Arshavin's bad moment in his own words

The little Russian genius has seemed very out-of-sorts this season, and has been roundly criticed by the Arsenal fans.

Arsene Wenger has relegated him to his second string side, and despite the occasional spark of his old form, he has looked listless and uninterested.

Arshavin himself has tried to explain the problem, but he is not too sure about the reasons for his lack of pace and confidence.

He said: “Now when I get the ball, I begin to think, ‘Should I try and trick an opponent? Or if I do, will I lose the ball? And what if I make a pass? Won’t they think that I am trying to get rid of the ball?’

“I am afraid of taking the initiative. When such thoughts appear, your final decision, as a rule, turns out to be wrong. And you waste a lot of opportunities.

“That was happening to me in recent matches.”

“Unfortunately, there is no button in a human body to switch off unnecessary thoughts. I need to train and play. After a few good performances, the courage and automatic decision-making are going to return.”

“I do not have enough acceleration. From the very start of this season I felt I’m fast enough only in separate episodes.

“The reason? I don’t know. Maybe I’m just getting old.

“Naturally, I’d like to be on the pitch in every game – but currently the boys who play in my position, Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott, look very good. They’re really in good shape and that’s why they’re playing.

“To get back my place in the starting XI, I need to regain my best form. All I can do is work in training. There are no other recipes for building up your form.”

“When you are absolutely all right, you do not even think what to do in one episode or another – it happens automatically.

“I’m not worried too much that I am now becoming part of the second-choice group of players.

“Since the start of the season I do not drink even Coke, let alone alcoholic drinks. The coaches make me do special exercises aimed at getting my starting speed faster.

“It is just a period I need to come through. I have nothing to reproach myself about. I do not do anything which would distract me from football and interfere with it.”