Q: You were in terrific form this April...
A: And that's probably why i fell ill - when I played for Zenith club doctors told me that when a player hits his peak he is most vulnerable, because his immune system is weakened.
Q: Are you going to recover soon?
A: I plan to, but we'll see. I would really like to play in the next match, since it' s going to be interesting - it's an away game against MU.
Q: Will this game be of special importance after your defeat in the CL semifinal, or on the contrary, no one is going to really care anymore?
A: After the semifinal our players were very disappointed, depressed even. And Manchester showed some fantastic football on the "Emirates". So it should be very interesting to play against such a strong opposition, and secondly, we have something to prove both to them and to ourselves.
Q: Is it even possible to defeat that Manchester that we've seen on the Emirates?
A: You have to find the opposition's weak points to do that, which is difficult, since on the surface they don't have any. They've got a very good goalkeeper, probably the best defense in the world, excellent attacking players - Rooney, Berbatov, and especially Ronaldo. The Portuguese means a lot for this team - leave him out and MU will be much weaker.
Q: Are you satisfied with the results of the second CL semifinal?
A: Everyone now blames the referee, who in fact had formal grounds to give a penalty. But I think he did the right thing - he didn't act against the spirit of the game, he didn't kill off the intrigue that kept the viewers of this spectacle in suspense till the very last second. It's not about Barcelona's victory, it's about 90 minutes of outstanding football. Had Chelsea managed to hold the score, it would be just as good. But a penalty would have stripped this game of any interest.
Q: But doesn't this mean that the referee acted more in the spirit of show than in the spirit of football?
A: No, it was just that Ovrebo understood the game that way. It just happened that the red came up four times in a row, but such things happen in roulette as well. At least I didn't notice any bias in his judgments.
Q: Maybe he wasn't biased but he was definitely unqualified. Didn't you feel sorry for Hiddink who was essentially robbed of victory?
A: I perfectly understand how shocked Guus and his team were in the 93-rd minute. And how beautiful a story it could be had Hiddink won the CL after just three months in Chelsea. Of course i can't but sympathize in this situation, but it happens, that's life.
Q: Now back to your Arsenal career. Now every time the name Arshavin is mentioned people first and foremost remember your four goals against Liverpool. Everything else is shadowed by this. Do you feel the same?
A: Well it's natural that these goal have shadowed everything, and everyone around keeps talking about them. But by setting such a high standard I only made my task in Arsenal more interesting - now I must work harder so that those four goals didn't remain the only thing Arsenal supporters would remember me for, so that there would be other high points in my career of a "gunner".
Q: You always keep saying, that you are ready to trade any personal achievement for the victory of your team. Would you trade 4:4 in Liverpool for 0:1 without your name on the score sheet?
A: No, it just wouldn't be a fair trade. To trade two points that were of absolutely no importance for such a bright game that will be remembered for years to come? And it's important for Arsenal that player Arshavin would settle in the team as soon as possible, and nothing can speed up this process more than a game like this. That's why my four goals were more valuable for the club than two points.
Q: After these goals you've become a fan favorite.
A: I think the fans supported me from my very first Arsenal game.
Q: But now you are one of the leaders of the team.
A: No, I'm not a leader yet. Fans probably focus on me a bit more, but it means nothing yet.
Q: And your status within the team hasn't changed?
A: No, at least I didn't notice that.
Q: And would your captaincy be possible without those goals?
A: I hope yes, the goals are not the only thing that determines the coach's trust.
Q: Is this trust inspiring?
A: If you mean the captain's arm band - it's not particularly important. The main thing for me is to always be in the starting 11.
Q: To secure a place in the starting 11 one must perfectly understand his partners on-pitch. I think you interact best with Fabregas and Adebayor. Am I right?
A: As for Adebayor we practically didn't play together. There was just one game when both me and him were starting. We even joked that some higher power is against us being on the pitch at the same time. In that game we indeed interacted well, but to know whether it was just luck or not we have to play a few matches together. And as for Fabregas - anyone will find it easy to link up with him - he's got excellent vision and will always pass when necessary. And his passes are always very accurate.
Q: Who do you spend the most time with off the pitch?
A: I try to get on with all the players, to get used to the team more quickly, but I probably talk with Bendnter and Eboue a bit more often.
Q: It looks like you are settling in well. In the last few games you started to give commands to your teammates, just like in Zenit.
A: I wouldn't call it commanding. I'm just used to behaving on the pitch this way. Some of the gestures I make are just reflectory.
Q: But in the first game you tried to suppress you reflexes - there were no such gestures.
A: In the first few games I tried to play simpler, and now it's time to play my football, the football that I like and am used to.
Q: Is there anything in "your" football that has changed in the last three months.
A: It's hard to say. So far I can't get used to the idea that I can be a left winger, and my position confuses me, to be honest. And I can't understand whether everything seems fine because God helps me or maybe I am really this good on the left wing. Had I played a left striker, I wouldn't have any questions, but midfield... However, I enjoyed the last few games, because I did what I wanted, and not what my fitness would allow me to do.
Q: And Wenger allows you to do anything you want?
A: It's more like the opposition does. In my latest games we would score an early goal and played for fun afterwards.
Q: Can you reveal any secrets of training process in Arsenal? What is the difference between Arsène's and Hiddink's trainings?
A: I'm afraid to disappoint your but there are no global differences in the training process.
Q: When one's club's season is virtually over, and the points are no longer important, can one focus on the personal stats?
A: When you're playing football, in those few seconds that decide an episode, you don't have the time to think about your personal stats. Though it's more fair to say that there are players who are always concerned with their personal stats, but if you're not one of them, it's hard to make this switch fast.
Q: What EPL sides you played against impressed you most?
A: The top clubs - Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester, against which I only played for Zenit so far.
Q: And what about players?
A: I was really impressed by Fernando Torres, as well as Kuyt and Benayoun in Liverpool. In Chelsea's game against us Drogba and Malouda were the stand-out players for me. In Manchester it would be Ronaldo. And they also have very good defenders, especially Evra.
Q: This April you beat all of them and became the Barclay's player of the month. How important is this for you?
A: Of course it's very pleasing, but such awards are not particularly important.
Q: When you went to England, you probably had certain plans for your first season. Did you accomplish what was planned?
A: My main goal for those four months was to assure that Arsenal would finish in the top four. When I arrived the task didn't seem easy, but, thank God, we succeeded. As for personal plans they weren't about the number of goals or assists, they were about learning if I was able to play in the EPL.
Q: And what do you feel now, are you able to play in England?
A: Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Maybe it again boils down to my unusual position on the left wing.
A: To solve this problem I can suggest Arsenal to buy one more Russian player - I know of one very good left winger.
Q: If you mean Zhirkov, I know him quite well too (smiles). The question is whether Yuri would like to leave Russia.
![[zEUs]](/data/avatars/m/17/17972.jpg?1306674039){kind=avatar}
)
