Arshavin says subconsciously held back during Arsenal debut

MOSCOW, February 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russian international Andrei Arshavin has said that he was unable to take as many chances as he would have liked during his English Premier League debut for Arsenal.

"I wasn`t particularly nervous," Arshavin told Sport Express, noting however that "during the match itself I constantly felt the need to play simpler. Subconsciously, I somehow felt a desire not to take risks."

Arshavin, who signed for Arsenal at the beginning of the month, started his first match for the London club in a 0-0 home draw against Sunderland on Saturday. He had two chances in the early stages of the match, going close both times. He was also named Man of the Match by a number of English media outlets, including the BBC.

Although the former Zenit St. Petersburg forward impressed on his debut, he had not played a competitive match for over two months and was substituted after just over an hour.

The draw leaves Arsenal in fifth place in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and a 2009/2010 Champions League place. The side were booed off the pitch by their own fans at the end of the game, the club`s third 0-0 league draw in a row.

Arsenal play Roma on Tuesday in a last 16 first round, first leg Champions League tie on Tuesday. However, Arshavin, who played for Zenit in the competition`s group stages, is ineligible to take part.

Russia`s other representative in the English Premier League, Roman Pavlyuchenko, came on as a substitute in the 72nd minute as his Tottenham Hotspur beat Hull City 2-1 away from home on Monday evening.

Tottenham, who rise to 14th in the league, face Manchester United in the Carling Cup final on Sunday. Pavlyuchenko has scored in every Carling Cup round this season. He also found the net during Tottenham`s 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Manchester United earlier this year.

sections: Sport