Arsenal attacker and Russian international Andrei Arshavin (27) has said in an interview with British tabloid The Daily Mail that, despite an offer by Barcelona last summer and despite being a Barcelona fan, it in the end is probably best he didn't join the club:
"I did have an offer from Barcelona but Zenit were not happy. I try not to think about what could have happened and at least at Arsenal I am playing. At Barcelona I think I would be sitting on the bench, like Aleksandr Hleb.
Which player could I replace? Thierry Henry? No, he is too good and I think Messi will be the World Player of the Year. If I could vote it would be for Messi. Even if you just count the goals and the beautiful passes and look at it statistically, Messi would win over Ronaldo. It has been close but Messi has been better. So where would I play at Barcelona?
Last season, once I knew I was leaving St Petersburg, the choice was always England or Spain, never Italy. I think the English league right now is the best league there has ever been, whereas in Italy it is very defensive, very closed football. I do not like it. I enjoy the honesty of English football, because nobody gives up, and almost all the best players are here. Italian football is at the bottom because of all those scandals. Their league is not very interesting.
I love Barcelona for the same reasons I love Arsenal. It is as if they do not even think of the result, they just want to play and score and if they lose, OK, then they will go out and do it again and win next time. At Arsenal, all we think about is how to attack, how to score, how to dribble, how to make a pass. We do not think so much about defence. Probably, for results, this is no good: but I like it.
That is why I hope Barcelona beat Manchester United in the Champions League final. United look very solid but they play like machines, whereas Barcelona are dreamers, they are more creative. Sometimes United kill everything and I like Barcelona's football more."
Read more:
Barcelona still interested in Arshavin
Arshavin repeats Barcelona is his favourite club
Barcelona could make a new move for Arshavin
Saturday 16 May 2009
Arshavin talks about failed Barcelona transfer
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11 comments:
Arshavin rocks! he is right, he wont get alot of minutes.
and hell yeah, we will beat Man Utd@ :D
Yeah he has said it all,although he loved Barca,he has seen that he still made the right choice. This team lacks good rotations policy the, always one sided and any tactical coach can predict our game like Chelsea did.i love Barca and pep, but Pep must know that he is killing talents just as he builds others like Pedro. Hleb's case makes me weep. I just like this guy so much. He adds bite to attack. Mark my words wait till the guy fits in our game.
Arshavin is right, but I don't think he really had a choice tbh.
He would have gone to Barça if Zenit had accepted the offer, that I'm sure of. Now he ended up at Arsenal, and probably for his own good, but he never made the choice between the two.
I liked the comments he made about female drivers. Hilarious.
"United look very solid but they play like machines, whereas Barcelona are dreamers"
what a great line
i like everything he said except the part where italy is very defensive they can't be that more defensive england as they play 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 formations, it has lost it's step though and then he said honesty of english football loool not close to what english football really is.
best comment is the 5th paragraph, he truly understand what is barcelona and in someways arsenal, never change our style in the face of a strong adversary unlike chelsea and manchester united, that's why i rate lyon and bayern over them, cause they knowing they not as good as barca but still came out and played football that is where honesty really lies, anywhere else but england.
wow, is he ever candid. i'm starting to like him more and more...
poaching talents and using underhand tactics to steal players from other clubs is not honesty. plus epl has the best divers in world. @marc is right. manu and chelsea dont play with heart and are cowards. they also always rely on cheating n ref's help to win matches. honesty lise anywhere but england true to the end.
I like him.
Good on him for being honest. He even admitted that Arsenal don't focus on defence almost at all which is also quiet brave for Wenger to read. His comments about Italy are true also. The key with Man Utd though is they are consistent and have adapted their style to suit the European game. About 10 years back United played this crappy long ball game, continually losing posession, attacking at will and getting caught out at the back. Their defenders were hopeless against quality 'European' opposition. They didn't get past the QF for CL. Sinse then they have tightened their defence, cut the long ball crap and pass more effectively. I am a Liverpool fan but I think Utd have tactically outshone every team the last few seasons and deserve their success. They can't play the same football as Barca but they have dramatically improved their style from the old English rubbish.
I liked him before until I saw these comments. everybody knows what he said. a lot of words and nothing new.
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