Stats don’t lie – Nicolas Pepe is one of the best midfielders Dream Team has to offer

Nicolas Pepe (£4.0m) is a curious player.

Few players have the capacity to frustrate as much as the Ivorian winger.

He often holds onto the ball a few seconds too long and doesn’t have much faith in his right foot – a combination that can lead him down blind alleys.

The fact Arsenal forked out £72million for him also means he’s subject to considerable criticism when things aren’t clicking.

However, while not even Pepe’s closest family members would describe him as the finished article, there’s no denying he has knack for affecting goals.

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dream teamDon’t overlook Pepe’s potential for a second season in a row[/caption]

He ended 2020/21 with 16 goals and six assists in all competitions, making up the bulk of his mightily impressive Dream Team tally of 191 points.

The 26-year-old outperformed the likes of Ilkay Gundogan (£4.5m) and Mason Mount (£4.5m) to finish the season as Dream Team’s fifth-best midfielder – surprised?

Even in 2019/20, when he faced persistent criticism for his performances, Pepe averaged a goal or assist every 183 minutes in the Premier League.

For all his faults, there’s a lot to be said for a player who consistently contributes to goals – particularly for the Gunners, who struggled in front of goal last term.

gettyPepe won’t have Europa League fixtures this coming season[/caption]

Pepe’s Dream Team ownership currently sits at a very modest 3.8% – surely too low given his efforts last season?

Saying that, one of the reasons Pepe excelled last season was vast amount of points he accumulated in the Europa League – he scored six goals and provided four assists as Arsenal made it to the semi-finals.

After finishing 8th last season, Mikel Arteta’s side don’t have any European commitments to fulfil and so perhaps we should expect a reduction in Pepe’s returns.

Then again, the ex-Lille winger showed signs that he had settled into his role within the team at the back end of last season so it’s unusual to see so few Dream Team bosses backing him.

Pepe’s performances can sometimes distract from what he’s actually producing – keep an eye on his stats and his Dream Team returns.