Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has attempted to downplay fans’ expectations of him this season by suggesting he won’t score as many goals as he did for Lyon last term.
The France international joined the Gunners this summer after earning himself a reputation as one of the best forwards in Europe.
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Lacazette scored 37 goals in all competitions last season before joining Arsenal for a club-record £46.5million, as reported at the time by BBC Sport.
And while the 26-year-old has got off to a decent start in England, scoring four goals in his first six Premier League matches, he has acknowledged that hitting his previous heights will be a bigger challenge on these shores.
According to The Sun, Lacazette admitted that playing less often and dealing with the pace of the English game could mean this season might go down as a disappointment in terms of his numbers.
‘I will try my level best to achieve that but there is a big difference in that I was played in virtually every match at Lyon,’ he said. ‘Here the manager likes to rotate players to keep them fresh for the Premier League.
‘I will try my best to score that many goals but this is my first season so it’s all quite new. I want to settle in and repay the confidence that’s been shown in me.
‘The main difference in the Premier League is that game is a lot more physical. The pace of the game is also very different – I now really understand what it means to play box to box.’
Arsenal fans will be desperate for Lacazette to hit the 25-30 goal mark this season, with an upgrade on the likes of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck clearly needed after attacking midfielder Alexis Sanchez ended last season as the club’s top scorer with 30 goals.