Arsenal: 3 players Mikel Arteta needs to step up

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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 01: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal embraces Mesut Ozil of Arsenal after the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on January 01, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Mikel Arteta has made a positive start to life as Arsenal head coach. But for the team to take the next step, he needs three players to step up and deliver.

Arsene Wenger used to say that football is a game about the players. While tactics and strategies and philosophies and systems are all well and good and can be used to improve or depreciate teams, ultimately, it comes down to the quality of the player and the performance they produce on the pitch. His second successor at Arsenal, former captain Mikel Arteta, is now experiencing this. He has improved the team significantly in his first three months in the role, but there are limitations with the players that are available.

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As a result, here are three players that Arteta needs to step up and deliver if his team is to take the next step along their development.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 27: (BILD ZEITUNG OUT) Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal FC controls the ball during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 second leg match between Arsenal FC and Olympiacos FC at Emirates Stadium on February 27, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images) /

3. Nicolas Pepe

Arsenal signed Nicolas Pepe to be a match-winner. As a club-record, £72 million winger with excellent dribbling skills and an eye for goal, the Ivorian was hoped to be that individual to provide those spectacular moments to win matches, even when the rest of the team is not quite clicking. Sadly, these moments have been few and far between for Pepe.

This is not to say that he is not capable, or that they have been utterly absent. He scored two terrific freekicks against Vitoria SC, he produced match-winning displays against West Ham and Manchester United, while he was also the primary instigator versus Olympiakos two weeks ago, even if much of his twisting, turning work ended in nothing.

Pepe might be held down by the pressure of his price tag. He might be forcing things, trying too hard, and failing to conduct the simple processes that every player must execute in Arteta’s system. Once he begins to settle in and adapt to Arteta, while still sprinkling those sensational moments in here and there, we might finally see the best of Arsenal’s hoped-for match-winner.

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