Pierre Lees-Melou is loving the family atmosphere as the new-look Norwich City squad continues to gel ahead of this afternoon’s game at Arsenal.
The Frenchman is one of 11 new faces to arrive at City during the summer transfer window, with Ozan Kabak and Mathias Normann joining training for the first time on Thursday after completing international duty.
“There is a good spirit,” said Lees-Melou. “We are a family. There is a really good spirit, we ask the others if it was good with the national teams and everyone has been telling their news and the story of their national team.
“And we are all looking to Arsenal because we know it is an important game for us, so we are focused on training for the game.”
The Gunners, like the Canaries, have lost their opening three Premier League games but Lees-Melou is well aware the hosts occupy a false position at the foot of the table.
“Arsenal is a big club of the Premier League but there are no easy games at this level, all are difficult,” he added.
“We have the chance of three points and we have to win points, so I hope it will be a good game.”
One player that Lees-Melou will be wary of is Nicolas Pepe, whom he faced on three occasions in France while with Dijon and Nice when the unpredictable winger was with Angers and Lille, prior to his reported £72million move to Arsenal two years ago.
“He is a very good player," the Canaries midfielder said. “He is technical, can dribble past two or three players.
“He has a profile like (Newcastle star) Alan Saint-Maximin a little bit. So he is a dangerous player.”
The 28-year-old came close to his first City goal during the 2-1 home defeat to Leicester prior to the international break but saw his low left-footed curler saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
“It was a good save. I hope the next time it’s a goal,” he added. “In general, I have scored five or six goals a year.
“More assists, in general, but I am a midfielder who is box-to-box. I like to defend and attack, so I go in both boxes. But I prefer to assist or score goals.”
- For more from our exclusive interview with Lees-Melou, see the Pink Un inside today's Eastern Daily Press or Norwich Evening News
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