Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: 4 players who need to improve this season

By Ross Kennerley

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the sidelines during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 11, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta gestures on the sidelines during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 11, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Nico
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Arsenal at The King Power Stadium on October 30, 2021 in Leicester, England. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images) /

4. Nicolas Pepe

Is there any hope left for Nicolas Pepe? Honest answer, probably not. At least not at Arsenal.

But while he’s here he is a Gooner and if he is to make the impact the team needs him to make between now and the end of the season then he has to improve.

In what department? Quite a few. Primarily he has to work on his technical security. The joke is that when Pepe plays the right corner is where the ball goes to die. That’s obviously blown out of proportion but seeing how much better Bukayo Saka is at keeping hold of possession down that flank in comparison to Pepe shows how far off he is.

This season has seen him collect the ball closer towards the halfway line, when he needs to be in and around the penalty area where one of his better traits, shooting, can come to the fore.

Overall he remains an infuriating player to watch who can just as easily trip over his own feet as he can pick out the top corner from 25 yards. That inconsistency will never disappear. It’s impossible to see it suddenly vanishing.

Therefore, if there is one demand to make of Pepe, it’s that he gets involved in the goals and assists more than he is currently to at least drown out the noise of the frustration. If he is adding those contributions then all of the inadequacies he has will be less prominent.

dark. Next. Liverpool is a huge test

Up until AFCON he is a player that will be used plenty. He has to do something with those minutes.

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