Andrey Arshavin has taken a bold stand against Arsene Wenger. The little Russian said that his manager will not listen to anyone regarding tactics. The comments could jeopardise Arshavin’s future at the club, though he did say that he does not want a move at the moment.
Arsene Wenger has primarily used Arshavin on the wing, even though some believe that the little Russian is more effective playing centrally. Arshavin had struggled at times and seems to want to shift inside when Wenger does play him on the wing. The frustrated Arshavin revealed that no one ever questions Wenger at Arsenal (from The Sun):
“When you have a mundane, domestic problem, he’s always very supportive. But when it comes to Arsenal, no one would dare approach him with questions about football or suggestions to change something round. Everyone knows what the answer would be.”
Many Gooners, including myself, will not find it surprising to hear that Wenger is completely in charge at the Emirates. Some have said that Wenger has possessed too much power at our club since the departure of David Dein. This issue usually relates to the transfer policy. When it comes to tactics, the manager should have the ultimate power.
Arshavin also expressed dissatisfaction over his limited time on the pitch: “It is better to play all the time like I did at Zenit rather than sit on the bench. I still want to play. If you are a footballer you want to be on the pitch — [...]
Andrey Arshavin is “sure” that he will stay at Arsenal this season. The Russian said that losing Cesc Fabregas or Samir Nasri would be “enormous.”
Andrey Arshavin told Sport Express in Russia:
”I have already said that this season I am sure to be at Arsenal, and not somewhere else. If I ever return to Russia, then the priority option for me will be Zenit – but no-one can predict what will happen to you in the future, in a few years or even a season. As the saying goes: if you want to make God laugh – tell him about your plans for tomorrow.”
First off, Arshavin is quite a character, and we need more character in our side. He seems like the kind of guy who can loosen up a squad.
It is good to see that Arshavin will be staying with the Gunners. He is a top-quality winger when is his in good form. The problem is his consistency. Too often the little Russian falls off the pace of the match.
Andrey played an important role in last season’s finest moment. He scored the winner over Barcelona at the Emirates in the first leg of the Champions League knockout phase. Arsenal went down in the first half, but came roaring back in the second half with goals from RVP and Arshavin.
Arshavin provides depth off the bench for Wenger. If Arsenal are down a goal, Wenger can bring Arshavin on for a defensive player. When the little Russian is [...]
30 June 2011: I have been meaning to address this topic. I am sure many of you have already seen the new 125th Anniversary away kit, but if you have not:
What to say about this kit… it is sort of terrible. I just do not understand why it was necessaryto use both the dark blue and light blue and separate them in this way. Arsenal.com explained the reasoning:
“The front of the new away shirt is divided into two halves, one navy blue and one turquoise blue, inspired by the away kits worn by Arsenal teams from the past. The diagonal line represents the gnomon (the pointer) which casts the shadow on a sundial – to commemorate the original Dial Square sundial on the site of the Arsenal munitions factory in Woolwich, where the Club was founded in 1886.”
The most important thing about a kit is the looks. This shirt may have a lot of history put into the design but that will not lead to higher sales. Why couldn’t they just make the entire shirt one shade of blue? Or maybe make the front light blue and back dark blue or vice-versa?
I certainly will not be purchasing this shirt but I am not all that into kits. They cost a small fortune, and a new one is released every season. In the business world, this may be considered a “rip-off.” The Arsenal hierarchy is not to blame. If people will buy new shirts every season, then [...]
Arshavin sparked the team with his brilliant finish.
The Gunners were able to score two late goals in an effort to comeback from a two goal deficit. We were unable to get a winner in the final minutes but it was still a tremendous effort to comeback from two goals away from home. Of course our defending was apalling, but that is to be expected. If only the attack could have heated up earlier, maybe we could have come away with a win.
When Arsenal were still down by two goals in the first half, I planned on starting this post with a picture of Arsene Wenger and a caption about how he should be sacked. Then the comeback came and I felt that was not called for. This game should have been a win so we did underachieve, but it was nice to see the team fight back and equalize. Should Wenger be sacked because of the shocking defense?
The first half was an absouletly abysmal one for Arsenal. West Brom got an early goal off a corner. Steven Reid put the header past Almunia. It was a ball that a decent keeper may have gotten, but Almunia isn’t a decent keeper. He should have put two hands up to catch the football instead of just lazily waving an arm at it. It wasn’t the last mistake the pathetic keeper would make.
We had trouble finding chances and keeping possession in the first half. West Brom played well, [...]
What a football match! The Gunners fell behind in the first half, but came back to dominate Barcelona in the second half and secure the victory. Andrei Arshavin, who was brought in as a substitute, came away with the winner in the 83rd minute. The Emirates exploded in joy as Arsenal were able to finally beat Barcelona. Barca looked flustered after our first goal, and clearly rattle after the second one. The pressure is squarely on Barcelona for the second leg at Camp Nou.
The buildup to the match was astounding. Everyone excited for the start of the game, awaiting it all week (or month). The pace of the match was set right from kickoff. It was going to be a fast-paced match with many scoring opportunities. Back and forth action ensured as each side earned scoring chances. Arsenal did come out firing, with a number of chances in the opening minutes.
Alex Song was shown the yellow card on first first tackle of the match (8th minute). Song then continued to test the patience of match official Nicola Rizzoli throughout the first half. It was really frightening for us Gooners because it looked like Song would be sent off at any time. Thankfully, Alex stuck around long enough to be taken out of the match by Wenger.
Nasri played a big part in the winning goal
Robin van Persie was off in the first half. He did have a wonderful chance for a volley goal in the 7th minute. RVP let off a [...]
Andrei Arshavin has not played up to his skill level in recent games (as I’ve clearly spelled out in some of my match reports). Arshavin has admitted that his play needs to improve. Here is the captain of the Russian national team:
“It’s true that, at the moment, I’m not happy with how I’m playing.
“I feel that I’m making mistakes that I shouldn’t be – not giving good passes and losing a lot of balls. It’s hard to give reasons but I am working hard to get back to my best and am confident it will come.
“It’s an unusual situation because I’m not used to being on the bench this much. Maybe I had one period like this back at Zenit St Petersburg but it was a bit shorter. I can’t complain when the team is doing this well, though – our recent form in the league has been excellent.”
Let’s hope Arshavin can regain his form because he is a really special player when he is at his best. Although he doesn’t work as hard as some players, he can be a scoring threat from on the wing. Arshavin lost his starting job to Theo Walcott, the speedy English winger.
Arsenal are playing Premier League bottom-feeders West Ham this Saturday at 17:30 GMT and are looking to bounce back from a rough week. After the draw to Leeds in the F.A. Cup, the Gunners suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat at the hands of nPower Championship club Ipswich Town. Will Arsenal drop points in the league when they visit Upton Park?
West Ham has had a disappointing season to say the least. In the past month, Manager Avram Grant has saved his job by losing only a single game in seven matches. Big wins over Fulham and Wolverhampton have given the Hammers hope that they can avoid relegation. West Ham also beat Birmingham in leg one of their Carling Cup semifinal. If Arsenal are able overcome the 1-0 goal differential (favoring Ipswich Town) then the two clubs could meet again in the final.
Even though the Hammers are sitting at the bottom of the table, the Gunners can not overlook West Ham. Scott Parker has been dangerous in the midfield, scoring four goals so far this season. Arsenal centre-backs will have to be on the lookout for the physical striker Carlton Cole, who has been nagged by injuries. Wayne Bridge joined the squad on Tuesday, signing a loan deal from Manchester City. Bridge will try and help captain Matthew Upson.
Arsenal have struggled to put the ball in the back of the new recently, causing me to have to yell hopelessly at the television. Sometimes, it seems like they’d rather pass the ball around looking to get closer to [...]
