Maybe he's just getting old?
It's certainly not being played out of position as I'm pretty sure starting a little to the left on the pitch doesn't deprive you of your ability to shoot straight or consistently avoid dribbling into the opposition.
He's looking a little more svelte this season and is working a little harder, maybe these will help him find more consistency, otherwise he's still pretty useful but not first choice.
he's not that old in footballing terms.Originally Posted by Darth Vela
what if Wenger had played Bergkamp on the left of a 433(4141)....a guy with the greatest touch, sensational vision etc etc...imo i feel he would have been 30% less effective if not more, would have been a huge waste of talent...my concern is that Wenger is doing the same with Asharvin.
Then, I feel sure Bergkamp would have still drifted into the spaces and found the passes and goals, good players are good players and with the general fluidity of our formation they get a chance to find space and do their thing, if he was just not getting chances then I might agree but he's finding the right positions so I don't know why he isn't quite getting it right.
You can't just drift anywhere you want when you have defensive duties to think about. It's also crazy to think Bergkamp would do just as well on the flanks. How would he fit into counter attacks? The winger is supposed to carry the ball up field and make those breaking runs. You want a guy like Bergkamp further up the filed to play the final killer pass or to do some trickery on the edge of the box to create space for others.
Wenger
Arshavin, as people have pointed out, isn't playing in the correct position. He isn't being utilised to his fullest, and that's the reason he isn't shining.
Many of our players were bought as out-and-out strikers only to try and become wing players. Arshavin, Walcott, Vela, Gervinho and even Bentdner when he's called upon as a sub. These players are criticised when they don't pull their weight but Wenger isn't entirely blameless in all this. How on earth do you expect a player like Arshavin to to beat his man and whip a cross in a la Overmars, Henry and Ljungberg when pace clearly isn't the Russian's strong point? I've been saying for a couple of weeks now that the lack of pace in this squad now is shocking and it will be telling today, too.
With Arshavin in particular, it's a real shame. I said at the time that we didn't need him (in January 09) but he was billed to be this "marquis" signing. The one player who would be enough to express Wenger's intent. The player that would be enough to keep the likes of Fabregas, Nasri and RvP at the club. Maybe he did, who knows? Maybe he delayed the departure of Nasri and Fabregas, it's hard to say.
If, however, Arshavin is played as a striker, I can't help but think he'd fail miserably in the Premiership. People are saying play him in a Bergkamp role, but even that's difficult. He doesn't have the Dutchman's height in order to bring the ball down, he doesn't have anywhere near the same ball control or passing ability and, more often than not, he won't have anyone in front of him to play through balls into.
When all is said and done, though, I quite like the idea of having Arshavin at the club. There is an uncanny "wow" factor he brings to any line-up and we still think he's capable of another well overdue performance like at Anfield.
Formerly TMOKJ
Darth Vela's right in that some of the basic errors that Arshavin's been making (crap first touch, poor passing etc) can't simply be down to being played out of position. I agree that he's not as effective out wide as he would be in a central position, but that's no excuse for getting the basics wrong as he so often does these days. Sure, Bergkamp would have been much less effective playing wide, but he would still be able to make 5 yard passes, and be able to control the football.
I would say he played a very large part in getting us back into the CL in those last few months of that season, we were struggling at the time tbh
True. Just watching his old clips on Youtube and he's not a winger. He has pace, but he's dangerous on the edge of the box. He can beat players but he's not the Ronaldo, Messi type. The amount of assists he gets from the flanks is impressive but he's hardly influential for us. He never takes over a game and it's hard for a player of his ability to when he's stuck out wide.
Also, he always looks knackered on the wing. Wenger is supposed to be obsessed with fitness and conditioning so I can't understand why he hasn't seen that Arshavin hasn't got the legs and lungs to burst up and down the pitch. If Wenger insists on playing a 4-3-3, then Arshavin should play in the centre, or play how Silva plays for Man City.
But he could also be used in a 4-4-2 and play behind the striker. Wenger is just so unorthodox and it really frustrates me. For years he's played Rosicky out of position and the same can be said for Theo, Hleb, Reyes and Nasri. It took him a while play Song as a DM and he preferred Denilson instead because of those damn pass stats and his ability to maintain the same energy level over 90 minutes. I also feel we didn't get the best out of Cesc. For years he played him in a 4-4-2, when a 4-3-3 would have been better and when he finally switched, he was playing Cesc so far up the field he couldn't receive the ball as much and dictate the tempo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIRxxurh0xg
Have a look at the Arshavin of the past. Makes me weep to see what he has become.
He was productive in terms of stats last season, despite giving off the impression he was a fat fuck.
Dunno about him though, for 2 years he hasn't looked anything like the player who tore it up in his first 4 months. I wouldn't have been against selling him this summer but now of course we need to keep him for obvious reasons. Hopefully his form is a bit more consistent this year and we see some of that wow factor this team lacks.
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