After match interview

EPL. Birmingham. Aston Villa 0-0 Arsenal
A draw. Disappointing .... Moreover, other Birmingham team failed to beat Chelsea. Zhirkov’s club won 3-0, he went out on the pitch in the 81st minute of match. This victory brought "aristocrats" to the top of the table .The gap between rivals is getting wider. 0-0. Well, it could have been better, but today, Arsene Wenger and his team will return to London with only one point .... Catastrophe? We will ask Andrey Arshavin, who spent the whole game on the pitch again....

arshavin.eu: Andrey, you are upset ..
AA: Like the entire team. We came to Birmingham for the victory ... I liked the mood and the spirit of the game, but I’m not satisfied with the result. As expected, Aston Villa was fighting. This is a strong team that knows how to play long passes, group attacks, and how to use their techniques. And today they showed it…

arshavin.eu: On the one hand, the fans didn’t see the goals, but on the other hand, I guess, they surely liked the fierceness of the game and determination not to give in during the whole match?
AA: I think that today the viewers saw difficult football, the teams parted with a fighting draw.

arshavin.eu: I can not recall gunners leaving the pitch with the score 0:0.
AA: It means that our defense had a good match. They didn’t allow our rival to create 100 percent moments at our gate.

arshavin.eu: The game became more intense at the rival’s gate only when Arshavin and Fabregas created something together. The other players were somehow lost today!
AA: I don’t think that only Cesc and I brought intensity into the game. On the other hand, we are those players who should lead the game...

arshavin.eu: Arsenal managed to outplay AV in the first London game. Today is a draw. What prevented you from winning this time?
AA: In that game well-rested Cesc broke into the game and decided its outcome.... I recall that game: in the first half we played without the ball, so very little came out. Although, at the very end of the first half of the game, we had an opportunity but we didn’t manage to handle the ball right. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to score in the first half after that moment.
I think that in the second half we got used to the rival, to the game, to the pitch. At times, we conducted decent combinations, but were unable to complete them with the accurate strikes. Perhaps, we were in a hurry, or just made wrong decisions in the final stages of the attacks. Actually, we needed only one goal for the victory.

arshavin.eu: Is it a lack of rest? May be the tiredness affects team’s actions?
AA: Not really. I think that we are in a good physical shape right now.

arshavin.eu: Today’s injuries didn’t allow Thomas Vermaelen and Eduardo to continue the match.
AA: I hope that they will be OK by the next match with Manchester United.

arshavin.eu: The distance from Chelsea has increased …
AA: Of course, it’s not good. But, let's talk about it after February 10.

arshavin.eu: Today is January 27.
AA: A day of the Leningrad blockade lifting – a great Day. 900 days of sufferings that my countrymen and my family endured. My grandmother Zoya Ivanovna is celebrating this day too. We should be grateful to all these people who defended our Hero City of Leningrad. Thank you!