He played brilliantly last night and scored a sublime goal. He was also involved in most of the creative attacking play and looked like the player we first bought from Zenit. He nearly left on a free in the summer, by the move back to his old club broke down. Question is, if he gets some more chances - a good cup run - then has he got a future at Arsenal ? and can he push for a first XI place ?
I am yet to watch the highlights due to being stuck out in North Wales for Meetings & having to socialise, but I've heard he misplaced a lot of passes & was pretty sloppy. He managed a goal, assist & penalty though so he's clearly still creative. He could play against some of the weaker sides to rest Santi, he seems more creative than Rosicky.
A cup run is too disjointed one game at best every month. I think he has done enough in the coventry game to warrant a start (that doesn't involve waiting for a month against reading) I would give him a start in October. We are playing Olympiakos (H), West Ham (A), Norwich (A), Schalke (H) and QPR (H) I reckon all games we would be expected to win I see no harm in starting him in one of them (has to be in AM position) see how he does and build of that. Also I really think we should start Walcott against Chelsea. Either Pod-Gir-Wal or Pod-Ger-Wal but I expect it to be OXO. Interesting piece here - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...still-be-a-key-player-for-arsenal-this-season stating he can be more useful to us in AM now that Santi and Arsenal have made it a much more pure attacking position far more SS than CM.
Arshavin definitely deserves at least a place on the bench for those games. And I'd start Walcott against Chelsea on the right, with Podolski in the middle and Gervinho on the left.
Arsh has a future. Playing Walcott or Gervinho up top would see Cazorla move onto the wing, and Arshavin can come into the middle. So many options, and so many players doing well. 2 CM: Arteta, Diaby, Coquelin, Ramsey, and soon Wilshere. 3 AM: Podolski, Cazorla, Arshavin, Walcott, Oxo, Gervinho. 1 CF: Giroud, then Pod/Walcott/Gervinho/Arshavin.
To be honest that pretty much fits his pattern I've mentioned multiple times, though I refrained from commenting this time. Still would be the last forward I'd start against a dense defense.
Theo and Arshavin were not great last night. 1st half they were our worst players. I know the highlights make them look good, but if you were at the game, you would have seen the lack of effort from both in the 1st half as well as a lot of wasteful passes from AA. Towards the end of the 2nd half, I think even I could have scored. AA does not merit a starting place against any decent side. He is still lazy, sloppy and wasteful, but with the occasional brilliance. Ox should start against Chelsea alongside Pod and either gerv or preferably Giroud. I would imagine that is what will happen, especially as Wenger took off Giroud and OX, when the game was wrapped up. Actually, on last nights performance, I'd have Gnabry over Theo or AA. Worth pointing out though that Theo celebrated like he either wanted to thank the fans for their support, or it was his last game. Given I doubt the latter, it did show his passion for the club and it's fans.
I would'nt be happy with that. Carzorla is our best player. Moving him outwide would take away alot of his effectiveness. It would get the best out of Arshavin but I still dont think its worth it.
I don't think he means move Carzola to accommodate Arshavin just showing the versatility of our midfield and attack. Realistically if Arshavin was played in the AM role it would be to rest/rotate Carzola
In general it isn't good idea to move the team's best player out of position just to accomodate someone else. Arshavin is a potential back up to Cazorla, he has to do a lot lot better than he did yesterday to take his place. It was nice to see Theo do well, but someone really needs to sit down with him and tell him to stop screwing around with the idea that he can play Centre Forward. Cristiano Ronaldo is happy coming in from wide and can score 40+ goals in a season doing that, so why the need for Walcott to move positions? He is already becoming an Arsenal legend right where he is, but instead he wants to **** it up by getting all stroppy, because he thinks he is a manager and can decide where he should play. I really hope someone he respects sits down with the lad and makes him see sense, and tells him to concentrate on his football, and quit thinking so much.
Was at the game last night & thought Arshavin was arguably man of the match. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a great goal but continues to make what should be simple difficult. He has bag loads of potential but needs to learn when to entertain & when to just play. Stand out youngsters for me were Yennaris & Coquelin.
I'd start Arshavin in the same position for the home game against Olympiakos, and give Cazorla a breather on the bench.
I think key to his future is his level of concentration. The most frustrating thing about him is the amount of times he gives away the ball. We all know his natural talent is world class...if he fixes the simple things then the prospect of him linking with Cazorla is a sumptuous one.
So what's the jury on Ashavin ? More recently he's looked like he's up for it again. I think he could play his way back into this team.
With Gerv out and Giroud misfiring front 3 should be Arsh Pod Theo. Arsh and Theo have earned starts and some regular football and Pod deserves a go upfront most natural finisher we have of the CF's (theo i still think is ideal at RWF unless we play 2 upfront). To the people who think he loses the ball too often that is something we will have to live with. He tries the throughball/magic ball very often and more times then not it fails but it only takes once for it to succeed to be useful. I am more than happy with this seeing as normall we have passing between the center 3 then out wide then back again then out wide then **** cross. I am happy if someone is trying directness. Also has both his fitness and speed improved he was sprinting till the 120th minute against Reading. Ideally in AM but LWF for now will do, players like him, Rosicky and Cazorla are so valuable as they inject directness into a team which in all honestly is very very flat.
He shouldn't still be at Arsenal but our lack of attacking options is worrying. Podolski just doesn't work out wide so i would start him against fulham
