Nicolas Pepe: Arsenal’s Explosive Lifeline?

Save the Scorn

This team (this club) is crestfallen. Anger blends scarily well with agony. It’s hard to decide which one takes centre stage.

Pepe coming into the team isn’t going to right wrongs or stop the rut, but he will give this side more than they currently have. Most other Premier League players could add spark to this team, in fairness.

He’s paid his dues following that nonsensical episode, with a run of fixtures in the top-flight setup absolutely paramount to ensuring Arsenal have the best chance of coming out of this Christmas period not sunk deep into the bottom three.

The need for flair players at this stage has never been more evident. Structurally and tactically there issues in abundance, just as the general lack of quality is telling.

It’s not going to be pretty all the time, but Pepe has the quality that few of the squad members have been able to demonstrate this season.

The Ivorian is yet to demonstrate that in the league apart from a solid 30-minute cameo against Sheffield United, but he can provide an explosive lifeline that even if only boosts Arsenal’s chances of scoring by 5%, takes us up to five whole percent.