Nicolas Pepe’s reaction to scoring a first-half penalty for Arsenal this evening is a good sign for anyone with any affiliation with the club.
Arsenal sat 15th in the Premier League table heading into this fixture. For a club as illustrious as the Gunners, with the squad that they have, that is completely unacceptable.
After a string of negative results, particularly at the Emirates, Arsenal fans could be forgiven for thinking that a losing culture had creeped in during Mikel Arteta’s tenure.
MORE: Video: Dani Ceballos somehow avoids another Arsenal red card as VAR misses awful studded challenge
Pepe, though, suggested against that. Look at his reaction after realising his penalty hit the back of the net.
PEPE KEEPS HIS COOL ?
Tom Davis hands the Gunners a great chance from the spot and Nicolas Pepe makes no mistake!
? Watch on Sky Sports PL
? Follow #EVEARS here: https://t.co/HwvGmOu6ZM
? Download the @SkySports app! pic.twitter.com/WcbdRmtECD— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 19, 2020
Arsenal actually headed into this game as underdogs, with Everton having defeated Chelsea and Leicester over the past seven days, but Pepe clearly wouldn’t have been content with a point if you offered it to him before the game.
The winger picked the ball up and began jogging back towards the halfway-line, with his celebrations muted, clearly not content that Arsenal were only drawing with Everton at Goodison.
Perhaps, having lost the game, he’d have wished he came into the game with more realism. His attitude, though, is commendable, and ought to give the fans at least some degree of encouragement.