Nicolas Pepe’s AFCON brilliance shows Arteta is ultimately not the full package

Give them the sense of belonging and be sincere with them. Every player needs that. Arsenal afforded him that towards the later stages of the last season and they saw what he can do. Then Mikel Arteta took the backward step, and Arsenal might in the end have greater regrets over the Nicolas Pepe saga.

Nicolas Pepe getting words from Mikel Arteta in a training session. (Photo Credits: Arsenal.com)

It is very easy to think Nicolas Pepe is a waste for Arsenal, because his best moments have been minimal and short-lived. But could his surroundings actually do more to help a struggling player ?

The most expensive player in the club’s history, surely whatever is required to succeed in the spotlight, the former Lille man has it in his arsenal. However, the manager has shown he has no trust in the Ivorian, not even when he is desperately needed in games.

Mikel Arteta might claim the Gunners have a Bukayo Saka who has shown in recent years to be up to the task but not even the English youngster will find it plain sailing, what Nicolas Pepe has had to endure at the club.

After his astonishing finish to the last season, the first three weeks of the new season was off it for the club with a good number of first team player unavailable while the new signings are yet to settle down proper at the club. The resultant saw the Gunners endure a tough start to the campaign.

However, the Ivorian lost his place in the team, almost at the time Arsenal have everyone back. Many Arsenal faithful will see Bukayo Saka ahead of Pepe in the pecking order but none would have said the same when Pepe was firing towards the ending of the last season.

Even if it was unadventurous, Pepe assisted Arsenal’s only goal against Norwich City, which earned them their first league win of the season while also creating seven chances, more than any other Arsenal player has created in a league game this season.

Cup matches is where he gets selected more, and he has been fantastic and one of the best players in the Carabao Cup that helped the club to the semi finals before heading for the AFCON with his country Ivory Coast.

Now in the AFCON, the 26year old has been one of the stars of the tournament. Coach Patrice Beaumelle did not select him for the first game but after getting the nod in the second game, he has since become inevitable.

Nicolas Pepe has become an integral part of the Ivory Coast team in the AFCON. (Photo Credits: Arsenal.com)

Pepe has contributed two goals and one assist in his two AFCON appearances in Cameroun, and since his first start, no player has contributed more goals, more chances or completed more take ons than the former Lille man.

As impressive as he is, you can not help but think he will be back on the bench once the AFCON is over and he return to the club. But why ?

Although, Pepe is also part responsible for his Arsenal nightmare since moving to the club but what he needs is a manager who understands and help him get his club career back on track. Arteta however has proven not to be that man.

If Emile Smith Rowe, who has been Arsenal’s best player in the last 12 months can lose his place in the team to Gabriel Martinelli, Arteta has to consider Nicolas Pepe even if not ahead of Saka, but as a substitute player, who always has to feature week in and out.

Though the Pepe saga was not without blemish, the manager and the club’s faithful should also think what a player bought for £72million can actually do, when they found a favourable atmosphere to do it.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi