Arsene Wenger, has confirmed that Andrei Arshavin will make his debut against Sunderland tomorrow.
Russia international Arshavin completed his transfer to the Gunners from Zenit St Petersburg earlier this month for £15 million and has been working on his fitness in training.
The 27-year-old has not played a competitive match since the end of the Russian Premier League season in late November, but Wenger is ready to involve him at Emirates Stadium this weekend. Arshavin was on the bench against Tottenham but didn’t come on.
“He will be involved,” Wenger told the club’s official website. “But I have not decided what I will do with him yet.”
Wenger is indecisive Where he should play him. For Zenit St. Petersburg Arshavin played as a attacking central midfielder. I think this is where Wenger will play him. At the moment Arsenal’s central midfield is weak and fragile. We have Song and Denilson in the middle and I think they aren’t that strong. Arshavin will bring confidence and also experience into the center of the park.
When Fagregas comes back that will be a very strong central midfield. Fagregas has a defencive way of playing and Arshavin has a attacking way. This could work well because they will compliment each other.
With Van Persie this could be a very good tag team with Arshavin. Arshavin has a very creative and attacking player. Van Persie has a similar mind with him and could mean that them two will have a great partnership together.
“He is still working on preparation and he is not qualified for the Champions League game against Roma on Tuesday so we can give him another week of hard work,” added the Frenchman. “At the end of next week, that will be three weeks with us and one week with Zenit, that should be enough.”
Wenger suffered a selection setback in the build-up to the game after it emerged yesterday that Eduardo had injured a hamstring in Monday’s 4-0 win over Cardiff, the Croatian’s first game for Arsenal since breaking a leg last February.
