I think it could be fair to say that Andrey Arshavin isn't in the best of form at the moment but while this maybe the case I don't think we should get on his back for it.
Seeing his little red face puffing away breathlessly after 30 seconds of the match may frustrate you, as may his 'not bothered' demeanor, but the truth is the little Russian has been an unsung hero for Arsenal this campaign.
He may not hit the heights we know he is capable of all the time. But who could? We expect so much from Arshavin, maybe too much but the truth is Andrey is one of the most important players in this Arsenal squad.
It's obvious that he is not playing at the top of his game but he is a player who the opposition fear because he is unpredictable, a massive advantage for Arsenal.
I've seen people have a pop at the way he acts and his lack of form, some even say that he is selfish and doesn't care for the good of the team. I disagree.
Andrey Arshavin played a long time completely out of position, with an injury I might add, for the team. Did he moan? No, he got on with it. Does that sound like a selfish person?
I think at the moment we need to get behind everyone of our players. We are on the verge of something truly special this season and the more support, the better.
Arshavin needs our backing. He doesn't need any grief. Yes, he is off-form but he has done a lot for our club since signing last season.
The squad, and most of its players, are hitting form at the right time. Andrey Arshavin will turn his form around. Imagine when he does!
Remember, form is temporary, class is permanent. Arshavin is pure class and he is an Arsenal player. And I'm glad of that.
Keep it Goonerish.......
well said wrighty what is with people and not backing our players
ReplyDeletelove the little russian, playin well or not, he will blow away the brummies and eduardo will knock onein for the sake of it down there as well
ReplyDeletetotally agree!,he might be playing badly but is capable of changing a game in seconds
ReplyDeleteYou are dead right
ReplyDeleteI myself & people around me in the RED section have been moaning about the "Meerkats" lack of enthusiasm & workrate.
We should be supporting him as we have with Ebouy and The "52" bomber, look how they are progressing.
I for one will be cheering now
Double standards You Bet
Yeah good article, all the players need our full support, leave out the negative views (myles whinger palmer!)did you see Eboue after the final whistle on saturday I'm so glad everyone is behind him now he seems a great lad and is playing like a legend
ReplyDeleteWho the fuck says he is playing badly??? he has still been playin some fantastic football and great thru balls for his team mates.
ReplyDeleteBut you are right. There is way too much slating of Arsenal players going on from some of the wanky sections of our usually top support.
well said Wrighty Archie will come good lets hope its in time for the CL final
ReplyDeleteWell, he did moan about being played as centre forward. He moaned all over the papers and even criticised a team mate too boot.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm all for getting behind our players.
It should be pointed out that his work rate would not be tolerated from most players in the squad. Imagine how much grief Denilson or Diaby would get!
Well written, please make the Emiratescrowd sing a little bit higher next time he gets the ball =)
ReplyDeletewell said wrighty,
ReplyDeletei've read in some comments sections of arsenal blogs that said arshavin should up his game or he will be booed. silly really. they cant say he didnt try, watch the west ham game again and they'll see how arshavin was trying really hard running/sprinting after the ball. The games he has played as a centre forward was really hard for him too! smallest on the pitch and first time playing there. And when did he critise a team mate exactly?
Spot on Wrighty! I must admit that sometimes even I get pissed off by his demeanour on the pitch, but it's that anger like towards a brother, you can be angry at him like 30 seconds but right after that you know that you love that little man to death! He is just natural, that's it. Not afraid to show and say what he thinks and how he feels. Do not judge him, show support, we need him badly!
ReplyDeleteWell said!
ReplyDeletei cant understand the people that knock him,he has been a total team player in my humble opinion and there have been just as many missed shots from other squad members that would have his assists up with cesc.we needed a little of what he brings attitude wise. also elite sportspeople are always tagged arrogant, i call it confidence and the guy obviously lives in the real world and has no time for fools. hope he sees out his days at arsenal tbh.
ReplyDeleteCould not of said it any better! get behind Arsh and the Arse!!! Come on Arsenal... and come on everybody else!!
ReplyDeleteStop giving the guy grief!! You can see he wants to do well.. and only a blind cannot see him hurting when he doesn't! if any one has every played competitive sport then you would know the look of someone trying really hard. We need to sing and get behind the guy. We do this and his confidence will boost. Lets just hope his injury heals up quick!
Even when he is tired or injured he is always in position. I have a feeling he will pay a major role in the coming weeks,
ReplyDeletenice post wrighty and i agree we should back our player no matter what. Those people who's been giving Arshavin a stick should be shot, who care if he's arrogant or selfish as long as he scoring goals for us. simples.
ReplyDeleteIm sorry, But I just cant agree. When he first joined, he was working his ass off to chase back when needed.
ReplyDeleteRight now he is strolling around like he doesnt give a damn.
The only time I criticise a player is when they arent trying. AA isnt trying.
Some folks has written that he has not completely recovered from his foot injury. In that case he deserves more cheering and encouragement!
ReplyDeleteI love the little guy but I'm really frustrated over his lack of fitness. He seems to be out of breath early in every game. He had a full pre season so he should have no excuses. If he's naturally not very fit, he should work harder.
ReplyDeleteA goal against Burnley, assists against Porto and a goal against Hull. If THAT is what people consider to be 'out of form' for a forward and worthy of criticism then they'll never be happy.
ReplyDeleteSome 'fans' just don't have a clue.
YEP we to support all our players right now. If you don't like this and that player ok fine but save it for the summer. Right now Arsenal need good vibes around it. Wow we're so close I can taste it. COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy is the Chelsea Football Club’s squad so ancient? This appears to be because various spendthrift managers shelled out loads of money for players at their peak with no regard for their long-term contracts or re-sale value. Replacing these dinosaurs without the use of Abramovich’s dollars, roubles or goodwill has now become quite an issue for a club whose squad, in the main, now park their zimmer frames alongside their Bentleys. So have Chelsea blown it totally or will those creaking bones make it to the end of the season now they’ve exited Europe’s biggest stage and dropped yet another couple of points?
ReplyDeleteAs Inter showed in the Champions League, one bunch of really old gits are quite capable of knocking over another bunch of old gits. Especially when they’ve a more street-wise manager than Chelsea’s. In all honesty the Chelsea-Inter Champions League match was like watching two has-been heavyweights slug it out when both were clearly well past their sell-by dates. Plenty of experience on show but just a few flashes of inspiration from Inter were enough to see off the flash London wannabes. Their match with Rovers showed us little or no football, but by the end of the game we saw one bunch of diving hoofers trying to out do the other bunch and delightfully the Chavs dropped two more points. They have now blagged a rather pitiful 7 from 15 in their last five league games. Rovers rattled their zimmer frames and hung on. Chelsea’s fabulously cultured, expensive and experienced squad of internationals showed us just how much class and how many millions it takes to hoof it down the middle in the vain hope that the 32 year-old Dogsbreath might latch onto something. He didn’t. For much of the game I was wondering what the hell Steve Bennett would do or give next, in a match where about half a dozen cards for diving wouldn’t have been too many at all.
But these Chelsea pensioners now beg the question, have the Chavs even got the staying power to sustain a reasonable run-in for the Premiership? Will (load of) Ballacks (33 years ancient) be prepared to knacker himself out for their cause prior to this summer’s World Cup? Can Lumphard (31) any longer shuffle forward to score as he used to? Why haven’t Hilario (34), Belletti (33) and Deco (32) all long since been put down and how much longer do their now entirely useless, to Chelsea, contracts have to run? Is Ferreira (31) just counting his money or will he get another game or two and what’s happened to Carvalho (31)?
ReplyDeleteCan Anelka (31) be bothered or is he too saving himself for South Africa? Has Terry (30) not only lost the plot and run out of steam, despite his ability to run over Chelsea’s staff? Of their other experienced players only Malouda (29) is currently cutting the mustard so judging by his sustained effort it would appear his World Cup berth in the French squad is maybe uncertain. Cashley (29) is now taking longer to recover from injuries. Following his long-term injury Joe Cole (28) is struggling to both nail down a new contract and regain a place in the first eleven. They have Essien, a sprightly 27 year-old but with no return date and the youthful Boswingwa (27) out till the summer. While Hilario has an alleged groin strain (and we all know how that was caused), Cech is out till the end of March so here’s hoping they try and rush him back far too soon. Has time finally been called on the blue flag’s zimmerframe brigade? If it has then could the league possibly end up as a two horse race?
Shouldn’t Arsenal be out of the title race by now?
ReplyDeleteArsenal shouldn’t have won at Stoke. We shouldn’t have won at Hull either. And we certainly shouldn’t have beaten West Ham. I’ve seen this film before: the potential hero gets close, bravely close and then narrowly misses out when Manchester United gets the girl. The title race was not meant to include Arsenal, it was supposed to be about United and Chelsea. Arsenal were supposed to bow out gracefully. So how are we still in it?
Arsenal were not meant to score twice late at Stoke to win 3-1, or to strike very late at Hull to win 2-1. We shouldn’t have beaten West Ham, that’s for sure. We got an early goal - that much we can be allowed - it made losing Vermaelen to a sucker red card all the more sweet a script. What was then meant to happen was that Diamanti or Cole would apply the closing moments to our supposed title challenge and then Arsenal could be neatly packed away. Yet here we are, still in the frame, still in a position to affect who wins the title. Possibly by even winning it ourselves.
In the real world we didn’t get a penalty at Stoke, Bendtner’s follow-up at Hull was saved, Diamanti scored his penalty and Cole’s shot went in off the post. We didn’t win any of these matches. But Arsenal aren’t operating in the real world. Most penalties get scored. Cole’s shot was heading in until it neared the goal and then it veered and hit the post. We shouldn’t have been in a position to win the match 2-0 late on with a penalty. So what is happening?
Sequences work for the team that wins the league. Incidents, events that would scupper everyone else don’t quite the scupper the team that hence becomes the champions. You can’t get anywhere without a mixture of talent and luck, one alone is not enough. We know that Arsenal have the talent, so dare we risk to think that it is we, Arsenal, that have had the ultimate luck turn our way?
Ramsey’s injury was hardly a good turn though was it? No way. Was it positive for Arsenal that United scammed an equaliser out of Liverpool and then beat them 2-1? Not exactly. I’ve never got why Liverpool fans rate Javier Mascherano, he’s a fouling idiot who always look likely to get sent off. Time after time Mascherano holds onto people and when they fall down he turns around half smiling as if it is inconceivable that he could have done anything wrong. Well against United, with Liverpool winning through a magnificent header from the formidable Fernando Torres, Mascherano ludicrously held on to Antonio Valencia who waited until he reached the penalty area before flattening to the ground. Liverpool, despite amounting to very little more than Torres, Steven Gerrard and a bunch of nobodies, could have got a result at United. Mascherano’s lunacy ensured that it was a defeat.
So how does this mean that Arsenal might have the ultimate luck that you need to win the league? United’s victory doesn’t do us a favour. But our victory and Chelsea failing to match this, by drawing at Blackburn, means that United winning in their typical way doesn’t end anything for us. All we have suffered is to have played another round of matches. We should have completed United’s picture by dropping points to West Ham. The villain is supposed to gain from the hero getting his come-uppance – but we’re still standing.
ReplyDeleteIf Chelsea had the ultimate luck they would have skanked a late winner. In fact, Diouf wouldn’t have equalised against them. Ivanovic getting injured was a big unwelcome kick in the guts that Chelsea were not expecting. Ivanovic is a henchman, someone to take care of business. Well he went off, Paulo Ferreira came on and Ferreira did not take care of business because Diouf got up above him to deprive Chelsea of two points. Bang. That is all it takes.
Something goes wrong for Chelsea, they lose ground. United skank a penalty, they win. The next part of the sequence is then that Arsenal missed out too, after Diamanti’s penalty and/or Cole’s long ranger gave West Ham a win/draw. But that last bit of business never happened. We won too. It should all be working out now for United.
Match of the Day 2 last night ignored Valencia's dive but derided Torres for kicking up the penalty spot. They talked lovingly, longingly, yearningly, romantically of 'United!' and of Park's goal "finishing off" something. I hope they meant the move rather than Liverpool as there was still half an hour to go, or the title as there are still seven matches to go. Five Live this morning were talking like the title had been conclusively decided for United by Chelsea drawing. Chelsea may be beginning their ending, but Arsenal are annoyingly still in the frame.
Champions override every single factor to finish top of the pile. Injuries, suspension, weather, kits, referees, anything you could mention, the media too frankly – the champions overcome all hurdles put their way. It is very hard to know for sure how the title will conclude and the most likely outcome is that United win it, because that’s what happens, that's what the establishment prefers. Arsenal may though just be benefitting from a different script.
Someone seems to have written an entire, completely unrelated article in your comments section. Strange...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, you're dead right. I don't even think his form is a bad as everyone's making out- since Bendtner's comeback and Arsh has been back in his right position he's got at least one goal or assist in every game I think, and you can't ask much more than that.
The sad truth is, some of our fans just aren't happy unless they have something to complain about.
I was at Arsenal vs Porto and Arshavin was class. He gave the ball away a couple of times but that's a tiny price to pay for what he created. He was far more instrumental in the goal scoring than Bendtner.
ReplyDeleteEveryone should chill out. Arshavin is class.
you guys should shout like hell to give cheers to every gunner -- everyone of them deserves it!
ReplyDeleteAA has been playing with a foot injury. he just said he doesnt like to play as a central forward, but he did his best at the position everytime.
and i cant agree more with wrighty -- having a player that is full of unpredictability is a bliss!
BACK THE GUNNERS and WE WILL GET THERE!
he was playing through pain barrier
ReplyDeleteand has 11 goals and 7 assist so far
what else do you gays want?
I agree he is not in top form. But what makes me really happy is that he cacn still be very decisive in games. He scored against burnley, played really well against Porto, scored against Hull and was involved in our opener against West ham. I think he is on his way back :)
ReplyDeleteI agree he is not in top form. But what makes me really happy is that he cacn still be very decisive in games. He scored against burnley, played really well against Porto, scored against Hull and was involved in our opener against West ham. I think he is on his way back :)
ReplyDeleteHe looks a bit jaded after a long season, which he's played really well in... unfortunately, especially at home; we have some glory hunting moaning wankers! I wish they would go away and support another side.
ReplyDeleteI have been going to Arsenal for many years, and I believe in the last 12 years, we have acquired a new breed of supporter that thinks we should win something every year. There are quite a few that sit near me at matches... moan, moan, moan!
Arhavin seems to be the brunt of it now, as was Bendtner, Eboue and Song at one point. He's a great player and will soon hit his stride again. Support you team... thats the way to win trophies!
Good post Wrighty!!
Paul
Quality Post mate.. it would seem great minds think alike :)
ReplyDeletei am confident that arshavins form will be turned around in the game against barcelona.
ReplyDeletei love ashavin, but dont understand his unhappy deminer on the pitch, all the photos off it he looks very happy with fellow players,
ReplyDeletebut on the pitch he seems moody and isolated from the others, strange,
he always goes missing in games but always produces match winning moments, we never moaned at wrighty for that,
he was doing my headin sat, wandering around when we was down to ten men, i cant beleive wenger took bedtner off who we needed to hold the ball up and pushed ashavin up, and to be honest he didnt want to be out there,
i personally feel he only puts 110% in big games,
im not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing, but i def still love him on our side
even while playing badly, he has fared better than most in the premier league..he IS class!! and I'm sure a little homesick..who can blame the poor bloke..
ReplyDeleteCan Anon 9:53am and beyond fuck off and write a book instead boring the shit out of everyone else on a snappy blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks
Good article jst like one a long time ago this season where you said don't dig out Diaby -
ReplyDeleteAnd look at him now, he's another big player in the run in, there's afwe in fact.
AA hasn't been on top form all year but he's in the team almost every game for a reason (having said that it is frustrating because you know if he was on top form it would make such a difference against so many teams).
Arshavinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
ReplyDeleteIf Arshavin plays we always have a chance to win.
ReplyDeletewrighty i'm from Kuwait and there are a lot of people who loves arsenal,,
ReplyDeletepleas write about the fans at emirates staduim we are not listen to their voises please advise them to support the players in when they're losing not just when they are winning
regards
This critism is Arsh. How about we refer to him as The Arshnal.
ReplyDeletewhy does Wenger allow him to smoke?
ReplyDeletecuntchops