Nicolas Pépé

I think it’s on the manager to get the best out of the players. Pepe clearly has the talent but as we have been saying for the longest time, if we don’t play to his strengths then we’re not going to get better out of him.

Is Auba (who was until this season one of Europe’s most prolific goal scorers) shit as well now because he’s only scored 2 goals in 9 games? He’s only had 7 shots on target this season. One of them was a penalty :joy::rofl:

Arteta is the problem because despite how harsh we are on the players, they are definitely talented enough to be pushing for top four and putting in better performances than we’re seeing now. There are teams with way less quality players playing better football than we are.

He has to go back to how he started when he first came, be brave and go for the wins, playing the 5-2-3 only against the better teams. It’s the only way to improve our team and get them into playing a high intensity pressing game, first season might be up and down but at least the players will eventually get their fitness levels up and be able to play a attacking style of football that the fans enjoy. It’s how Pep did it, it’s how Klopp did it, it’s how Poch did it and it’s how Bielsa did it. If not and he persists with this, then he has to go! (Even though I know the board won’t sack him) we can’t afford another season out of the top four.

9 Likes

As if he wasn’t playing badly enough.

4 Likes

Looks like Pépé is turning out to be a dead signing. The only thing that gives me a glimmer of hope is that all our attackers look completely useless atm. Even Aubameyang, who is undoubtedly a top class player, looks bang average.

So it’s not just Pépé who is dog shit. Saka has been really energetic and exciting for England, but then goes back to being a nothing player for us.

We have bigger issues with the system / instructions than under-performing individuals imo.

12 Likes

I know NT always have a different set up from club teams, but we are having rigid tactics and limited our players creativity and freedom is also a fact.

3 Likes

So true. Which brings us back to the discussion of over-complicating things. I get that every manager have their preferred tactic and as a club manager you have much time implementing this on a daily basis. In a NT you don’t have near as much time together for tiny details, so naturally you keep it more simple. Not trying to reinvent the wheel.

I can be way out of depth here but Arteta strikes me as a demanding guy. That we should play a certain way or not at all. The players get too much stuff to think and work on. Like Seve Ballesteros said about giving golf lessons. Maybe you do 10 things wrong/less optimal when you swing. Work with 1 (max 2) of them at a time. Trying to correct all 10 simultaneously will only leave you getting none of them right.

4 Likes

Lots of overreaction for Pepe, am I alone in this?
He got his after a while and he fucked up.
Cool, we have others who have been getting chance after chance and they’re still looking odd out there.
Maybe this military strict attitude at the club is what’s going wrong with our displays? Or is it the favouritism towards some players?
It would be good to hear how the players feel about our drop in form.

4 Likes

When you hear how Sterling used to race about Arteta’s influence and instructions, I find it difficult that it is Arteta’s deficiencies that Pepe is underperforming

Yeah but it’s not just Pepe tough, Auba is performing terribly, Laca, Eddie, Dani, Reis Nelson and even Saka. Really outside of Gabriel who has been consistent every single game everyone else has been performing badly or inconsistently at best.

Some thing has changed maybe the players have lost faith in the “process” especially since we’ve set up negatively for every single game. Maybe their having a hard time executing all of Arteta instructions. were currently performing at the same level as a newly promoted team and worse than we were under Emery last year (with footballing displays as bad if not worse) Something isn’t right.

4 Likes

Which is a recent issue and no doubt something Arteta needs to fix but Pepe hardly showed anything even in our best form.

I wouldn’t call it recent bro considering our team has been putting in these garbage performance since the restart back in June, and specifically since September. Only difference is that during the Cup run it looked like the players were progressing (including Pepe) and we were working towards something since then it’s just been terrible team and player performances.

3 Likes

That’s why we should bring Wenger back

2 Likes

This just tells me being a one of many assistant coaches is different to being a fully blown coach, Arteta is failing many players right now.

Good, then move Arteta back to assistant coach, a position which he can excel.

Yes Wenger the Manager and Arteta the assistant :heart_eyes:

Absolutely convinced he would have had this team competing for titles.

1 Like

The best Wenger could do with this team, is the top 4 trophy, and FA Cup every once in a while

Yes, because he never competed for titles.

I would say, he did competed but never aiming to win it.

I’d rather that than lingering in mid table for the majority of the season at this point in time

2 Likes

I agree.
At least we would be relevant.

1 Like