Brendan Rodgers told BT Sport during their live coverage of Arsenal’s win at Leicester on Sunday that Nicolas Pepe is ‘very good’ one v one.
During the break, Rodgers opted to bring off youngster Luke Thomas, who had been booked, for the more experienced legs of Marc Albrighton.
Arsenal’s equalising goal – David Luiz’s header from a set-piece – came from Thomas fouling Pepe and then getting booked.
Rodgers shared that was a reason behind Thomas’ half-time substitution, as he also hinted at worry with Pepe on the other hand.
“He had been booked,” said Rodgers. “And he was up against a winger who was very good on the one v one’s.
“So, we certainly didn’t want to go down to ten men. And that was the reason.”
Pepe was brought to Arsenal to showcase his dribbling qualities and his ability to put opposition players on their backside.
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough of that since his big-money move, although, he is starting to show huge amounts of improvements.
This has no doubt been his best period in an Arsenal shirt and he will be hoping to push for more starts in the coming weeks.
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