Arsene, it's time to drop the Russian

He is a quality player and has contributed much to the Gunners cause but I think it is high time for Arsene Wenger to drop Andrei Arshavin from the starting line-up. It is just too hard watching him running aimlessly in the Birmingham match without any form or purpose while the team continue to carry him along.

I have come to his defence many a time when critics slammed him for ineffective performances and less than stellar work rate. One thing that has always pulled Arshavin through is his finishing ability, unlike some of our other strikers do not need 10 chances to convert one. Unfortunately, it is this ability that has deserted him and made him more of a liability than asset to the team.

In the matches against Sunderland, West Bromwich, Chelsea and Birmingham, Arshavin had glorious chances to put the game beyond doubt but his finishing lack his usual sharpness and thus the chances went begging. One thing’s for sure, if he was the Arshavin of old, we would not have lost or drawn the matches above because he would have put away the opportunities and victory would be ours.

With some many of our players coming back, it is high time Arsene give the little Russian some time on the bench, just to give him a kick up the butt and hopefully get his form back. If nothing more, putting him on the bench would show that no player is bigger than the team and if the player does show the commitment, then the jersey would no longer be his.