Andrei Arshavin – Overrated?

June 27th, 2008 | by: Daryl |

Listen, I’m not saying Andrei Arshavin is a bad player. Clearly he’s a very very good player. Russia with Arshavin were a much more dangerous than without, and any player that can take apart the Netherlands in a Euro 2008 quarterfinal is worth taking notice of.

But I think maybe we’re all getting carried away. He might be blond and angelic, but he’s not perfect.

He might even be the new Karel Poborský.

For those too young to remember, Poborský had a dream Euro ‘96 for the Czech Republic. A lively set of performances crowned by this magical lob against Portugal was enough to convince Alex Ferguson to bring the Pob to Manchester United.

He didn’t do anything particularly wrong at Old Trafford, but he never really recreated his Euro ‘96 form. That’s the thing with buying players based on exceptional tournament performances, you can’t guarantee they’ll ever repeat that form. Want further proof? Milan Baros was top scorer at Euro 2004. Milan Baros.

But Barcelona have caught Arshavin-mania like the rest of us, and made an approach to Zenit St Petersburg.

Question is, do Barca really know what they’re getting? Or have they just been wowed by what they’ve seen in Swissaustria. Arshavin has had a great year at Zenit by all accounts, but if Barca had been following his progress there then surely they’d have bid for him before Euro 2008, when he would have been a bit more of a bargain.

Which brings up a good question: if Arshavin is so good, why hasn’t anyone come in for him yet? There’s an argument that Russian football is a little off the beaten path, and that explains why a lot of fans were unaware of his talents. But he’s 27 now, and has been playing international football since 2002. You can’t realistically argue that not a single big club was aware of this lad prior to 2008.

It’s also worth remembering the reason Russia’s number ten missed the first two games at Euro 2008 through suspension:

He might be 27 years old, but there was nothing mature about kicking that Andorran player for no reason.

And though Arshavin has reveled in being Russia’s start player under the Euro 2008 spotlight, there’s a case to be made that he might find things tougher at a big club like Barcelona. It’s one thing to be the king of Zenit and have the team arranged around you, but another thing to be just one voice in a choir of superstars.

After all the build up, Arshavin was hugely ineffective as Russia rolled over for Spain last night. Maybe he started to believe the hype or maybe he just had on off night, but he tried to do far too much on his own and got nowhere as a result. By contrast the first goal was set up by Andrés Iniesta, a mainstay of the Spanish team and a man who’ll be battling Arshavin for a first team spot at Barca should the transfer go through.

And honestly, I hope I’m wrong. I really do. Watching Andrei Arshavin’s performance against the Netherlands was one of the most enjoyable things about Euro 2008. There are few things better than seeing a creative player in full flow. But part of still suspects that when someone somewhere in the future picks a “Players Who Shone at the Euros and then Subsequently Disappointed XI” (though let’s hope they come up with a catchier name) they’ll have Karel Poborský on the right wing, Milan Baros up front, and Andrei Arshavin playing just behind him.

Tags: Andrei Arshavin, Andres Iniesta, Barcelona, Euro 2008 News, Russia, Spain

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Comments

By areallaticfromthesouth | June 27th, 2008 at 11:42 am

or perhaps ‘got to him last night.’ Or Spain did their homework and Ashavin ‘did’ his job in the two games he played.

Lets judge him when he goes to Barca – his boyhood club!!!

Posted from United States

By Cesco | June 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Just to know,
could anyone explain Arshavin grimaces every time he’s picked up by TV cameras?
I mean, watch the videos on this UEFA web page…. isn’t it strange?
http://euro2008.uefa.com/fanzone/motm/match=301701/index.html

HOWEVER, I DON’T THINK HE’S OVERRATED

By Yevy | June 27th, 2008 at 1:51 pm

First time I’ve seen the Andorra incident, but from the looks of that video Arshavin caught a forearm/elbow to the head and lashed out. It’s a rather undisciplined reaction to be sure but not something that would make me worry about him.

As far as why Arshavin hadn’t moved prior to the Euros, I would guess it is because Zenit had no interest to sell him at his previous valuation. According to his agent the offers for Arshavin have gone from 8m pounds in January to 16m pounds at the moment. Zenit certainly does not need the money, so no doubt they were reluctant to send their talisman abroad for a “market value” offer.

Whether Arshavin can be successful at the next level remains to be seen, but he has certainly earned the right to have his shot. I think he is the type of player who would benefit immensely from being surrounded by the creative talent of a club like Barca.

Posted from United States

By Chubby | June 27th, 2008 at 2:04 pm

Hey gents… Barcelona is a Spanish club, with strong ties and representation on national level. A little unsettlement here and there, and here you go: instead of playing his usual game, he was caught day dreaming about his new blaugrana shirt/career. Not very professional, whichever side you choose.

By gianfranco | June 27th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

Daryl my friend and I had the same convo today and we both agree with you, hope not, but maybe played out of his mind against the Dutch?

Posted from United States

By bertil | June 27th, 2008 at 3:32 pm

Since several years, he has been the biggest star in the Premjer-Liga. Under Advocaat he began to play more effective and Zenith won the league title and the UEFA Cup. Surely, we shouldn’t believe the hype but that doesn’t mean that he will not make it in a big team.

Van Nistelrooy also behaved childish against the Andorrans. I don’t know why those Pyreneans evoke such emotions in world class players.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoKX31Rh8Tg

By Rob | June 27th, 2008 at 3:33 pm

I don’t think he’s even as good as Poborsky. Or Jordi Cruyff, another Euro 96 starlet who was never quite as good again (though largely because of injury)

He’s a good player, but he wouldn’t be a first teamer as Barca I wouldn’t have thought.

Posted from United Kingdom

By russian-exile | June 27th, 2008 at 3:59 pm

He’s not over-rated! He just got the whole of Europe talking for one week because a) the Russians actually performed to some of their potential and did well, which was a huge surprise (until they met the Spanish in a rainy pitch) and b) Arshavin is magic to watch, ie pleasant, like Zidane or Ronaldo in 1998, not the Portugese Ronaldo.

So everyone jumped on the band-wagon and now after 1 bad game where non of the team showed up, they jump off? Football fans are PURE idiots. He’s 27, last month he was 26. Was he younger? He’s got a thing called loyalty. He never thought about playing anywhere else other than Zenit.

He didn’t comeup like Sychev, being Russia’s best player at the 2002 World Cup at the age of 18. No, Arshavin had to work his way up from nothing. He got noticed by Morozov (former assistant coach for Lobanovsky in Dynamo Kiev/USSR in the 1980s) while in the reserves and given a chance to start. He wasn’t necessarily a late bloomer, he just didn’t get the full recognition he deserved till Kerzhakov left for Sevilla and he started scoring more goals himself. A lot of teams were interested in him, but why would he leave? He was getting paid well, and he hadn’t won the Russian league yet, and he certainly hadn’t won the UEFA Cup.

I love how you westerners always view the lives of people from developing countries are worth less than yours. And that continues with your footballs views, that playing in the Russian premiere league, winning player of the year in 2006, all of that isn’t worth a 16th place finish in the EPL.

I have some words for you; F**K Y*U*. Zenit are the best team, and with or without Arshavin, (but hopefully with a replacement for Skrtel cause Shirokov is a liability not a center-back), they are going to kick everyone’s ass next champions league and play better than shitty Arsenal or Barcelona who haven’t done jack shit in 3 seasons.

Posted from United States

By Chad Yarlagadda | June 27th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

Daryl brings up a great point: “if Arshavin is so good, why hasn’t anyone come in for him yet?” My question is due to his stellar performance in Euro 2008, will a big team now pick him up? Curious what everyones thoughts are.
http://myguesstimate.com/Comments.aspx?qid=49

By Elisa | June 28th, 2008 at 2:40 pm

Look it is very difficult for any player to maintain that kind of level over 3, let alone 2 games. That is why the best teams are those with 11 solid players. Arshavin is still new to playing at the highest level day in and day out. Give him a chance. Plus Ramos, Puyol, Senna and Xavi cut out his supply. They made him their B*atch. =).

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