It is not easy for someone at the age of 28 to fall at the last hurdle in his attempt to qualify for the World Cup Finals, yet Russian midfielder Andrey Arshavin had to witness this when he, together with his National team-mates, went down to Slovenia following the away goals rule.

Andrei Arshavin

Yet to hit top form with Arsenal, Arshavin will be 33 when the next World Cup Finals will be underway, reason why he came back depressed from Slovenia.

The midfielder was quoted as saying after returning to London:

I am inconsolable and desolate at what has happened. My family keep telling me that I should forget it as soon as possible, that I should now switch to the club matters and the Champions League but that’s easier said than done.

Nothing revives me so far. When Arsène Wenger asked me what state I was in, I honestly told him that at the moment I just do not want to play football at all.

He talked to me for a long time. He said, too, that I need to switch my attention. But I cannot do it yet.

One man who is trying to help Arshavin is manager Arsene Wenger who opted not to use the Russian from the start against Sunderland.

Speaking of the Russian’s problem, Wenger said:

He is very down. He came back from Slovenia very down and that’s the main reason I did not play him from the start against Sunderland.

You want them to be 100 per cent focused, play a game like it’s life or death. So it is impossible not to be down if you don’t win.

If you care, you are down. Arshavin is captain, he is 28, at the next World Cup he is 33. He is a tough boy. He is mentally okay, but he is down and is still disappointed for his country.

He is a winner, though and strong mentally and when his back is to the wall he responds.