Kevin Campbell questions Nicolas Pepe’s attitude amid lack of playing time

Arsenal are at home to Southampton this afternoon and Mikel Arteta will be hoping his side can get back to winning ways.

After recent defeats to Manchester United and Everton, Arteta will be hoping his team can respond in a positive manner and certainly, there are plenty of question marks revolving around the Gunners frontline.

Senior strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are both struggling with form and have only managed five league goals between them so far.

Despite their concerning performances, club-record signing Nicolas Pepe is still not getting a look in and it appears Eddie Nketiah is now ahead of the Ivorian in the pecking order, as Arteta opted for the 22-year-old to come on as a sub ahead of Pepe against both Manchester United and Everton.

Pepe hasn’t featured in any of Arsenal’s last five games, with reports now indicating that the Gunners may look to cash in next month.

Certainly, there could be many reasons as to why the 26-year-old is receiving minimal game time and ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell believes that it could be to do with the player’s attitude.

“Maybe Pepe’s attitude is not right,” Campbell said on the Highbury Squad.

“And that sends a bad message to the team. If you are not putting the work in, if you are just skulking around, it sends a bad message to the team.”

Other reasons could be to do with the fact that Pepe’s strengths lie within a team that plays transition football.

When large spaces are presented, the former Lille forward has the potential to influence proceedings through the use of his pace.

But in an Arteta system that adopts positional play, focus is placed on having players who are versatile, can operate within different zones across the pitch and know the exact positions to occupy depending on where the ball is and where teammates are placed.

Pepe’s biggest flaws lie in ball retention and the inability to execute the simple aspects of football consistently, hence why he isn’t tailored to a possession-based outfit.

But given the fact that Arsenal are in dire need of goals and currently sit with a negative four-goal difference, maybe he will be given an opportunity today since he does possess the ability to contribute with goals and assists.