Arshavin to Zenit - loan

I don't think this is the smartest move by us. he's been playing terribly, but it's better to have him as an available resource than in Russia without us getting the revenue from selling him.

As I have said before on another thread, let him go. Maybe for some its poor timing but just let him go. We keep talking about what to change, who to get rid of etc. Why do we want to keep a player who continues in poor form, seems disinterested, and who makes our hearts drop when we see him about to get on the field? So we can come here and complain more?

If things sink even further (is that even possible?) we may then say "what if" we had kept him he might have produced another brilliant cross as vs Sunderland. Also "what if" someone else steps up with some real enthusiasm and makes a difference for us?
This could be the catalyst for others/the team to lift themselves for the rest of the season. Either way, it seems done now, he's gone.

I would agree that we need all the help we can get...but to be honest...let the others have a crack at it....

He is good as gone anyhow.

janelle.noel wrote:As I have said before on another thread, let him go. Maybe for some its poor timing but just let him go. We keep talking about what to change, who to get rid of etc. Why do we want to keep a player who continues in poor form, seems disinterested, and who makes our hearts drop when we see him about to get on the field? So we can come here and complain more?

If things sink even further (is that even possible?) we may then say "what if" we had kept him he might have produced another brilliant cross as vs Sunderland. Also "what if" someone else steps up with some real enthusiasm and makes a difference for us?
This could be the catalyst for others/the team to lift themselves for the rest of the season. Either way, it seems done now, he's gone.

'What if somebody else hits that cross'?

It would send out a message to..

buck up or fuck off.

I don't think it's a catastrophe either way... I just kept on hoping his form would turn around!

Like you've said Foster, let the others have a crack at it. e.g. Benayoun as you'v advocated for in the Tottenham thread. Agree

Why didn't we let him go during the January window, where we could've brought in a replacement? The rumors were around even then.

Oh dear, i'm not sure how this benefits us other than to put him in the shop window for the Summer.

janelle.noel wrote:Like you've said Foster, let the others have a crack at it. e.g. Benayoun as you'v advocated for in the Tottenham thread. Agree

Well I think everyone would agree Benny would run rings around arsha...so I see it as no loss he is gone...

Ridiculous, stupid, insane and it weakens our squad for no good reason.

Michael Foster wrote:

janelle.noel wrote:Like you've said Foster, let the others have a crack at it. e.g. Benayoun as you'v advocated for in the Tottenham thread. Agree

Well I think everyone would agree Benny would run rings around arsha...so I see it as no loss he is gone...

I wouldn't, the last game that Benayoun started was as part of the midfield three and he was non existant for the first half before being replaced by Rosicky. I'm not sure Wenger wants to play Benayoun as a left winger either, I just don't see where Benayoun fits in, there is certainly no way I can see him being signed in the summer.

So would you take arsha over Benny?

totally stupid.however shit he has been,he was the main reason behind wins over swansea(home),qpr,sunderland.
and why it was not done in winter transfer window?why now?

Michael Foster wrote:So would you take arsha over Benny?

I wouldn't take either.

JakeSurrey wrote:I don't think this is the smartest move by us. he's been playing terribly, but it's better to have him as an available resource than in Russia without us getting the revenue from selling him.

Ridicolous really.. Why didnt we sell him and get some transfer fee in January.

We could ve still used him as an option during the run-in for 4th place. I dont understand this decision. No wonder he looked so apart from the team at the hotel in Milan.

I agree - I don't necessarily disagree with letting him go in general (he probably would free up some useful wage budget) but why now? On a loan?
I think he must have pushed for this due to fan's recent hatred of him

Dumb timing ,dumb move.
Seeing as he was never going to get a game in the middle, and Wenger coming out and saying he's fallen way down the depth chart on the flank, then it doesn't really matter I guess. But stupid.
Would have been great to have him around for 20 minutes at the end of games, at the very least.
If "No Legs'" Ramsey and Rosicky can start at CM, Walcott can get a run at CF, then why not just try Arshavin at CM for 15-20 minutes when we might really need some skill. This is to Arsenal's detriment I think.

We sure are a strange club when it comes to some of our transfer dealings, especially offloading players. Totally unexpected move, especially at a time when we need all of our players to push on for 4th place.

This would have been smarter if we had Miyaichi in the squad.

He was a fourth choice winger in a team that is only competing in the PL. Not a bad move, besides we have Gervinho back and AOC is featuring more regularly.

Also serves as a warning to the other non performers, you don't bring your A game you don't play for us.

Sami Rockfeller wrote:He was a fourth choice winger in a team that is only competing in the PL. Not a bad move, besides we have Gervinho back and AOC is featuring more regularly.

Also serves as a warning to the other non performers, you don't bring your A game you don't play for us.

This.

ralph avedikian wrote:

Sami Rockfeller wrote:He was a fourth choice winger in a team that is only competing in the PL. Not a bad move, besides we have Gervinho back and AOC is featuring more regularly.

Also serves as a warning to the other non performers, you don't bring your A game you don't play for us.

This.

Not this. It's mental. Our squad is weak, this serves no other purpose than to weaken it further. You never know who is going to get injured next. Talking of fourth choice as if it somehow makes any difference to our team, last week our fifth choice CB played and got injured for God's sake.

I have no problem with him leaving, but do it in the summer, or do it in January when you can replace him. To do it now when you can't, and just before a big game, is ridiculous.

Wenger himself said he didn't want him to leave and that he expected him to be here today. More baffling decisions by Arsenal Football Club in the transfer market.

Not sure what benefit it is to Arsenal to get rid of Arshavin at this time of the season. He has the ability to come off the bench and do something. Did it as recently as Sunderland. We all saw that. I had sadly resigned to the fact that it would have been best to allow him to leave, but I felt that last January or next Summer would have been a more sensible time. Out of all our subs, he is by far the best. Maybe Gervinho might offer as much coming off the bench, but with our horrendous knack of losing players, now feels like a stupid time to be leaving players go. I just wish Arshavin was played centrally more.
Now that Ramsey is injured and hasn't had the greatest run of form lately either, I was hoping to see Andrei in his preferred role. I knew it was always going to be a slim chance but still...

Arshavin may have been seen as a 'flop' at Arsenal. But in my opinion Wenger is the one that failed him. And mismanaged a player with obvious talent. Another example of a square peg in a round hole.

Exactly, Chippy. Well put.
I can only speculate that Arshavin started pushing for it. When the rumours of Anzi MAhachkala started he was against leaving, but Zenit? Why not.
To go back to a squad where he will play every game in his preferred position, the team will play around him, in a country where he is the most popular sporting figure for the 5th year running, instead of staying at Arsenal playing 10 minutes every 2 games. Easy decision.

ralph avedikian wrote:

Sami Rockfeller wrote:He was a fourth choice winger in a team that is only competing in the PL. Not a bad move, besides we have Gervinho back and AOC is featuring more regularly.

Also serves as a warning to the other non performers, you don't bring your A game you don't play for us.

This.

Not this.
It's not like he came on for 10 minutes got a cross in to Henry that won us a game we badly needed to win, or anything.
At the very least THAT is what he is good for. Can you see Park coming off the bench and doing that? ME neither, because we've never seen Park. Or even let's say Walcott?
And we have exactly who else on the bench (granted with Arshavin , in fewer and fewer instances in the last 12 months), that could change a game ?
But that's okay, it's only 2 days before the NLD, and we're in a battle for 4th, why not let him go....