4 HALT AND PEPE
Arteta blames £72m price tag for star’s slow start in Prem
MIKEL ARTETA admits Nicolas Pepe is struggling with his price tag in the Premier League.
The Ivory Coast star arrived from Lille for £72million in the summer, but has managed just three league goals in 21 games for the Gunners so far.
He was the man former boss Unai Emery pinned his hopes on to turn Arsenal back into top-four contenders.
Instead, their tally of just six wins from 25 games is their worst return since 1913, when the club was still known as Woolwich Arsenal. But it is the weight of expectation, rather than the burden of history, which Arteta feels is to blame for Pepe’s slow start in England.
“The price we paid for him puts Pepe in a difficult position straight away because he’s going to be compared to players of that calibre,” Gunners boss Arteta said. “He was in France and was one of the biggest stars in the league. He had an incredible year.
“Now, he comes here, and a lot of people didn’t even know him, and you paid that price tag. So, for him to put his brain into this picture and solve all this is not easy. And he’s a really young player.” But Arteta still thinks the 24-yearold can show his worth.
“It’s not easy to adapt to this league, but he’s putting in the effort, and he’s willing to do it,” said the Spaniard.
“And it will come out. First of all, he needs the right structure behind him to be able to provide the moments of quality and winning games, whether it’s assists, goals, dribbles, or whatever it is.
“Afterwards, he needs to have a much clearer picture of the things that are happening on the pitch, why they are happening and how he can solve them.
“I think he’s in the process of doing that. I hope we can see it from now to the end of the season.”
Arteta was pleased with what he felt was a productive winter break (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette ride a camel in Dubai, below), but going into the game against Newcastle, he admitted his players still have to overcome the mental hurdle of remembering how to win.
“I think winning (one game) takes you to winning the next and the confidence related to that is huge,” he added. “In football, the mental aspect is more important than anything else.
“So, when you are doubting yourself, and your ability to win games, obviously the confidence is affected.
“But that’s again part of something we need to go over and improve. The moment that comes, I think it will naturally generate another dynamic.”