Arsenal News – The week in Nicolas Pepe

Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe has been in the news a lot this week for a variety of reasons. Here’s a quick rundown on the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Ivorian’s recent headlines.

Without a win in their last three Premier League fixtures, Arsenal take on Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds in what has been humorously dubbed ‘the Battle for Tenth Spot.

Desperately in need of points to push up the table, victory will also provide welcome momentum ahead of next week’s crucial Europa League round of 32 clash against Benfica in Rome.

Pepe has understandably been in the headlines this week given his exploits of the reverse fixtures, but how times have changed since then. Well, at least we hope so.

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1360283526688481280

The Good – Praise from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

It’s been a constant struggle for Nicolas Pepe since he joined Arsenal from Lille in a record £72m deal back in 2019. Lately, however, he’s been getting a run of games and starting to look like the promising player the Gunners expected.

Ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Leeds, Mikel Arteta spoke about Pepe in his pre-match press conference. In it, he said that he expects the player “to go to the next level”.

"“I think there has been a click with him, even in his mentality, how he’s approaching every training session, the importance of every action in the game, and how he can sustain his focus and his determination during games,” Arteta said.“I really like his attitude. What’s he’s done in the last few weeks I think it’s been much better. He still has a lot of room to improve and grow and he’s willing to do that so I’m expecting him to go to the next level very soon.2"

Pepe’s improved form has seen him score two goals in his last four appearances, bringing his overall total for the season to seven goals in 27 appearances. Finally stringing a decent run of performances together, he’s being selected ahead of the captain and looks like continuing that trend on Sunday.

It may have taken 18 months, but this is the closest we’ve come to seeing any inkling of value for money, even if that price tag will never be fully justified.

The Bad – Leeds’ Ezgjan Alioski tries to provoke Pepe

Back in November Arsenal and Leeds were involved in a rather wasteful 0-0 draw at Elland Road. Unfortunately, the most memorable event from that day was the 51st-minute red card that Pepe received for a ‘headbutt’ on Leeds’ Macedonian winger Ezgjan Alioski.

The two players had battled and antagonized each other throughout the encounter before Pepe lost his cool and foolishly hit out at Alioski. It didn’t help matters that the Leeds player put on an Academy Award-worthy acting job as he dramatically fell to the ground. The result was a straight red card for Pepe.

The two teams meet again this weekend at the Emirates and Alioski is already trying to stir up trouble and get under Pepe’s skin. On the Leeds United official podcast, co-hosted by the team’s striker Patrick Bamford, Alioski said, “I can’t wait for Sunday…because I’m playing against my mate Pepe again’.”

Whether Pepe will play on the opposite flank or not remains to be seen, but maybe Arteta will move him back out to the right for….a bit of fun? A test of character? Becuase Alioski is a poor defender and Pepe can skin him? We’ll have to wait and see.

The Ugly – Wilfried Zaha reveals Pepe is a bad roommate

Earlier this week Wilfried Zaha was a guest on the On The Judy podcast. One of the topics covered was how hard Zaha found it to share a room with Pepe while on international duty with the Ivory Coast. Because, why not?

There is no animosity between the two, but Zaha explained that Pepe’s snoring was out of control. He said: “Oh my days. Nicolas Pepe. I asked to leave the room. I went and asked to leave the room because he sounded like a motorbike.

In a bid to escape, Zaha then began rooming with former Chelsea player and Ivorian teammate Salomon Kalou. Kalou even told Zaha that he also had to move rooms to get away from Pepe’s snoring.

A lighthearted story.