& nbsp; Arsenal's striker famine paradoxically brings out a super Tsar: Sky TV says he could have scored 5 goals. & nbsp; Last Saturday against Stoke City, two key forwards Eduardo and Walcott were injured just before the game, but after the match, the media unanimously claimed Arsenal had turned misfortune into blessing, all thanks to Andrei Arshavin who was pressed into service as a center forward in this game. His performance delighted fans who were originally worried about the team suffering a fourth consecutive defeat in domestic competitions, and also allowed manager Arsène Wenger to discover a new and highly efficient forward lineup.
& ldquo; He could have scored 5 goals & rdquo;
This game saw Arshavin being pulled to the center forward position purely out of necessity. Eduardo had suffered a thigh muscle injury during training, while Walcott, who could play as a center forward, had issues with his calf tendon. Starting young striker Carlos Vela under the circumstances of three consecutive defeats in domestic competitions was too risky. After careful consideration, Professor Wenger decided to let Arshavin play as the center forward, but this change turned out to be the key for the Gunners to break away from their losing streak.
The Russian's performance began in the third minute of the match when Fabregas sent a scalpel-like precise through pass after receiving a cross-field pass from Rosicky in midfield. Arshavin received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Sorensen quickly came out to block his shot. After missing the one-on-one opportunity, at the 20th minute, the Tsar made a comeback by continuously dribbling past Diouf and Delap. Delap had no choice but to bring him down inside the box, resulting in a penalty! Although Fabregas missed the penalty, it was again Arshavin who stepped up. He combined with Fabregas upfront, took the ball straight into the opponent's left side of the penalty area, and scored with a low-angle shot, stabilizing the team's morale in time.
Afterward, the Russian had two more shots in the penalty area that nearly succeeded, one was saved by Sorensen on the goal line, and another hit the crossbar after deflecting off an opposing defender. Besides scoring, Arshavin also created good opportunities for Nasri and Traoré. Ramsey's final goal that sealed the victory came from finding a breakthrough on the side where Stoke City defenders were distracted by marking Arshavin closely. After the game, Sky TV rated the Tsar's performance with an 8, the highest score of the match, with the comment: He could have scored 5 goals.
Alan Shearer Pours Cold Water
Apart from the media, Stoke City's manager Tony Pulis also praised Arshavin after the game: "Arshavin's performance today stood out significantly. After switching to the center forward position, he seemed even more threatening. Besides impeccable movement off the ball, he also gained more space to operate in his new role. Today, throughout the match, he caused immense trouble for our two center backs." Indeed, as a center forward, Arshavin could shoot and pass effectively, and his ability to drop deep to receive the ball and organize attacks looked no less impressive than Robin van Persie. This performance made people feel that he might be the best center forward option during Van Persie's absence.
However, amidst the praise, some media pointed out another reason for Arshavin's exceptional activity upfront today was that Stoke City did not deploy the pressing defense that Arsenal usually fears most. Alan Shearer analyzed the Tsar's performance in BBC's 'Match of the Day' that night. The video showed that whenever Arshavin made passes or received balls from teammates, there were almost no opposing players nearby to press him. If opponents like Chelsea and Manchester City use physical superiority to tightly surround Arsenal's midfield and forwards, whether the Tsar can still perform so calmly remains uncertain.
In fact, without needing reminders from the media, Wenger knows his disciple's strengths well. The professor pointed out after the game that determining Arshavin's position as the starting center forward based on just one game's performance is still premature. However, compared to other teammates in this position, the Russian does have his own advantages: "Arshavin is physically stronger than both Bendtner and Eduardo. His awareness of positioning and ball control skills are also fully capable of handling this position. But I still cannot completely confirm if he is the right choice for the center forward position because I currently don't have many options in this position. We need to find a relatively balanced lineup combination (under the situation of numerous injuries). However, his performance today was indeed excellent, so I may still let him start in this position."
Related thematic articles:
- The professor talks about the "handshake controversy" after the gunners' victory.
- Next year's monetary policy adjustment may increase.
- Spanish media shocks reveal that Fabregas has decided to leave next summer.