Andrei Arshavin - Arshavin 'Ammers Four Past Liverpool at Anfield !
Andrei Arshavin showed at Anfield last night just how good he is and why Arsene Wenger paid so much for him. He scored four goals for fun against Liverpool - something no-one has done in the modern era (for more than 60 years) at Anfield - , two with his right foot, two with his left foot, two inside the box and two from outside the box - and never looked like missing any of them !
It doesn't explain why Wenger didn't pick him for the FA Cup Semi-final of course.
Wenger said about Arshavin that he is one of the "great" players of the current era. He might also have predicted a sudden surge in the sales of no 10 Arsenal football shirts and also in Arsenal season tickets. So Arshavin will soon be repaying the money invested in him by increased sales of both tickets and shirts !
Last night Arshavin became the first player for over 60 years to score 4 goals in a league game against Liverpool at Anfield and some kind fellow has put them up on Youtube.
Wenger says he will not make any attempt to restrict Arshavin's creativity.
"Arshavin can play everywhere, like all great players. He scored four goals but it was at the end of good combination play. He has tricks and a short back-lift and that makes him very dangerous.
"It shows he has a good left foot, but in full confidence he can be relaxed enough to take the goal anyway. I have been in this job a long time and not many players get four goals in a top game like that. I didn't expect him to do that - he has scored seven in seven games."
"I believe it was a game of a frenetic pace, and of top quality. Both teams created many chances and you can see when you play on a good pitch you can play football in the Premier League." (A reference to the Wembley pitch there again.)
"Apart from that we are half-happy because we scored four goals but we are half-unhappy because we conceded four. As well, to be 4-3 up with two minutes to go, the team is disappointed. It was another great performance and Liverpool maybe thought a draw was a fair result.
"The big regret we have is that 10 minutes into the second half we are 2-1 down, but not from something created by Liverpool; from balls we didn't clear properly from the back.
"I never doubted the character of my players. The fact they came into the dressing room very, very disappointed says a lot about their character. It shows they wanted to win and that we go for it every time. It takes quality to respond like we did only three days after the FA Cup."
About Fabianski Wenger said : "He was fantastic in the first half but struggled a bit more in the second because I believe we were less dominant from crosses but overall Fabianski had a good performance."
Arshavin himself said that his display last night is only the start of things to come.
"I do not think I have adapted yet because in the first half I was quiet, except for the one moment when I scored. It is difficult, but I will try – I need time. I am a new player, I have to go through [my own] pre-season and then everything will be better."
"I had only scored a hat-trick twice in my career. I feel good, but also disappointed because we did not get the victory. Both teams wanted to win. What can I say? It was unbelievable football, but that is England for you."
Arsenal should have won last night, but their haphazard defending and the goal machine that is Torres was their undoing. But where did the ref get 5 minutes extra time from ? Did I fall asleep and miss something ? I can't remember any major stoppages during the second half. I'm surprised Wenger didn't have more to say about that.
