenal signing Nicolas Pepe, saying that he just needs time to adjust. And to his credit, he’s absolutely right. That’s what a ton of people have been saying all season long.

Yes, it’s frustrating, but we all understand that it’s just a matter of time, and Pepe hasn’t had much time at all. Moving from Ligue 1 to the Premier League is no easy feat. Moving from anywhere to anywhere is no easy feat.

In that sense, no one should be worried about Nicolas Pepe. Maybe be annoyed that it’s not clicking right away, but in no way should anyone be holding Pepe personally responsible for the time it’s taking for him to acclimate.

That said, there is one thing that is irking me a bit about Nicolas Pepe that, at least to me, is concerning. And that’s in his inability to finish.

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

Acclimation usually involves getting used to the physical nature of English football, or catching up to the speed of the Premier League… but putting the finishing touches on a ball right in front of the net is a universal language. It doesn’t get any harder whether you’re playing in England or Tunisia. The goal is the goal.

Pepe has been atrocious in front of goal. There have been two glaring missed opportunities (Liverpool, Sheffield United) but many more smaller opportunities as well. All missed, and missed rather awfully. The fact that he scored two free kick beauties against Vitoria is promising, but it doesn’t answer for how stale his finishing is in open play.

The rest of his game is coming along nicely. Ironically, it was against Liverpool and Sheffield United when he actually looked really effective with the ball. And that is the part that usually takes some time to acclimate. Yet you can see him in any give match, weaving in and out defenses, making things difficult for them.

It’s just that finishing touch that he can’t sort out. And like I said, that’s not something that usually requires acclimation. So why then is Pepe?

It might come down to confidence. In acclimating in all the other ways, Pepe is thriving, but the biggest pressure comes from finishing, and maybe that’s the problem. Maybe the pressure is getting to him. And maybe the two goals against Vitoria will free him.

I thought the penalty he scored would unclog him, but it hasn’t. So now I’m left having flashbacks of Gervinho’s inability to put the finishing touches on all those excellent moves he started.