Pepe vs White

I think most of the players you need to give a pass with the current manager and coaching setup. Get a proper manager in then I think some of these players can be judged.

He is too slow on the ball, not cautious enough, losses headers, not dominant enough. These are the things that are my first impression of him.

Every time I've noticed White jumping for a ball he's descending as the ball passes over his head. I dunno if he just can't jump high or his timing sucks but I keep seeing him miss completely. Happy to cut him slack and just laugh at his expense for ages though, can't be easy coming into this club.

Pepe'll come to life soon enough, Arteta just needs to leave him in. He came good toward the end of last season because he was playing most every game. Early on Arteta was always tinkering and wouldn't just leave him in,the side, the one time he did Pepe got himself banned for 3. He's one that has to be playing every game he's fit enough to. Arteta looks like he's figured that out so just hope he stays healthy and he'll soon shut up the people still whining about his fee. As though he asked for to be a crooked making highly questionable legal deals to cover up all his crooked and illegal ones.

White does seem a bit too casual sometimes for my liking, which leads to him getting caught on the ball a few times today.

Pepe is the least of our problems, at least he contibutes to causing problems in the opposition's defence, our win last week was down to him. People should be more worried about the other forward players we are carrying.

White was fine defensively today, although he does get caught out with the guy running in behind every now and then. But we didn't sign him to be the best possible CB defensively, we signed him to step up with the ball and help us get out from the back, and he seemed completely uncomfortable on the ball today, in stark comparison to the game against Norwich where he was starting every attack.

Looked very nervous, I think it was the aerial bombardment that unsettled him, but with Tomi and Gabriel either side of him I think he can relax, those guys were both excellent today, and you could see White growing into the game in terms of winning headers and dealing with crosses. For all that Burnley posed a threat putting the ball in, it was telling that they took Wood and Barnes off, and didn't really create much.

comment by 5-2 (U10698)
posted 16 minutes ago
He is too slow on the ball, not cautious enough, losses headers, not dominant enough. These are the things that are my first impression of him.
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He overplayed a couple of times granted but overall he didn’t give wood or Barnes a sniff. Won most of his Ariel duels, sprayed some nice passes. Bar a couple of dodgy moments he had a solid game. Try and be objective at least.

We won today anyone noticed yet.

comment by Oldie@Ride🪑or Die (U21751)
posted 24 minutes ago
We won today anyone noticed yet.
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You wouldn't think so if you read the posts on here without checking the result.

To be honest with Martinelli on the bench I don't see how Pepe is getting in the first 11, he's not rubbish, we know he has talent, but at this level you have to be consistent.
I would far rather have had Zaha, can you imagine how bad Pepe would look in the Premier League with a team that struggles for possession like Palace - yet every time Zaha comes to the Grove he tears our defence a new one...

Pepe for certain . Just wastes chance after chance after chance . Kills attacks . Profligate. Lack of care or bother if he loses the ball . A really dangerous player to have in your team as he quietly invites pressure and unpicks the teams hard work