This archive report was first published on 2 December 2019.
December 1, 2019, marked a significant day for Arsenal as they took on Norwich City at Carrow Road. The Gunners' interim head coach, Freddie Ljungberg, made his bow in the Premier League, and his team struggled to a 2-2 draw.
One notable absence from the starting lineup was Nicolas Pepe, the club's record signing. The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international had not started a Premier League match since October 27th's draw with Crystal Palace and had been unused twice in the past week.
When asked about his decision not to bring on Pepe, Ljungberg explained, "Pepe is a very good player. But I looked at what we did in training and what I see every day and that is how I judge it."
Pepe's performance in training had not been impressive, and Ljungberg opted to bring on other players, including Lucas Torreira, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka. The decision was a reflection of Ljungberg's commitment to judging players based on their performance in training and games.
Pepe has been a disappointment at the Emirates since his mega £72million switch from Lille last summer. He has only managed one goal in 12 Premier League appearances, with his best moment in an Arsenal shirt coming when he grabbed a late double in a 3-2 Europa League victory over Vitoria.
Ljungberg emphasized that everyone has a clean slate under his management, and he will judge players based on their performance in training and games. He praised the team's spirit and belief, saying, "When we went 1-0 down, the players weren't shaking their heads, they were actually going 'come on guys we can sort this out'. That shows they believe they are quality players."
