Andrey Arshavin Wants Cesc Fabregas To Stay At Arsenal

"I remember when there were rumors of his departure last summer, he said half-jokingly, half seriously: 'I'll stay at least a year or two, I want to play with you.'

"We joke about this topic again now. But Cesc is a grown man and only he can decide."

Meanwhile, Arshavin is also unhappy about being deployed as an emergency target man in recent weeks after the Gunners' well-documented injury problems.

The Russian highlighted his dissatisfaction with the situation in public recently, something that many observers perceived as inappropriate.

The player himself feels that the problem is so obvious though that there can be no issue with him pointing it out.

"It is clear that putting me in the centre forward position makes life difficult. In particular, we are deprived of the option of playing long balls.

"A big striker can receive a long ball, but for me it is vitually impossible against powerful defenders.

"This gives the team fewer options, not only because of my size, but also because I don't have the skills to play in this position."

Arshavin also insists that the Gunners will keep fighting until the end in the title race, though he feels that Chelsea have a better chance of claiming the Premier League crown than Manchester United.

"Experience tells me we should not go crazy (over recent defeats)," he said.

"We have to train, to give 100 per cent in matches, then success is sure to follow.

"Manchester United outplayed us in midfield, controlling the ball and not allowing us to attack, but Chelsea were a more experienced and more powerful team, compared to who we were physically inferior.

"If you choose only between those two, then Chelsea will be champions."