Wenger Wants Arshavin To Stay

Whenever I watch Arshavin out on the left touchline, I keep wondering whether he is being wasted in that position. He seems so isolated and apart from most of the play. I must confess though, to not knowing where else he should play.
Does anyone share this view?

You’re right, but a part of me would still feel sorry for him. What a wasted talent. If somebody needs to go there are a lot of other players in front of him. Let’s not forget that. Offload Almunia, Denilson and company first.

Arshavin is world class. Anyone doubting that needs to see his first season at the club the 4against liverpool, the goal he setup against Birmingham in the cup final (which was from the right wing), and the goal he scored against Barca. Arshavin is at his best when given a free role to roam and when he’s allowed to be direct and run at defenders.
What has lead to his poor form is to stick him on the left wing and to ask him to stop and play seeing eye passes throught the defense at every opportunity, when he’s asked to track back his affect on the game is marginal also. Sinse Arsenal have so many players doing a similar job to him on the pitch, he often gets sidelined and his impression on games minimal. For Russia and Zenit where he was at his best he was at the heart of the play, was playing in the hole behind the strikers and wreaking havoc with his pace and trickery and he occasionally played on the right. Before Wenger tried to make him into a leftwinger, he was far more effective. Arsene needs to wipe the slate clean, and stop having like 6attacking midfielders, and play to players strengths. Thus, stop asking Song and Diaby to play tippy tappy when it isn’t their game. And start playing Arshavin to his strengths. Now, i do agree AA has an odd attitude, and he could do with a better workrate- but on his day he’s one of the best attackers in the premiership- and the way i see it Arsenal spent 15mill to bring him here for a reason, they need to play him to his strengths. In the 4 goal game against Liverpool, he was allover the pitch, he scored goals as a support striker, running deep from midfield being direct with his pace. That should be a clue- don’t marginalise him, put him in a position to dictate play and we’ll get the Arshavin of old.

[quote name=Nicky]Whenever I watch Arshavin out on the left touchline, I keep wondering whether he is being wasted in that position. He seems so isolated and apart from most of the play. I must confess though, to not knowing where else he should play.
Does anyone share this view?[/quote]completely share the view, if you see my comment above, i feel he should be given a free role to roam along the front line and as a support striker in the hole behind the main striker (rvp). SImilar to where he played at Zenit and RUssia and when he first joined the club. Left wing he never played before joining the club, and his game isn’t suited to how Arsene plays him. He’s best running from deep positions where defenders aren’t able to track him. Dictating playing inbetween the lines if you like, however Fab and Narsi often do exactly the same job which might be part of the problem. Runnin in from the touchline isnt his strength. If you line him up against one bruising defender, he’s going to get kicked all over the park. Of course there is the argument that Arshavin will forever be an inconsistent player…but he is an absoloutely brilliant little player when allowed to play to his strengths.