Russian captain and playmaker Andrei Arshavin believes his side needs to play a completely different kind of football in Yerevan next month to match up to Armenia.
The 29-year-old Arsenal striker made the remarks after a failed friendly against Iran in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on February 9, in which Dick Advocaat’s Sbornaya lost 0-1.
“I understand we played badly, and we played with football not worthy of the European Championships, or even worthy of Armenia. In Yerevan we will have to completely up our game,” Arshavin told Sport-Express.
“We must first add speed, as our main problem came from extremely slow play. Our opponents had time to get back and cover our attacks, and in the end they scored,” said Arshavin.
(In Abu Dhabi the Iranians were led by ethnic Armenian playmaker Andranik Teymourian.)
Armenia, meanwhile, lost to Georgia 1-2 in a Wednesday friendly played in Cyprus.
Armenia and Russia will meet as part of Euro-2012 qualifying in Yerevan on March 26, followed by the return game in Moscow on June 4.
The two fixtures may become crucial in deciding the winner and runner-up in qualifying Group B where Russia and Armenia are currently in first and second places, respectively.
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