Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson has launched a scathing attack on Andrei Arshavin, arguing that the Russian International striker no longer cares about playing for Arsenal.
Arshavin was at fault for Manchester United's winning goal against Arsenal recently, and Lawro believes it's time for the player to leave the Emirates. He told Today FM:
"Forget the fact they took him [Alex Oxlade Chamberlain] off, it was who they brought on.
"Arshavin could not give a damn about playing for Arsenal.
"He wants to go back to Russia or somewhere else where he doesn't have to pay tax.
"He has no interest whatsoever in helping Arsenal".
When he's in the right frame of mind, Arshavin is a superb player, and prior to signing for Arsenal, I was really hoping he'd sign for Liverpool. It wasn't to be, but I think he would've been excellent at Anfield.
Arsene Wenger is under pressure to deliver tangible results for the club this season, and Lawrenson believes that if he doesn't win a trophy, his time could be up at Arsenal:
"If Wenger doesn't win a competition this season, i.e. the FA Cup, and don't finish in the Champions League qualification places, then I think he'll go; he'll probably fall on his sword.
"I think if he's going to be pushed, he'll go first. I think Real Madrid would still take him".
I have great respect for Wenger, and the Premier League will definitely be worse-off
when he finally decides to leave Arsenal.
Jaimie Kanwar
Arshavin was at fault for Manchester United's winning goal against Arsenal recently, and Lawro believes it's time for the player to leave the Emirates. He told Today FM:
"Forget the fact they took him [Alex Oxlade Chamberlain] off, it was who they brought on.
"Arshavin could not give a damn about playing for Arsenal.
"He wants to go back to Russia or somewhere else where he doesn't have to pay tax.
"He has no interest whatsoever in helping Arsenal".
When he's in the right frame of mind, Arshavin is a superb player, and prior to signing for Arsenal, I was really hoping he'd sign for Liverpool. It wasn't to be, but I think he would've been excellent at Anfield.
Arsene Wenger is under pressure to deliver tangible results for the club this season, and Lawrenson believes that if he doesn't win a trophy, his time could be up at Arsenal:
"If Wenger doesn't win a competition this season, i.e. the FA Cup, and don't finish in the Champions League qualification places, then I think he'll go; he'll probably fall on his sword.
"I think if he's going to be pushed, he'll go first. I think Real Madrid would still take him".
I have great respect for Wenger, and the Premier League will definitely be worse-off
when he finally decides to leave Arsenal.
Jaimie Kanwar
Agreed, I think it says a lot about the times and the modern football supporter when a legend like Wenger is getting slated every week in the press and on the internet.
ReplyDeleteLet's look at Wenger's list of crimes :
Getting teams to play football in the right way.
Giving young players a chance.
Not breaking the bank to bring players in.
Teaching players how to take care of themselves and eat the right things.
Bringing a level of civilised behaviour to the touchline and to interviews, etc.
But, Arsenal have not won a trophy for a while, so some supporters feel it is fair game to criticise the manager without noticing that teams like Man City, Chelsea, Us, Tottenham, Man Utd have spent triple what Arsenal spend and they are paying for their new stadium. Once that is paid off, and Wenger will probably be gone then, Wenger's management of the club will probably ensure that they dominate English football for years if financial fair play is ever enforced by UEFA.
Unlike Mourinho, he has always put the club before his own glory and I know who i would rather have managing my club. To see supporters slating the guy, when he is probably the only manager who is sacrificing his own glory for the good of his club, really does sum up where supporters are at the moment. His position at Arsenal should be his for as long as he wants it, any supporters calling for his head should be ashamed. I wish we'd found a manager like this in the last 20 years.
As for Arshavin, the sooner he leaves the better. Haven't seen a guy look so uninterested in some time, but he is a confidence player and could find his form at any time, but I don't think that Arsenal can really afford to wait for him any longer.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't mind him at lfc if he were to be sacked
ReplyDeleteHe will be to us Arsenal Fans, what Shankley was to you guys eventually. Even though Shankley did not win like Paisley, he transformed LFC so that the manager in the future would reap the rich dividends. I think the Arsenal fans will only realize what he has contributed to us decades from now.
ReplyDeleteWenger's past it, his methods are outdated and that is reflected in Arsenal's current position. Im not just referring to their PL position, but that is proof of.
ReplyDeleteWho cares about Ashavin
ReplyDeleteMark Lawrenson makes Paul Merson seem informed.
ReplyDeleteWenger does everything right, apart from winning when it matters. Top level sport is about winning, he may be great for young players, he may have created the best looking team, the next manger in probably will use what he has done but the fact is he isn't winning and for the same reason every year he wants to run a nursery not a football team. Gab you are absolutely correct, and as an LFC supported long may he stay doing what he does, breading great players for England and providing a team that will never compete at the very top level.
ReplyDeleteWithout Wenger Arsenal would've been an average mid-table team with a small ground. Wenger changed everything! Arsenal fans should treat him like a god. If he did all that for Liverpool we certainly would.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great way of putting it and was what I was trying to say!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe so, Dave, but, like Shashi says, he is their Shankly, and when the next manager comes in, Guardiola or whoever, they will have a fortune in the bank, the shackles from the stadium removed and everything in place to dominate English football for years, in the way that we did when Paisley took over. The next manager may win more than Wenger, but they would not have won anything without Wenger. What are we building here? They are just behind us, with a game in hand, and they are apparently having a nightmare, have a younger squad than us and their best defensive players hardly ever play. And Wenger has spent about 100 million less than us in the last year if you consider the sales that both teams have made. I don't think that any team needs to win at all costs and if I had a manager doing the job that Wenger has done, I'd be feeling pretty happy. If we don't make 4th I really hope they make it before Chelsea. I've a good friend who has a season ticket at the Emirates and when his mate cannot go i go to the odd game there, and every LFC game there, and there's no comparing that stadium to Highbury. It is all going to be paid for by the manager. While Roy And Rafa complained about lack of funds, Wenger has just got on with it. While us, Man Utd, City, Tottenham and Cheslea splash the cash, Wenger competes on a shoestring. He's done an incredible job, anyone expecting a flood of trophies in all that is being unfair. The only one he blew was last year's Carling Cup Final, poor show. We've got the same type of game this year, let's hope we will do better.
ReplyDeleteArsene is a legend. People forget that he has won many trophies. He is trying to rebuild but greedy players like Nasri would not stick around to reap the benefits. Arsenal without Arsene will not be Arsenal anymore. Mourinho? No F*****g way! HE doesnt play football. He likes to build walls in the middle of the field and hope that it will bounce off it into the goal! How close were Arsenal for a few seasons? Very! If the turds stuck w around they would have seen the benefits. If Arsenal win with the way they play, atleast they can be proud and say that we won by playing football and not trying to buy the trophies!
ReplyDeleteI clicked on this story expecting something about a Liverpool player.
ReplyDeleteTottaly misleading
Finally Jamie a good article that's not been negative to Liverpool Yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOut dated? Did you see their second half performance against Villa on Sunday? Villa didn't know what had hit them!
ReplyDeleteArsene is a genius, I would be gutted of he left english football. Absolute premier league legend!
ReplyDeleteI have a slightly different take on Arshavin. Arshavin was signed as a deep lying striker and is being asked to play left wing. His attitude could be better but...he isnt a winger. We had a young player here ourselves last season that suffered in very much the same way. When Fabregas left Arshavin being the senior man should have been handed the free role in the side but it instead went to Arteta or Ramsey and their goal returns are nothing to shout about. Arshavin was mind blowing playing off the striker for Russia but Wenger had a vision of making Arsenal play a similar style and system to Barcelona which in my opinion over complicates the most simple league (in terms of tactics) amongst Europes elite. He needs to switch back to 4-4-2 sharpish.
ReplyDeleteThat said I agree whole heartedly with your points on Arsene Wenger. He has safe gaurded Arsenals future with his youth policy but Arsenals owners seem intent on dropping him in it by always claiming they have millions to spend...I don't think they do.
Agreed, Arshavin is not playing the same role, and what i call lack of interest could also be lack of belief. I think he was hit and miss in Russia, and for Russia, as well, but a lot more hit than miss. Unfortunately for us, he was a hit on the day he scored 4 against us and it pretty much ended our chase for the title.
ReplyDeleteYes, the board certainly do seem to be dropping him in it, but then, as we saw with Torres last year, it is nothing new for the board to contradict their manager/player and the supporters blame the manager/player.
Lawro is right. Arshavin's problem is paying tax
ReplyDeleteHis agent didn't tell him about the 50% in the UK
Simple
Remember Arshavin's 4 goals in Anfield, wow!
The last one was one of the greatest goals I've ever seen
85 minutes or something and he puts his head down and sprints the length of the pitch. Amazing
He's a disgrace