Arteta suggests Arsenal star is too predictable and needs to improve

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Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe started for Mikel Arteta’s side at the weekend, but failed to make much of an impact against West Ham United.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has suggested that Nicolas Pepe is not at his best, with his comments to the Daily Mail.

Pepe was handed a start for Arsenal against West Ham United at the weekend, but the winger failed to make much of an impact on the match.

Pepe has struggled in his first season in the Premier League, after his club record move from Lille.

And Arteta admits that the Arsenal winger needs to be more unpredictable in the final third to start causing more threat.

“It is part of his development, that he needs to open more doors, to be more unpredictable for the opponent and give us more options as well offensively,” Arteta said. “He is working on it, he will improve.”

Pepe’s favourite move is to cut inside on to his left-foot, but he has arguably tried it too frequently, which means he can be easy for defenders to read.

Pepe has started seven of Arsenal’s last eight Premier League matches, but has just one goal to his name during that time.

The winger was actually off the pitch when the Gunners struck the only goal of the game against West Ham at the weekend, with Alexandre Lacazette sealing the three points for Arteta’s men.

Arsenal have now climbed up to ninth in the Premier League table, five points behind the top five.