Little Russian is turning into little Spaniard

Andrey Arshavin has had better days than last Saturday…

11 January, 2011 9:00

Richard Buxcey 16 comments

Little Russian is turning into little Spaniard

Shava: Too much of a passenger?

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Andrey was very close to getting the “Eboue” treatment on Saturday. I don’t like to hear the faithful getting on one of our own’s back, but this boy is starting to test even the most patient supporters to the limit. Never have I seen a player in red give the ball away so much under Wenger’s management as Arshavin did on Saturday.

Add this to a missed one-on-one, several wild shots wide, his lack of work off the ball (as always) and then his eagerness to leave the field, when he was not even being subbed, shows either he is badly out of form or he simply does not care to play for Arsenal anymore. I believe the latter, and he will probably leave in the summer and head home to Russia.

So much obvious talent, but he is a luxury too far in this league. You can’t carry passengers away from home in the Premiership and too many times Andrey has failed to pull his weight when on the back foot in games. He has a good record of goal assists, but how many of those have been at home when a goal or two up already? We he blasted four at Anfield in his first season we all got very excited. As we did when Jose Reyes, knocked Chavski out of the cup a few years back. It seems that our Russian is heading down the same path as the Spaniard. His body language has always been that of someone who is totally shagged out, as was Reyes.

He always seems a little distant from his team-mates, as did Reyes, and ultimately we still really only talk about the one game where Andrey made a big impact after two years… as with Reyes.

I do hope he can turn things round and show us what he did for so long in Russia, but I fear we will never see the real Andrey Arshavin.

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16
comments

GoonerJR
Jan 21, 2011, 1:00 #1156

"How many of those have been at home when a goal of two up already?" Tell you what there isn't many. He assisted sagna when it's 0-0(everton away), nasri when it's 1-0(aston villa away), nasri when it's 0-0(fulham home), walcott at 0-0(blackpool home), nasri at 0-0(man city away), bendtner at 1-0(wigan away), how about scoring winner (blackburn away), opener(villa away), and equaliser(wigan away). If anything he reserves his decisive moments for away games because there are less stinking arsenal supporters who jeer him just because russian won the world cup bid. To me these fans from the stands are an embarrassment, they are sore losers who can't take the loss of their world cup bid and want to take it out of russia's ambassador. Since when does arshavin work hard? Nobody has any problem with it in his first 2 seasons, but right after that world cup bid the whole emirates get on his back for some mistakes any footballer can make. This total lack of respect to their own player is causing his poor form.
Ed enough....
Jan 12, 2011, 21:39 #855

Andrie Arshavin is an overpaid useless twat.....
bill
Jan 11, 2011, 22:52 #811

Its a disgrace that arsenal fans can boo a player like him ,so what he has a few bad games ,supporters should (support)from the stands ,leeds fans out sang the arsenal fans on saturday by far ,when are we gonna finally get behind our team from the first whistle till the end ?Leeds fans should be proud ,its probably the reason they got the draw at ours .I just hope our away support can do the arsenal proud at the replay.Arshavin is quality get behind him ,we need players like him.
AD
Jan 11, 2011, 20:20 #806

Only the haters seems to be the ones getting on Arshavin's back. Look at Torres and Rooney, both at high profile clubs, but not exactly performing at their best. At least Arshavin has contributed to results when we've needed them. His defensive weaknesses and lack of tracking do have a negative effect on Clichy down that left side. Its the same issue with the centre backs (Squillaci and Koscielny), who don't exactly do Fabianski any favours. Besides, many players go through bad spells, but they do eventually pick themselves back up. Some quicker than others and that's how you judge a player. I still believe Arshavins talents are wasted down the wing. He is a far more dangerous threat through the middle - playing in the hole off the main striker or what Arsenal fans call "The Bergkamp role". Have any of you ever played on the wing for a team? Its a bloody tiring responsibility and requires great endurance that only the fittest players can handle. Arshavin's not exactly known for his fitness, is he? and although he is a full-time athlete, certain players have their limits.
Beero
Jan 11, 2011, 14:09 #788

Remember Arshavin is not a left winger, dont need to say anymore.
Mark
Jan 11, 2011, 13:42 #785

Well , You can't really say Arshavin wanted to leave the field or he thought he was substitued as privious games . If you seen what Arshavin did after russia won the world cup bid you would think twice . He actually was tring to leave the stage very quickly while others celebrating. I think he is lack of confident now .
Raymondo!
Jan 11, 2011, 12:41 #782

Arshavin is far from the worst player in the team and the way he is being treated by some Arsenal fans is disgusting! Quality players have times when they do not preform as well as they should, other teams experience the same problems (ie Torres, Rooney) but the last thing we should do is chase them out of town. AW has got it right, bench Arshavin and make him work for his place in the team. Arshavin is a great signing for Arsenal and has in the past carried the team when we needed someone to do so, he deserves better. Getting on the backs of our own players during games is the last thing they need. Arsenal fans, that's shite support!
Rhyle
Jan 11, 2011, 12:10 #780

I hate this attitude whereby those who pay the money to go and see / support their team are expected to accept mediocrity and a lack of effort. Far too many times I've heard the mantra "if you don't like it, go support someone else". It's lazy and it's WRONG. FINE, good for you if you're okay with mediocre players committing 50% effort in a game, FINE if you're happy for us to be also rans when we have the ability to deliver silverware, FINE if you want to sit quietly in your seat and watch us lose 3-2 to West Brom, 1-0 to Newcastle, dropping important points in games we should have won if someone would JUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND SHOOT but I refuse to. I for one love this club enough to be able to share what I think is wrong, I pay for my season ticket, I go to the games - haven't I earned that right? Arshavin is the new Eboue - we all know the quality he has, and that's the problem - but I also hope he reacts as Eboue has. People talk about "class being permanent, form fleeting" but when was the last time we saw a truly great performance from the man? With the exception of his first 1/2 season it's been far too sporadic and normally CL games (which, for me, tells it's own story of a "shop window" mentality). It's right that we ride one of our own when they're not putting in the effort, not putting in a shift and don't have the self respect to work hard. As I say, if you're happy to accept mediocrity, laziness and 2nd best for Arsenal, by all means keep your mouth shut and your hands clapping - but, for me, I love Arsenal, it's players and manager, far too much to watch the few spoil it for the many. By the by - to this day I have Arshavin in my Fantasy Football team on the increasingly mistaken belief that "he's due a good season"...
Red Ron
Jan 11, 2011, 12:05 #777

The difference between Arshavin and the likes of Eboue Denilshit and Bender is we know Arshavin IS a quality player.His assists and goals this season prove it.But in recent games his attitude has stank.The problem is will he return to form or is he on a downward spiral.To me along with Cesc and Nasi AA23 is a matchwinner.Something Rosicky will never be.But he has got to show a change in attitude.He would always be a starter for me because of his quality
Toby
Jan 11, 2011, 12:03 #776

I believe Reyes scored in each and every game up the Old Trafford game in the season 2004! Why he never recovered after Fergies "special treatment" is maybe another story....
Ancell
Jan 11, 2011, 12:00 #774

I was at the game on Saturday and couldn't believe the abuse he received. It was the same at Wigan where he created one and scored one. You can't blame Arshavin for the number of misplaced passes to him on Saturday. I went home and rewatched the game to check if Arshavin had been worthy of the abuse and he definitely wasn't. AND you can't blame him for wanting to get off the pitch with everyone getting on his back. Take a step back and try to view Saturday's game ively before you get on any of our players backs - don't be so fickle. If you want to complain about the teams performance you can say it's a shame the players don't have better understanding of each other but that will only be gained when they play more often together. Try supporting Arshavin and he will show you the same brilliance as he showed in his first games for us.
JimmyGooner
Jan 11, 2011, 11:14 #771

Tbh i think we should all leave andrey alone instead of giving him stick about how bad hes playing,actually remember the quality hes at, I hate when Arsenal supportets criticise and hate on there own kind. If your gonna do that support another team. Remeber form is temporary class is permanent. And arshavs is permanent. Cant be seen during all his goals and assists this season.
GoonerEris
Jan 11, 2011, 10:43 #765

Well, then. What would you know when you are not the Manager? Arshavin remains one of our most direct forwards with a knack for causing dangererous moments in our opponents' goal area and doesn't deserve the criticism and flak he is getting. The goals and assists stats you spoke about say it all. How will all these help the man? Sometimes, I wonder what supportership is becoming these days, when fans turn on their own yet expect the player to deliver. Point out the flaws if we must but to boo him was taking things too far, I feel.
Harry Barracuda
Jan 11, 2011, 10:11 #760

Close to getting the Eboue treatment? Are you blind and deaf? It was embarrassing.
GoonerEris
Jan 11, 2011, 10:02 #756

Well, then. What would you know when you are not the Manager? Arshavin remains one of our most direct forwards with a knack for causing dangererous moments in our opponents' goal area and doesn't deserve the criticism and flak he is getting. The goals and assists stats you spoke about say it all. How will all these help the man? Sometimes, I wonder what supportership is becoming these days, when fans turn on their own yet expect the player to deliver. Point out the flaws if we must but to boo him was taking things too far, I feel.
alex
Jan 11, 2011, 9:49 #752

9 goals, 13 assists so far this season... even if he has been under par last few games. Yeah he's not the most hard working player in the team but he has the quality 90% of the time when we need it.