Arshavin - I've lost sparkle

Russian says he is more effective but less sparkling on pitch

Last updated: 3rd September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Arshavin - I've lost sparkle

Arshavin: Change in style

As for football I can say that my style has also altered - it is more effective, but less sparkling.

Andrey Arshavin
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Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin feels he is playing a different style of football from when he first arrived at the Emirates.

The 29-year-old has shown fluctuating form since signing for the Gunners from Zenit St Petersburg for £15million in January last year.

While the Russian international has shown glimpses of pure genius, such as his memorable four-goal feast at Liverpool, he has also displayed a tendency to drift in and out of matches.

Arshavin, who has netted two goals already this Premier League season, feels his play is "more effective" but "less sparkling" than it was when he joined the North London club, and admits he struggles himself to explain his inconsistencies.

Change

"The year and a half in England has significantly changed me," Arshavin told Russian newspaper Sport-Express.

"I became calmer, more professional and spend more time with my family.

"As for football I can say that my style has also altered - it is more effective, but less sparkling. I don't remember when was the last time I scored a really beautiful goal.

"It is frustrating. I tried to analyse this, but can find no answers.

"It is likely that my injuries last year had an effect, because on three occasions I was out for a month, but it is feeble to talk about injuries."

Arshavin is part of a Gunners attacking outfit that has never been short of firepower, with rejuvenated England winger Theo Walcott scoring four goals already this campaign.

However, weak spots in defence have been highlighted in recent seasons, prompting manager Arsene Wenger's captures of Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny this summer.

And centre-back Thomas Vermaelen insists strong defensive form is key to Arsenal's title challenge, saying that he takes greater pleasure from keeping clean sheets than scoring goals.

Important

"It sounds silly, but as a defender you are happier after a 6-0 win with the clean sheet than if you have scored one goal (personally) but you concede two," Vermaelen told Arsenal TV Online.

"Maybe for some people they are not happy to hear that, but for me the most important thing is to defend and to defend as a team as well, and then we will get further as a team.

"If we defend first then we can win games. After that we will see."

Comments (7)

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Mike Wilson (Manchester United fan) says...

Wenger has let the team down by promising a new goal keeper back in May and then not buying in the transfer window - it was AFC''s weakest position last campaign and I fear that the good early results have just papered over the cracks in the gunners defence - Almunia is one mistake away from losing what confidence he has left as Arsenals 1st choice keeper and Fabianski is just not good enough to play in goal for a team of Arsenals calibre. If the gunners are top of the table as they tend to be by Xmas then Wenger wont buy a keeper then either - then they will fade away by February as they have done for the past 3 seasons .

Posted 15:06 3rd September 2010

Kai Day (Arsenal fan) says...

Ruddiger is silly. He didn''t say that... He said hes happier winning 6-0 because of the clean sheet than scoring in a 2-1 loss because the team have coincided 2.

Posted 14:48 3rd September 2010

Danny Hill (Arsenal fan) says...

Ruddiger Gulligan - He''s not silly! He is sayin its better to keep a clean sheet than to score a goal!!!

Posted 14:41 3rd September 2010

Kariuki Patrick (Arsenal fan) says...

It is true we have seen that Arshavin is more effective now, playing with the team. I am sure he will do better this season. Ruddiger, Vermaelen clearly says that as a defender he is happier with a clean sheet of 6-0 than a 2-1 loss where he has scored. I don think he would ever be happy with conceding - that is why he is a defender.

Posted 14:39 3rd September 2010

Jasem Al-o (Arsenal fan) says...

Thats not what he said Ruddiger, he said he would be happier if they win 6-0 without scoring or conceding than to win 6-2 ( score one and concede 2 ) ..

Posted 14:38 3rd September 2010

Gola Tekkers (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Think Vermalo''s got it confused. I''m sure he means something like he''d rather win 2-0 with a clean sheet than win 7-2 and concede two.

Posted 14:37 3rd September 2010

Ruddiger Gulligan (Blackpool fan) says...

Vermaelan is silly. Why would you be happy as a defender to score one goal and concede two?

Posted 14:05 3rd September 2010
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