Nicolas Pepe - Signs for Arsenal

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JPRouve

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Pepe, Martial, Rashford, Swansea lad and probably one of Bale (loan) or Werner or Dybala seems to be a nice attacking unit.

Excited!
Werner is actually a good shout, it's typically a player that should get along with someone like Pépé, they both play counter attacks at 100%. Now the issue is that Martial would have to pull his fingers because these players would make him look even more lethargic.
 

Sayros

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He'd be a step in the right direction. People can't act like United has a legit chance at tier 1 prospects right now with the CL and PL situation they are currently in. Pepe would be, IMO, a nice reinforcements but it'd only be one step in what will probably be many, many steps to get back to contending against the likes of Liverpool and City. He'd probably need some adjustment, but I think he would be able to show his quality relatively quickly within his first season. He is head and shoulders above anything the club has at RW.
 

Sterling Archer

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He'd be a step in the right direction. People can't act like United has a legit chance at tier 1 prospects right now with the CL and PL situation they are currently in. Pepe would be, IMO, a nice reinforcements but it'd only be one step in what will probably be many, many steps to get back to contending against the likes of Liverpool and City. He'd probably need some adjustment, but I think he would be able to show his quality relatively quickly within his first season. He is head and shoulders above anything the club has at RW.
I don't think that's true at all. United is still far from the depths of anonymity thanks to tv broadcasts, internet and social media reaching far more people during a crucial time of success for us. That along with the rise of the Premier League in tandem.

That and I think about the kind of players City and Liverpool signed in days when we were still the top English club. Aguero, Silva, kompany, Torres, Suarez...we can and absolutely will still be able to sign quality players. If we get scout well enough I think we can get back to a decent baseline within a few windows.

Hoping Pepe is one such signing.
 

Sayros

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I don't think that's true at all. United is still far from the depths of anonymity thanks to tv broadcasts, internet and social media reaching far more people during a crucial time of success for us. That along with the rise of the Premier League in tandem.

That and I think about the kind of players City and Liverpool signed in days when we were still the top English club. Aguero, Silva, kompany, Torres, Suarez...we can and absolutely will still be able to sign quality players. If we get scout well enough I think we can get back to a decent baseline within a few windows.

Hoping Pepe is one such signing.
I'm not saying United is an anonymous club at all, I'm saying it's a giant in hybernation for 6 years now and this summer will be without the CL. It's just not as attractive a destination for tier 1 talents than other clubs capable of throwing as much money as United. However, Pepe is playing for Lille, so I can really see him wanting to come here and he'd be a massive improvement. My problem is with some people here turning up their nose at him because of x and y reason when they have JLingz or Mata on the right wing.
 

Sterling Archer

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I'm not saying United is an anonymous club at all, I'm saying it's a giant in hybernation for 6 years now and this summer will be without the CL. It's just not as attractive a destination for tier 1 talents than other clubs capable of throwing as much money as United. However, Pepe is playing for Lille, so I can really see him wanting to come here and he'd be a massive improvement. My problem is with some people here turning up their nose at him because of x and y reason when they have JLingz or Mata on the right wing.
Yeah that's been beyond ridiculous. We're in no position to complain about these up and comers as if we're something special ourselves at the moment.

For whatever reason, Pepe reminds me of a very raw Henry. I think it's his quickness of feet along with his stature.
 

amolbhatia50k

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Some thoughts about Pepe :
- He has a top top mentality. He didn't go to a pro club academy (he went to Angers B team at 18yo), all of his ex-coaches raved about how he's professional and determined. He refused Lyon last year and clearly said he has a definitive career plan. Absolutely a great attitude.
- He's a hard worker, Lille fans absolutely love him and don't have a single bad word to say about him.
- Last year, he was the main catalyst to Lille staying in Ligue 1, with notably in the last string of games, 2-3 times where he scored for the 1-0 win or ran the show with 2 goals or 2 assists.
- 20 goals scored this year, with 8 penalites but he provoked himself 5 of them. With 12 assists.
- He improved a lot to become a nice crosser of the ball on free kick.
- He's the most fouled player in the league "by far" (he's at 106 and the second is 94). The one who got most penalties (5). 3rd most fouled player in the final 30 meters.
- He has a nice shield of the ball, behind the back, a lot of times Lille go through him to get themselves out of a difficult situation and they got the ball back under pressure.
- He's always on move and trying to make himself available for his teammates or playing quick passes for 1-2 etc...

All and all, you can clearly see I'm a fan but I definitely have a "Sadio Mané" vibe from him. Because he's not the most aestetically pleasant player on the eye and has a "weirdness" about his game, people will wait for him to be great in a bigger club to say "How come we didn't have him".
Give me a Sandip Mane any damn day.
 

Cassidy

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Would like us to sign him, he shouldn't be crazy expensive a looks a talent
 

Cassidy

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Caf experts, is he good enough for us?
I would say yes, he will certainly improve us. Will he be good enough for a title challenging side in a couple of years, hard to say, but he has potential.
 

Suvvernmanc

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He is definately off this summer with no reluctance from the Lille president. We should definitely be in for him

We play with 2 strikers and a #ten at the head of a diamond, but without any right wingers in the squad we need a player who can give width on the right. I've been an advocate of Lozano in recent months but Pepe is the best option we could get currently.
 

Cheekiey

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Caf experts, is he good enough for us?
Massive improvement on the right side, I don't think he'll get the same numbers he has in Ligue 1 in the Prem but will definitely be a big big improvement on our right flank
 

NJM78

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"No!"
"Yes!"
"Squad player.."
"Do City want him??" "
"We won't get him anyway, board are useless."

Have I missed anything?
I would say yes, he will certainly improve us. Will he be good enough for a title challenging side in a couple of years, hard to say, but he has potential.
Being better than A) Lingard B) Mata is the only detail I care about.
 

Cassidy

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Being better than A) Lingard B) Mata is the only detail I care about.
Then a massive yes, he would have possibly similar type of threat Martial does down the left when in form. Good dribbler, very quick and has an eye for goal
 

AgentP

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With Sancho mostly ruled out, this is a signing that we have to make. He will instantly improve the team and more importantly he'll bring a balance to our team that we have been lacking.
 

NJM78

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Then a massive yes, he would have possibly similar type of threat Martial does down the left when in form. Good dribbler, very quick and has an eye for goal
Sign him up then Ed, hopefully he will not be put off by our relative shitness.
 

Suv666

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If he cant sign Sancho, Pepe seems to be the 2nd best option.
 

RedB4ndiT

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I'd be happy with an attacking lineup of Rashford, Sessegnon, and Pepe.
 

Kaglish10

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Is he as lazy as Martial is?




Martial has the best conversion rate despite his little taken shot in the box, only if he can improve his workrate and movement.

I still find it odd that Ounas doesn't start regularly for Napoli because his stat looks good despite his game times and he's got 4 goals and 1 assist in 7 starts for Napoli this season, which is far better than what Lingard has managed for us this season. A shame that Ancelotti prefers Callejon to him but to be fair to him, Callejon has better defensive stats than Ounas but Ounas' defensive stat isn't bad. I feel a middle ground should be met between attack and defense for an attacker.

Nicholas Pepe's stat looks good too. The only problem I have with him is the fact that his control in tight spaces doesn't look impressive whenever I have seen him. He definitely won't get plenty of space with us like he did with Lille.
 

Khalifa711

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With Sancho mostly ruled out, this is a signing that we have to make. He will instantly improve the team and more importantly he'll bring a balance to our team that we have been lacking.
Exactly why it wont happen, too simplistic and logical for Woodward. We'll end up with Dan James guy for £30m after agreeing a 15m deal.

I'd love to see a Martial - Rashford - Nicolas front line with Lingard, Chong, Gomes and Greenwood as cover.
 
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Judas

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Yeah, no, not for me. Looks very interesting, but I'd rather him do one more step on the latter before coming to United.
We'll be out of the running for the lad after he makes his next move Id think. We need to be quicker to snapping this sort of talent up before its too late.
 

VP89

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He doesn't really have proper control of the ball, which will get found out in the Premier League if he came.
 

cathari

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We'll be out of the running for the lad after he makes his next move Id think. We need to be quicker to snapping this sort of talent up before its too late.
If not Sancho, then who else right.. Guess it's just to get on board the Pepe train then!
 

Cassidy

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He doesn't really have proper control of the ball, which will get found out in the Premier League if he came.
I tend to disagree, but I see where you are coming from. His dribbling style seems erratic but he is from what I have seen able to manipulate the ball in tight spaces well
 

VP89

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I tend to disagree, but I see where you are coming from. His dribbling style seems erratic but he is from what I have seen able to manipulate the ball in tight spaces well
Yeah he seems to be OK enough against the opposition in that league, but a lot of the time it's almost gone away form him and he's kicking it further away form defenders each time, rather than actually closely dribbling with the ball. I'm not sure if that style will work much in this league where players are much smarter to their press.
 
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