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Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin, from Russia with a touch
of Brazil
By Martin Samuel
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Foot perfect: Andrey Arshavin retains possession
against Hinkel Photo Reuters
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The strangest thing happened here after 26 minutes and four
seconds last night. Andrey Arshavin gave the ball away. No, really, he
did.
He had it at his feet and he passed and there was not a blue shirt to
collect it. Very peculiar. Don't frown, though. It did not happen again.
Arsenal did not require two world class goals to send them south victorious,
but on occasions there were elements of this display that scaled those
heights.
Most involved Arshavin in some small way; a flick here, a touch there,
always neat, always bright.
If there is a finer one-touch footballer in the Premier League, he is
yet to make himself known.
Arshavin's contribution was that he negated Celtic's pressing game. The
gulf in class between the teams meant that Tony Mowbray's side went with
the only available option, which was to get stuck in and put pressure
on Arsenal high up the field.
Arshavin nipped that ploy in the bud by moving the ball on so quickly
that Celtic's midfield was frequently stranded out of position.
He left the field with 20 minutes remaining, job done, and Arsenal scored
their second goal within a minute of his departure as if to confirm the
fact.
The second leg is largely academic now. It is hard to imagine Celtic scoring
three at the Emirates Stadium, and Saturday's fixture against St Johnstone
at Parkhead is hardly adequate preparation.
The performance required to progress to the Champions League would now
have to come out of clear blue sky.
Unlike Arshavin, of course. There was no big mystery in identifying him
as a fine player after the 2008 European Championship, but that does not
mean he was an easy buy.
Logic dictated against the move. Russian footballers have no great record
of success in major European leagues, particularly in England, and one
only had to look at the recent fortunes of Ukrainian duo Sergey Rebrov
and Andriy Shevchenko to understand there could be problems adapting to
an alien style of play and football culture.
Arshavin seemed to be taking an age to make up his mind, too. Did he want
to sign for Arsenal or was he merely interested in the riches?
Also, given his love for Barcelona, how long would it be before he began
creating for a move to Spain, following the path of Alexander Hleb, another
exquisite east European footballer who suited Arsenal's method of play
perfectly, but fancied Barcelona's pay packet more.
Then there was Arshavin's age. Why had he not been picked
up already? Why had it taken him until his late 20s to catch the eye in
the Russian team? Was he like Romania's Gheorghe Hagi, who turned it on
in a major tournament, secured the big move and then got his club manager
the sack with indolent performances?
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, ignored these reasons
to doubt and went ahead purely on what he saw; Arshavin the footballer,
the tricky, intelligent, user of the ball, the deadly finisher, the man
with a plan.
And after his four goals at Liverpool, every manager must
have wondered why they had not shared Wenger's enthusiasm.
Here could not top that - what could? - but it was wonderful in a different
way.
It is not so much what Arshavin did, as what he did not do; he did not
lose possession. No matter how tight the corner, no matter how many hooped
shirts crowded around him, he found a way out.
Denilson is the Brazilian by birthright in Arsenal's midfield, but Arshavin
is Brazilian in spirit. He plays in a way that would be instantly recognisable
to a regular at the Maracana, because he demands the ball whether he is
marked or open.
When Brazil visited England in 2007, it was the trait that made Kaka stand
out. No claustrophobia, no thought of danger, his team-mates confident
giving him the ball in any situation; more to the point, he insisted on
it.
Arshavin starts wide left for Arsenal, meaning space is at even more of
a premium. Bound by the touchline on one side, Celtic hemming him in to
front and back, Arshavin still found the right pass, often without so
much as a controlling touch.
When he ran at Celtic, it was usually through the middle but - and again
a Brazilian trademark - it was the speed with which he moved the ball
on that was so impressive.
The dribbling Brazilian forward is a popular myth; their best players
run at opponents as the last option. The initial instinct is the short
pass, quick, simple, effective. It is the Barcelona way, too. And Arsenal's.
Part of what made Arshavin's, and Arsenal's, performance so impressive
was that Celtic were tough opponents.
There is a reason why Nottingham Forest were previously the only English
side to win here in European competition and it was evident in the energy
and commitment Celtic showed, inspired by an atmosphere that proved it
does not require British players to make for a Battle of Britain; just
British fans.
So while there was not an Englishman in Arsenal's starting line-up and
just three Scots in Celtic's, this game was played with the intensity
of any that had gone before.
In the circumstances, it made Arshavin's coolness under pressure more
remarkable.
The idea that this Arsenal side will crumble at inhospitable grounds in
the frozen North this season already looks to be wishful thinking on the
part of their rivals.
And, as a native of St Petersburg, it is quite possible Arshavin has seen
some of that unsettling snow and mud we are always hearing so much about,
too.
Dailymail.co.uk,
18th August 2009
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