Arsenal: Unlocking Nicolas Pepe key for Mikel Arteta

Nicolas Pepe is a prestigious talent. But Arsenal are yet to truly see the best of him. If Mikel Arteta can unlock him, however, the second half of the season could be very exciting indeed.

For Arsenal and newly appointed head coach Mikel Arteta, the remainder of the 2019/20 season is a free swing. After a disastrous opening to the year under Unai Emery and a delayed firing of the Spaniard that allowed the club to slip into yet more mediocrity, there is very little feasible success for the team to play for.

Listen to the latest Episode of the Pain In The Arsenal Podcast here!—The Rebuild 2.0

Yes, the Europa League knockout stages are around the corner and the FA Cup is still ongoing, but the Premier League is essentially over and Arteta’s focus should turn towards the performances of the individual players and collective team and not the results they produce.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

One such player who Arteta must try to eke out the very best of is Nicolas Pepe. The £72 million club-record signing has endured a testing first season in north London. Just three goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, the Ivorian has struggled for consistency throughout the year, often finding himself isolated on the right flank and taking on too much as opposing defences double-up on him to close down his dribbling options.

Nevertheless, despite the struggles, there have also been plenty of moments where he has displayed his potential. Even in Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw against Chelsea where his role was utterly subverted thanks to David Luiz’s sending off, there were still moments when Pepe’s ability came to the fore. He skinned Emerson on several occasions, including winning a foul and yellow card for the Chelsea defender early on. His pace posed a problem on the counter-attack and he was often Arsenal’s primary outlet when under pressure.

This week, Pepe spoke about the input that Arteta has had on his game, discussing the tactical elements his new head coach is working on to get the best out of him:

"“There has certainly been some encouraging signs and we know that we do have quality and we have what it takes to do well on the pitch. Mikel Arteta has explained to me what he would like me to do on the pitch and he has shown me videos that have stressed the importance of my positioning. He has told me exactly what he would like me to do to help me progress as a player. We want to do well as an attacking force. We want to perform well on the pitch, score goals and get assists.”"

Pepe is prestigiously talented. His skill set is ideal for a modern-winger. Speed, terrific technique when dribbling with the ball, explosive athleticism and acceleration, great strength and size to hold off would-be challengers and shrug defenders to the ground when running with the ball, and a tremendous left foot that is vicious when in shooting range, as displayed on several occasions already this season. But for all his natural ability, producing at the level expected of him has been left wanting. This is what Arteta must change.

Next. Arsenal Vs Chelsea: 5 things we learned. dark

Nevertheless, as Arteta looks to lay down the foundations for his tenure in north London, getting the best out of Pepe should be a priority for him. And if he is able to, it will be a rather exciting second half of the season for the Arsenal attack.

Home/Arsenal News