Why Arshavin Says What He Does

Why Andrei Arshavin Speaks His Mind About Arsenal

Some people may be surprised or even shocked at the way that Arshavin speaks his mind about what he thinks is right and wrong with his team Arsenal. In general, in English football, players tend not to criticize their own teams and try to be upbeat and positive at all times.

Leo Tolstoy - possibly the greatest Russian writer - (1828 - 1910)
But Arshavin is Russian, and Russians tend to speak their minds, quite often in such direct terms that they may appear rude, but they are not being rude, they are just being brief and to the point. Russia is the land of Gogol (born in the Ukraine) Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Pushkin , Lermontov, Chekhov, Turgenev, Pasternak, Mayakovsky, Gorky, Bulgakov, Tvardovsky, Nabokov, Solzhenitsyn and many more. For the whole list of great Russian writers see - Russian literature. Russians generally don't beat about the bush. If they've got something to say they say it. They do not stand on ceremony and if they don't agree with you they will let you know. They don't mind annoying you and in fact find the English way of trying to be polite or noncommittal and trying not to offend anyone, incomprehensible and even wimpish. Russians just tell it like it is.

So what does Arshavin think about Arsenal?

First he says he is not being used to the best of his ability as a lone striker, which is true, that is not why he was signed.

As a result he says the Gunners' Premier League challenge is faltering, that is also true.

He said to the Daily Mail "If Arsenal want to become champions, how can they select Arshavin as centre forward?'".

The change in position is due of course to injuries to Arsenal's leading forwards.

"It's from frustration," Arshavin said 'Van Persie is injured and unlikely to play again this season.
"Eduardo is injured too, but he may be ready to face Chelsea. We are in a difficult situation when it comes to recruiting players."

"Third place is where we stand today, and that is already a great success for Arsenal when you take into account the class of our 11 players," he added. "Of course, we try to win every match, but class is class."

As for Gael Clichy he says Nani tormented the Frenchman in their match against Man Utd. "In training it is very difficult for me to beat Clichy, but Nani made all the play through him."

He also said, however in an exclusive interview with thesportreview.com - - “I still believe [that Arsenal can win the Premier League], but the recent games are making it more difficult for my dreams to come true,” said the 28-year-old. After the Chelsea and Liverpool games the situation will become clearer.” And not with him up front.

At the end of the interview he sounds a bit frustrated. When asked if he will spend the rest of his career at Arsenal he says “Why not? My adaptation to English football has been OK more or less, but I want to win something.”

Arshavin during Arsenal v Stoke


Today Arsenal play Chelsea and they really need to win. So perhaps Arshavin could be direct up front and not beat about the bush in front of goal, as Arsenal usually do !