Arsenal see Nicolas Pepe unleashed in stunning Leicester victory

Without the effervescence of Bukayo Saka for Arsenal, it became imperative that other individuals rose to the task. The right flank has been the most dangerous zone in this team every time the 19-year-old lines up, so seeing Nicolas Pepe assume the mantle in devastating fashion ranks highly among the most pleasing aspects of the 3-1 win over Leicester.

He was outstanding.

No fan, player, or even manager for that matter, is happy when certain individuals don’t play. When you’re riding on the crest of a wave – one only a few feet high in Nicolas Pepe‘s place but still offering decent curvature – knowing your place is on the bench is demoralising.

Mikel Arteta will have derived no pleasure in dropping the Ivorian in favour of an extra creative body in midfield. The tactical shuffle had its merits, it just came at the cost of the most expensive player in the squad.

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1366043961735938057

Outstanding Nicolas Pepe produces his best Arsenal performance in stunning 3-1 Premier League win over Leicester on Sunday

Having gradually slipped his feet into his own big shoes, the Pepe that Arsenal thought they had acquired in 2019 was rising to the occasion at the end of January. To be dispelled from the lineup following that could well have reset the course for what was the hopeful ‘arrival’ and, it’s fair to say, a significant slump of the shoulders and eventual decline was expected.

So to be given the nod on Sunday and be as ferocious as he was is credit to his mental resilience. He tore Luke Thomas to shreds in the first half, a devastating display of intelligent movement and unwavering aggression. The unpredictability returned to his game and he constantly demanded possession so he could keep digging the knife into an area of the pitch he wounded from the first whistle.

Pepe had his best performance of the season and likely his best in an Arsenal shirt to date. Inside, outside, left and right, he was used space wisely and was in constant communication with his teammates on where to be and when to press. His tap-in was richly deserved.

As a manager you want those on the periphery to make you believe you’ve done wrong not selecting them. With some of the tepid attacking output in recent games Arteta may begin to feel just that. Pepe unquestionably has the ability, he now needs the support of his manager to nurture it.

Rehashing some notion of ‘Pepe finally stepping up’ repeatedly throughout his time in north London, no words of that ilk are more potent than those after Sunday. This was the Pepe 72 millions pounds of real money paid to bring in. There has been no greater value for that expenditure than against Leicester. Some of it is finally being paid back.