As the Led Zeppelin lyrics go, "Good times, bad times, you know I had my share."
Andrey Arshavin has completed a loan move to Zenit St Petersburg. The little Russian’s time with the Gunners can only be categorised as a failure, though he did have a few special moments.
Arsenal announced on Friday that Arshavin will join his former club Zenit on loan until the end of the English season. In the final minutes of the 2009 winter transfer window, Arshavin became Arsenal’s record signing at approximately £15 million. Similarly, the deal sending Andrey back to Zenit was completed in the final hour before the Russian transfer deadline. During his career at the Emirates Stadium, the little Russian scored 30 goals and collected 35 assists.
The Arsenal website states that Arshavin accepted the transfer “in order to maximise his opportunities for regular first-team football ahead of Euro 2012 in June.” Perhaps Arshavin will regain his form while at Zenit and star at the European championships before rejoining Arsenal at the start of next season.
While many of us would love to see the little Russian make the most of his talent in North London, Arshavin may have already played his last match for our club. According to The Guardian, he is aiming for a permanent move to Zenit in the summer. He has played sparingly since the emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and both wide players were involved in THAT substitution against Manchester United. That moment seems now to be the beginning of the end of Arshavin’s stay at Arsenal.
And Arshavin did produce several flashes of brilliance during his career as a Gunner. Most will remember his four-goal masterpiece at Anfield. Last season, Arshavin was responsible for my favourite moment of that tortuous campaign when he scored the winner against Barcelona at Ashburton Grove.
However, these fantastic displays were few and far between in the last two years. Many pundits, fans, and writers have criticised Arshavin for his laziness and general defensive ineptitude. I believe that he has greatly improved his work rate this season, but once a first impression is imprinted on the mind, it is hard to remove it.
Many have added Arshavin’s name to the list of Arsenal players who are simply deadwood. At this point, I would have to agree because it appears that the situation had become unsalvageable. The little Russian has been in such terrible form that only a change of scenery can possibly cure him.
The move back to Zenit, where Arshavin spent his first eight years in professional football, is reminescient of Thierry Henry’s short comeback. A club legend returns a bit older with a bit less juice in his legs, but the excitement and expectations of the supporters remain the same.
If Arshavin does not return to our club, he can at least take solace in the fact that his last match was a memorable one. He came on as a substitute at the Stadium of Light and set up Thierry Henry’s winning goal in Arsenal’s 2-1 victory. That goal may very well be the last of Henry’s legendary Arsenal and Premier League career.
Arshavin’s absence will create a new opportunity for another player to prove himself.
Unfortunately, Arsene Wenger’s squad is weak in the depth department. The departure of Arshavin means that someone else will need to step up and fill his role on the bench. Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, and Walcott are definitely the top three wide players in the squad. My bet is that Yossi Benayoun will be used more often now that Arshavin is gone. Another possibility, although less likely, is that Wenger will call on a young player such as Benik Afobe.
