Arsenal: Is Nicolas Pepe the new Granit Xhaka?

Nicolas Pepe Will Always be Divisive – It’s Unlikely He’ll Ever Change

Debates over whether having Pepe in the side is worth the hassle of frustration and some of the bizarre decisions he makes in the final third will rumble on for as long as he plays in the Premier League.

The benefits he has of being an explosive forward who can conjure up moments of brilliance and directness will always be fighting a battle of balance with his less favourable traits.

Wrestling for a combination of his own influence and the manager getting the best out of him, it was interesting to see Arteta add emphasis on Pepe getting on the ball more against Norwich. A low touch player who thrives in transition and being in and around the penalty box, his usage in deeper zones and during build-up play was intriguing, as these are generally the areas where he’s of least threat.

Having Aubameyang in the side as the low touch forward might have influenced Arteta’s plan, but it resulted in some wasteful moments in low-danger parts of the pitch and some undesirable first touches.

And yet, despite all the issues, he could easily have scored the only goal were it not for a stunning Tim Krul save – and he made the most chances in the game.

A squad like Arsenal’s demands players who have killer instinct and an eye for goal merely due to the lack of goal threat spread out among the group. Pepe is someone this team needs. Whether from the start or not. Most would say as a bench option, though.

Pepe has what others don’t and needs what others have. That’s the bottom line. Where the perennial dissension lies is on which outweighs the other. At 26 years of age with teammates ahead of him in the pecking order, that may be everlasting.