Arsenal striker Andrei Arshavin baffled by Arsene Wenger's
team selection
By Richard Bright
Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin has added to a difficult week for the
club, in which they lost at home to both Manchester United and Chelsea,
by publicly questioning manager Arsene Wenger deploying him on the left
of midfield rather than as an orthodox striker.
Left in confusion: Andrei Arshavin doesn't
understand why Arsene Wenger plays him in midfield for Arsenal Photo:
GETTY IMAGES
Arsenal are now destined to go a fourth consecutive season
without picking up any silverware and the mood around the Emirates Stadium
is dark and reflective.
Arshavin - who missed the heavy defeat to Chelsea with flu - has been
one of the success stories of Arsenal's season and so his discontent at
playing a deeper role coming in from the left will be an added concern
to Wenger as he plans his summer rebuilding.
"My personal plan for my initial three months with Arsenal wasn't about
scoring a certain number of goals or making a set number of assists,"
said Arshavin, who joined the club in the January transfer window in a
?15 million deal from Zenit St Petersburg.
"I wanted to get the feeling whether I can play in England or not.
"Sometimes I feel that I can but other times that I don't. It's probably
because that I play as a left midfielder.
"I still can't get used to the idea that I'm capable of playing on the
left of midfield - and frankly having to do it keeps me baffled.
"I don't understand if it's only because God is taking care of me, or
I really can play so well as a left-winger."
