Arshavin Proves Big Spending Can Work

This is an article from our guest writer Chris Rivers, a sports writer and Arsenal supporter.

Arshavin proving to Wenger that spending big can work

With everyone still focused on Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Manchester United perhaps now is a good time to take stock of what has been in my eyes Wenger’s acquisition of the season. Andrei Arshavin came to the Gunners with a big reputation after his performances for Russia in Euro 2008 and for Zenit St Petersburg in last season's Uefa Cup. 12 games and 6 goals later those who doubted the 27-year-old have been proved wrong in guessing that Arshavin wouldn’t be able to cut it in England. Hopefully though the main person that Arshavin has convinced that his price tag was worth it is Arsene Wenger.

The Arsenal boss hasn’t had the best track record when it comes to spending big; nobody will ever forget Francis Jeffers’ disastrous time with the club after his £8million transfer from Everton. We all know Wenger can take a youngster and turn them into a superstar but his ability to manage top talent has been called into question on occasions. The likes of Richard Wright, Sylvain Wiltord and Davor Suker all cost serious cash but flopped at Arsenal, despite Wiltord winning the league with the Gunners.

Those failures seemed to put Wenger off spending big and I know quite a few Arsenal fans were unhappy at the amount of star players the club was bringing in. Arshavin has proved that big name talents can change a side just with that touch of class. Look at Arsenal’s results since the Russian international has come to the club, they haven’t lost when Arshavin has started.

I support Wenger’s policy of bringing through the youngsters but believe you occasionally need to bring in the big names, if only to send out a message to the other members of the big four but also to give those players coming through the ranks something they can’t learn off their current peers. I hope that if given the cash Wenger will go out and bring in another big name during the summer of course to improve the quality on the pitch but also to give the club a lift as a whole and show that Arsenal aren’t a selling club. However, don't waste your next football bet backing this to happen!