How Arsenal got their Hleb back.

by Tim B

[THIS SPOT RESERVED FOR IMAGE OF ARSHAVIN HOLDING UP AN ARSENAL SHIRT]

After a hectic final 24 hours of the world’s most protracted transfer deal, we’re only slightly more certain of seeing Arshavin in red and white than we were yesterday. Which is just about the most frustrating thing I can imagine.

That’s not true, I can imagine being a Spurs fan; firing the best manager in your club’s recent history, selling off all your best players, firing the guy who got you your only trophy in several years, because he couldn’t motivate a team of losers, and then buying back 3 of your former players in what can only be a desperation move to save your Premiership season.

I can imagine that.

I guess it’s like they say “cream rises to the top — and if you’re Robbie Keane you drop back down to Tottenham.”

I guess in some way, the Arshavin transfer saga is equally incredible. Last year when Spurs were flushed (get it? Spurs? FLUSHED???) with cash, they made an £18m bid for the diminutive playmaker and were rejected by Zenit. Today there are reports that Arsenal paid somewhere between £10 and £15m for him. Hey, if all those shenanigans yesterday saved us £7m then it was all worth it.

I really like the Daily Express story linked above there: it’s so fantastic that it’s sort of magical. In that story, Arsenal paid a mere £10m for Arshavin, his picture has already been taken, the paperwork is all signed, Andrei took a huge pay cut, paid for his own flight in, AND paid off his signing bonus out of his pocket. Oh yeah, and he expects to play Tottenham on Sunday! He also rides a unicorn and can fly on rainbows, I don’t know why they didn’t report that bit.

best.deal.ever

I don’t know what really happened yesterday, the closest we’ll get to the truth of this matter is probably over at Gunnerblog. There are more twists and turns than a M. Night Shamalan screenplay. I can’t wait for the reveal: Arshavin is actually an alien and he melts if he gets wet. Why did they come to a planet that is 90% water? ARE THEY THAT DUMB!!?!

And finally, it was being reported yesterday that Arshavin will wear the number 13 for Arsenal, which was the number that Hleb wore and generally considered a cursed number. If you add in that he’s kind of small, and dribbly, it made me think “wow, Arsenal are buying Hleb back!” And then I watched some videos of him and it got me thinking that he’s more like Rosicky than Hleb, mostly because he scores goals. So, as for the title of the blog, I couldn’t really say “how Arsenal got their Rosicky back” since we still have a Rosicky.

Rosicky’s only like a new signing after all.

0 comments

  2. I always get a bit worried that my support counts less because I’m from Detroit and never watched a game at Highbury, TV or otherwise. Then I read this, and feel a whole lot better about missing lectures to watch Eboue distribute short passes to anyone he doesn’t recognize. Actually, the Pass-Master may end up with 10-15 assists with through balls to Arshavin, before he realizes the little man is on our squad. best.blog.ever.

  6. Hopefully our full squad will be back for our UEFA cup tie against Partizan Belgrade next fall.

  11. Few things here Tim.

    Arshavin must be superstitious, said he will be wearing 23 at Arsenal, not 13.

    Wenger said last Thursday Rosicky will be back to match fitness in 2 months. Last year he said Rosicky was going to be out for 4-6 weeks and a year as already passed. One of Arsene’s strong points may not be medical advice. By the time Rosicky really starts to contribute the season wil just about be over.

    Good thing about Andrei is that the British winter will feel like spring time in Russia. Shouldn’t have a hard time acclimatizing weather wise.

  13. mate arshavin is twice the player of hleb you watch much more dynamic and shoots and scores more cant wait !!

Related articles

Read more stories on our homepage