The Gunners have two weeks left to find a bidder for the Russian. Can they do it?
The biggest challenge for any manager is to identify and axe underperforming players and find quality ones to replace them with.
In Arsene Wenger’s case he need not worry in finding a new forward if Arshavin goes, as he has ready made replacements.
In fact the Russian’s presence and continued selection is stunting the development and cutting the playing time of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ryo Miyaichi.
Gervinho and Walcott are already there, so axe Arshavin and leave the Ox and Miyaichi as the stand-ins, while Thierry Henry also gives a temporary option.
Andrei Arshavin has been an immense disappointment since his deadline day move two years ago, being typically poor this season.
His ‘head-down’ shoulder shrugging attitude sums up the current squads malaise.
In mid-December we wrote that he had one month to save his Arsenal career. He hasn’t played like it, turning in a typically inept showing against Championship side Leeds in the FA Cup.
Wenger must do what is right for his squad in the short-term and long-term by axeing the Russian who is surplus to requirements in a position where there are numerous options.
By the same logic, where Arsenal do need an extra face is at full-back, as the 3-2 defeat to Swansea showed.
The squad is too stretched with injuries at present to cope and mistakes are creeping in.
Obviously Santos and Gibbs are to come back, so the signing could be a promising youngster like Crystal Palace’s Nathaniel Clyne or an experienced hand in the league such as Nedum Onuoha; put simply somebody who knows the position.
How Wenger should have gone for Jose Enrique in the summer when he was available.
If Arsenal take these two steps, to sell Arshavin, and sign a defender who can cut the errors, they might just beat Chelsea in the race for the crucial Champions League fourth spot.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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