Arshavin: Arsenal need more men like me
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Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin has backed pleas by the club's supporters for manager Arsene Wenger to sign experienced players in the summer.
The Frenchman has built a reputation in North London for recruiting talented - predominantly foreign - youngsters for small transfer fees and moulding them into superstars.
However, the former Monaco and Grampus Eight chief is now beginning to receive criticism for his transfer policy, with the Emirates Stadium outfit now without a trophy in four seasons since their 2005 FA Cup triumph.
Arshavin - at 27-years-old and signed for £15 million - is a rare exception to Wenger's rule, with the diminutive playmaker arriving from Zenit St Petersburg in February and making an explosive start to his Premier League career, netting six goals in 11 league outings.
And the Russian international believes his new club should opt for experience over youth in the summer, to compliment the armoury of highly-rated youngsters already at the club.
"We must buy in the summer. Not more potential, but players who are ready to do it now, players like me," he said in the Daily Mail.
"We need two or three. If Arsenal want to win, they have to do it. We are tired of waiting.
"I believe that out of the top four English teams, when it comes to football, Arsenal are the best.
"They have the best style and the best coach. At the moment, young players come to Arsenal because they see it as a very big team, but if we carry on like this without winning trophies, young players will not want to come.
"Everyone likes the appeal of Arsenal, the football of Arsenal, the young players of Arsenal, but if there is no result they will stop."
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I would have been Barca bench-warmer
Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin says he is glad he signed for the Emirates Stadium outfit instead of Barcelona, as he feared he would have suffered the same fate as former Gunner Aleksandr Hleb.
The £15 million arrival from Zenit St Petersburg has made an explosive start to his Premier League career, netting six goals in 11 outings - including four against Liverpool at Anfield - as well as captaining the side on only his 10th outing at Portsmouth.
However, the diminutive Russian playmaker believes he would have made no sudden impact at the Nou Camp had he chosen to sign for the Catalans instead.
He believes Barca's stellar names including Thierry Henry, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi would - in all likelihood - have ensured he spent more time on the substitutes' bench.
“I did have an offer from Barcelona but Zenit were not happy. I try not to think about what could have happened and at least at Arsenal I am playing," he said in the Daily Mail.
“At Barcelona I think I would be sitting on the bench, like Aleksandr Hleb.
“Which player could I replace? Thierry Henry? No, he is too good and I think Messi will be the World Player of the Year.
"So where would I play at Barcelona?