Wenger won't rush Arshavin into derby

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Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
08 Feb	1:30 PM	P	Tottenham Hotspur (A)	0	0	Draw

Manager Arsène Wenger has said that he will not be rushing Russian playmaker Andrei Arshavin into his debut, especially with a derby against Tottenham Hotspur as the next match.

The Russian season ended in November last year and hence Arshavin hasn't had enough preparation yet, although Wenger did stress that the player was 'available'.

Wenger said: "The worst thing for a player is not being ready to play in a game of that intensity, or getting injured before having kicked a ball for the team.

"I will see what kind of shape he is in tomorrow to see if he will be involved in the squad or not. We are not in a hurry with him.

"He will be available. But at the moment he is somewhere in a plane. He had to fly back to Russia to get a visa and he is coming back tonight.

"I believe he is talented, intelligent and motivated. When you have these things together, you always have a chance to make an impact. But you have to give him time as well. He is not fit at the moment because he had only 10 days preparation after a long break."

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