NFL
By: Ty Reeves
It has been a great couple of weeks to be an Arsenal fan. The Gunners are undefeated in their last eight games in all competitions with five of those games being clean sheets. The most recent win took place Tuesday night against Leeds United in the Carabao Cup. The Gunners picked up the win, 2-0, at the Emirates to advance to the quarter-finals of the competition along with Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham, Liverpool, Leicester, and Sunderland. Arsenal has not won the league cup since 1993. A win in this competition could prove crucial in their hunt for European football. With that being said, the energy around the club seems to be trending upward which fans from around the world want to hear.
Do you think Arteta is the right man for the job? 🤔#Arsenal #ARSLEE #Arteta pic.twitter.com/kdCvTwIep4
— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) October 27, 2021
What’s the deal with Leno
Bernd Leno started in between the sticks against Leeds United during the mid-week match. As good as Emi Martinez was, we let him walk because the club saw Bernd Leno as our number one. During the summer the signing of Aaron Ramsdale left a lot of people shaking their heads as the Gunners spent almost 30$ Million on what was seen as a backup keeper. But since arrival Ramsdale has taken over as the number one option for Arsenal. So that presents the question, what has happened to Leno?
In his appearance against Leeds, Leno ended the match with five saves. Some of those saves were crucial to keeping the match level before Arsenal scored in the 55th minute. Leno isn’t a mediocre keeper. During his time at Arsenal, he has constantly made his case that he was a top 5 keeper in the league. However, Leno has never been the best with his feet. And with the new playout the back tactic that has been installed by Arteta, perhaps that has led to the German dropping in the pecking order.
With the January transfer window looming, it appears Leno will look to make a push to leave the club. Leno was in consideration to be Germany’s number one keeper option, but due to the lack of game time, it seems as though Leno could lose out on the spot as well. So whether it’s a loan or a permanent move, don’t be shocked to see Leno depart from the club.
How long will Pepe’s struggles continue?
Nicolas Pepe will forever carry around the name of Arsenal’s record signing. The winger came over from French club Lille in 2019 for just about 72$ Million. Since then the transition to the Premier League hasn’t been smooth for Pepe. He has been unable to find consistent form for the Gunners and has been in and out of the squad since his arrival. In all competitions this season the Ivorian has 1 goal and 3 assists in 8 appearances. Not a bad tally, at the same time not what fans want to see going into year three at the club.
Nicolas Pépé's Premier League stats this season. 👀
Pépé is 2 years into his 5 year contract, what do you make of his Arsenal career so far? ⚽️#Pépé #AFC #Arsenal pic.twitter.com/WoKOUlcFJT
— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) October 28, 2021
One thing that people don’t realize is that his numbers don’t really do his play on the field justice. For the majority of his career, he has played in an Arsenal team that has been rather lost. The team really hasn’t, and still doesn’t have a concrete style of play. Fans now can sort of see what the playstyle is but it still isn’t a clear picture. Pepe has been a product of his environment. Playing for three different managers over a two-year period, playing through the pandemic, the fact that he plays for Arsenal. There are many variables that have to be taken into account when discussing Nicolas Pepe’s career in London.
Even through all the criticism and hate, last season Pepe was arguably Arsenal’s best player. He finished last season with 16 goals and 5 assists in all competitions. An improvement on his 7 goals and 8 assists in the season before. Pepe still needs to take his game to the next level if he really wants to compete and if Arteta continues to give him game time, hopefully, that’s what will happen.
Up Next for Arsenal
Arsenal will travel to King Power Stadium on Saturday to take on Leicester City. The Foxes are coming off a penalty kick shootout win against Brighton in their Carabao Cup meeting this past week. Leicester is currently unbeaten in the month of October, same as Arsenal. The two teams sit level on points with 14 each, Leicester ahead on goal difference. This game is crucial for each club, with the winner of the competition potentially jumping into the top 4. It feels as though it’s a recurring theme, but this could prove to be a pivotal game for both teams if either of them hopes to get Champions League football. The two teams will face off at 7:30 a.m. EST. Saturday morning.
