Ex-Gunner and expert tactician Adrian Clarke believes Nico Pepe is having an underwhelming season and warns this can have consequences with Reiss Nelson waiting in the wings.
“Reiss Nelson has to come in the mix as an option when we come back and the fact that’s an option means Arteta will have to look at a ready-made right winger that will go on the outside just to cover all bases," he said on the Chronicles of a Gooner podacst.
“There may be a time where that balance in the team changes and we need that real width on the right-hand side. I think Pepe has definitely underachieved given his price tag, I don’t think we can sugarcoat it.”
Pepe's form has been hit-and-miss all season and three different managers have shown a reluctance to over-rely on him.
The Ivorian does not look fully at home and what might have worked for him in France is no longer cutting it in the Premier League. However, he is still young and Arteta's skills at improving players look to be on a good level.
Let's hope that, unlike Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Nico Pepe has his head screwed on the right way, knuckles down and listens to what Mikel Arteta has to say.
