Alexandre Lacazette has admitted he has gone through a “hard and complicated” time during his two month goal drought.
Lacazette scored his first goal since the start of December in Arsenal’s win over Newcastle on Sunday and says he was “touched” by the reaction of his team mates as they celebrated with him.
Arsenal striker Lacazette said: “I am really, really happy because I waited for this moment for a long time.
"As well, I am touched because of the way all my team-mates reacted when I scored that goal.
"It means a lot to me and a lot for the spirit we have in the team. This is good.
"It was really hard and complicated, because sometimes I had some games with no chances, sometimes I missed or the goalkeeper saved it.
"Of course for a striker it is always hard to not score, but it happens in football. Hopefully it is the last time for me.”
Lacazette has also revealed how “demanding” Mikel Arteta has tried to keep up his confidence even though he dropped him from the starting line-up against Newcastle in favour of rookie Eddie Nketiah.
France international Lacazette is now hoping his season will take off and also that Arsenal can nick a Champions League place after Manchester City were handed a two year ban.
Lacazette added: “He (Arteta) is, how can I say, he demands a lot of things.
"I wouldn’t say he is strict, but he knows what he wants and when it is not good we know that as well we are playing s***. He is a good coach.
“He talked with me to give me confidence. As well I worked more with the second coach, so there is some stuff we do to be better on this occasion.
“I think it is early to talk about the Champions League because they can do an appeal and often it happens in football that, what do they say, it gets cancelled.
"So us, we just focus on ourself and we just play our football.
“Yes of course it is an opportunity, but even without this we just want to win for the team and fans and to be as high as possible.”
Lacazette has also insisted Arsenal fans must be patient with Nicolas Pepe as the £72m record signing begins to show his full potential.
“I used to say we need to be patient with him," Lacazette added. "He is still young, he came from another league and it is always different.
"The Premier League is the hardest league in the world I think, so you have to be nice with new players like him.
“He is someone who needs confidence and when you give him confidence he is better.
"He just needs time to understand how the league is and now we can see a really good Nicolas Pepe.
“It is always hard because everybody is different. Everybody reacts differently in situations.
"I talk a little bit with him but he can just learn himself with time.”
