Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal: 4 vital backup players for the rest of the season

By Ross Kennerley

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal celebrates with team-mates after he scores a goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Watford at Emirates Stadium on November 07, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 07: Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal celebrates with team-mates after he scores a goal to make it 1-0 during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Watford at Emirates Stadium on November 07, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images) /
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DOUALA, CAMEROON – JANUARY 26: NICOLAS PEPE of Ivory Coast celebrates his successful penalty in the shoot out during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2021 round of 16 football match between Ivory Coast and Egypt at Stade de Japoma in Douala on January 26, 2022. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) /

3. Nicolas Pepe

The chances of seeing much of Nicolas Pepe between now and the end of the season do appear relatively slim. Barring any complications, the Ivorian will keep his place on the bench behind starting wide duo Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

But he will have to play minutes at some stage. He offers a goal threat unique to any other in the squad in that he doesn’t have to be playing well – he rarely does – to get in on the act in the final third.

Arteta has to find a way to get a tune out of Pepe. Looking at the situation now with Martinelli suspended and there being no other wide options to bring off the bench against Brentford, the odds are that some minutes will come Pepe’s way on Saturday.

Following on from that, there is still plenty of the campaign left to play and all manner of reasons will see some players drop out of the team, opening the door for the 26-year-old to make some impact.

Having enjoyed a fruitful AFCON on an individual level, Arteta has to get some minutes across his team to avoid there being an increasing gap in the squad between those with match sharpness and those without any at all.

Whether one or two rare starts or just 15 minutes at the end, we should expect to see more of Pepe than we had done before the turn of the year.

Continued on next page…

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