Arshavin second in Player of the Season poll

Andrey Arshavin has claimed second place in the 02/Arsenal.com Player of the Season poll.

The Russian playmaker collected 19.4 per cent of your votes and we'll be dedicating this week to him on the Club's official website.

To kick us off, Arsenal.com editor Richard Clarke hails Arshavin's instant impact following his transfer-deadline-day arrival at Emirates Stadium.

Had Andrey Arshavin played the entire 2008/09 campaign with Arsenal you suspect he would have walked his way to the Player of the Season award.

The Russian figured in less than a quarter of the Club’s games but picked up 19.4 per cent of your votes - enough to comfortably take second place.

The 28-year-old was a late starter in every sense last term. His transfer saga was so protracted that the official announcement of his move was made on February 3 – three days after the deadline - and his debut would have to wait a further three weeks.

But little did we know that the blue touch-paper was already alight and the explosion was coming. It was just a matter of when.

The boom came in his fifth game when he single-handedly swept aside Blackburn, forcing Andre Ooijer to put the ball in his own net after two minutes then curling home a superb solo effort in the second half. It was scored with a right foot that had needed eight stitches at the interval.

The game was a clear indication that a) Arshavin was no self-important fancy-dan foreigner and b) his adaptation would be brief.

After that he started contributing in pretty much every game. In fact there were only two occasions when he completed 90 minutes that Arshavin did not give the team a goal or an assist.

He got six of the former and seven of the latter. Whether he played on the left-wing, right-wing or in the hole, Arsène Wenger had found a player who was entirely immersed in the act of scoring goals.

And, of course, Anfield was the ultimate example.

By his own admission, he was pretty average in the first half against Liverpool on April 21. But his prodded goal was enough to give the visitors a lead their backs-to-the-wall performance barely merited. However after the restart, Arshavin tore apart a Liverpool side that had been genuine title contenders all season.

His second was a stunning cross-shot, the third profited from poor marking and fourth was all about keeping pace with Theo Walcott before firing home. It was only the 10th time an Arsenal player had scored four goals away from home.

Arshavin was now the name on the lips of every Arsenal fan, even though the player’s goal celebrations seemed to be insistent they remain silent.

But the secret was now out of course. As a result the expectation on Arshavin’s shoulders will be heavy this season however this is an established international who has moved in the prime of his career.

“He is not a soft boy at all,” said Wenger after that Blackburn goal. “He is never in the medical room, he is not that type. He is tough. He has won things before and he has experience.”

The manager even handed Arshavin the captain’s armband at Portsmouth in only his 13th game. It was maybe the final step in acclimatisation to his new side.

Incredibly enough, speaking in tunnel after that stunning night at Anfield, Arshavin was talking about what he might do better next season once he was fully established.

But surely every Arsenal fan would be ecstatic with a full season at the same level.

[Monday, July 06, 2009]

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