Soccer: Shock failure continues to haunt Russian

Andrey Arshavin admits he is struggling to find the motivation to play for Arsenal after the disappointment of failing to make the World Cup finals.

The forward was singled out for criticism after Russia's play-off defeat by Slovenia but has angrily denied claims that he was out drinking with team-mates before the crucial matches.

A depressed Arshavin has been shaken by his own poor performance but says claims of over-indulgence were made up by envious Russian journalists with outdated Soviet attitudes.

"Frankly, I'm not surprised that there are so many rumours," he told Russian newspaper Sport Express. "It is a typical situation for our country. When people asked me about this in England, I called it rubbish. One can't treat such rumours seriously. Are we so mad to kill our own dream?

"Usually there is something that triggers the rumours - something small and trivial that gets blown out of proportion - but in this case there was nothing at all and could never have been. In the national team, nobody can drink, let alone get drunk before the games. Nobody. And if it had happened, that would have been the last day you saw that guy in the team."

Arshavin revealed he was so deflated by missing out on South Africa 2010 that coach Arsene Wenger had to console and cajole him into playing in the Champions League victory over Standard Liege on Tuesday.

"I have not recovered after the Slovenian fiasco," he said. "I can call my state prostration. I need to turn my attention to the club's matters, but it is easily said but not easily done.

"At the moment nothing spurs me to life. When Arsene Wenger asked me how I was feeling I honestly said that I just did not want to play football. He spoke to me, advised to switch to new things but it does not help at the moment."

Arshavin looked bright as he helped Arsenal to a 2-0 win over Liege and he will need to be up for the fight when Chelsea go to the Emirates Stadium tonight - although there is a chance he will not start.

The Arsenal coach said he left the player out of last weekend's game against Sunderland because he was concerned for the winger's mental state.

"He [Arshavin] is very down," Wenger said. " You want them to be 100 per cent focused, to play a game like it is life or death. So it is impossible not to be down if you don't win. "If you care, you are down. Arshavin is Russia's captain, he is 29 and at the next World Cup he will be 33. He is a tough boy. He is mentally OK, but he is down and is still disappointed for his country."

Arshavin has apologised for struggling to live up to expectations in the match, but feels he is unfairly shouldering the blame.

"I did my best on the pitch, but the legs would not run," he said. "As for the claims about me personally, that is my fate. Wins are for the entire team, but the main scapegoat when we lose is usually Arshavin and I am used to it."

The backlash in his homeland led to accusations that Russia's star players have become complacent and big-headed following the Euro 2008 success and a burgeoning global profile.

"Those people who say we needed sticks rather than carrots are still living in the Soviet Union where every failure could be blamed on booze, partying and being outside the collective.

"In our team every player is a professional and does his work willfully, not under the lash, and many journalists cannot simply find football reasons for defeat and so seek them in familiar ideas."

"Sometimes it is their only revenge on certain footballer for rejecting an interview. They would be better to think why they deserve such treatment."