Arsenal striker Robin van Persie knows he was being written off this season.
Van Persie has returned from long-term injury in superb form.
The Dutch ace, likely to be rested for today's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Leyton Orient in preparation for Wednesday night's Premier League game against Stoke and Sunday's Carling Cup final against Birmingham, told the Mail on Sunday: "I think some people had forgotten me a little bit. I could sense that when I scored my hat-trick against Wigan.
"I had the feeling that some people were surprised that I'd ever come back and do that for my club. Reading one or two articles was quite interesting, because apparently a few people didn't really think that I would come back as strong a player as I'd previously been.
"In my opinion that was never going to be the case, but that lack of pressure (of expectations) gave me the time to come back. When you don't play, people can forget you really quickly. There's always a new player, a new thing, football can change in one game.
"Now that I've come back with some goals, it's a new story for people and journalists might say "He can make them champions" - but that's not the case, either."
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