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ARSHAVIN EYES SLOVENIA CLASH
The captain of the Russian national team Andrey
Arshavin talks about the team's mindset ahead of decisive play-off matches.
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Andrey Arshavin Photo SPORT EXPRESS
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"Problems may occur in all seasons of the year",
said Arshavin to Sport Express. "We really have selection problems,
however they weakened our team in spring and summer too".
"The World Cup and European championships are always held at the
end of European season, but nobody complain on it. All players go to these
tournaments trying to show their best qualities there and many of them
succeed in it".
"Russia will need to score as many goals as possible in Moscow, while
our strikers had many personal problems recently. However I don't feel
any special concern about this fact".
"Maybe not all Russian strikers looked well, but having five attackers
in the squad it's always possible to find the best variant".
"Strategy is the main thing which differs playoffs from ordinary
matches. Number of goals, scored in away games, increases, and even one
mistake can be decisive".
"The fact that we begin two-match series at home is not very important,
because everything will depend on the game and its result".
"Majority of Russian players wanted to get Slovenia as the opponent
in playoffs and so it happened. Everybody understands now that loss would
crush our great job undertaken before and after Euro-2008".
"But it's better not to think about this responsibility in order
to play calmly. We need to think about the game and ways to beat our competitors.
If we are not lucky to win these playoffs, it we can do nothing with it".
Sport
Express Daily, 14 Nov 2009
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