Marouane Chamakh expects to make a bigger impact this season after completing his acclimatisation to English football.
The Moroccan striker moved from Bordeaux to Emirates Stadium last summer and made a solid first impression, netting ten times in his first 17 starts for the Club and flourishing in the absence of the injured Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner.
Chamakh could not maintain his fine early-season form and featured far less after Van Persie returned to full fitness in the New Year but 27-year-old rejects the notion that he might suffer 'second season syndrome' in 2011/12.
"No, I think it’ll in fact be easier," Chamakh told Arsenal.com.
"I understand both the football and the group better, and I now have many friends in this team. So I aim to keep improving and to make a big contribution.
"Your first pre-season is always difficult, you have to accustom yourself to new training and make new friends, but we’re all together and everything looks fine."
Chamakh and his team-mates are back on home soil this weekend for the Emirates Cup after a pre-season tour that took in Malaysia, China and Germany. The trip to Asia in particular was an eye-opener for the striker.
"I think it was a good, new experience for the entire squad," he said.
"It was surprising to see the number of fans Arsenal have over there and I think it proved to us what a big club this is – people across the world demand that you do well. For us it was good to spend time in a different culture, while the supporters could watch us in matches and training, and see a lot of the Club.
"Germany was a bit different. There were fewer supporters around and the training was harder both for us and the staff. But we played a good match against Cologne and had some great facilities there, so we’re happy with how it has gone."
The Moroccan striker moved from Bordeaux to Emirates Stadium last summer and made a solid first impression, netting ten times in his first 17 starts for the Club and flourishing in the absence of the injured Robin van Persie and Nicklas Bendtner.
Chamakh could not maintain his fine early-season form and featured far less after Van Persie returned to full fitness in the New Year but 27-year-old rejects the notion that he might suffer 'second season syndrome' in 2011/12.
"No, I think it’ll in fact be easier," Chamakh told Arsenal.com.
"I understand both the football and the group better, and I now have many friends in this team. So I aim to keep improving and to make a big contribution.
"Your first pre-season is always difficult, you have to accustom yourself to new training and make new friends, but we’re all together and everything looks fine."
Chamakh and his team-mates are back on home soil this weekend for the Emirates Cup after a pre-season tour that took in Malaysia, China and Germany. The trip to Asia in particular was an eye-opener for the striker.
"I think it was a good, new experience for the entire squad," he said.
"It was surprising to see the number of fans Arsenal have over there and I think it proved to us what a big club this is – people across the world demand that you do well. For us it was good to spend time in a different culture, while the supporters could watch us in matches and training, and see a lot of the Club.
"Germany was a bit different. There were fewer supporters around and the training was harder both for us and the staff. But we played a good match against Cologne and had some great facilities there, so we’re happy with how it has gone."
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