Arsenal Football Club

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

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Hleb: Sheva's too old

16 Jan 2007 - 09:47:52

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Arsenal winger Alex Hleb believes that Chelsea's big-money signing Andriy Shevchenko is struggling to adapt to life in the Premiership because he's past his prime.

Thirty-year-old Ukraine ace Shevchenko joined the Blues for £30million from AC Milan last summer, but has failed to hit top form, scoring six goals in 29 appearances for the Premiership champions.

Hleb believes that the main reason for this is that Shevchenko has left it too late to try his luck in England.

He told The Sun: "I would never have risked coming to England towards the end of my career. The older you get, the harder it gets.

"I was never convinced he would be able to play in England. I don't have anything against him. I respect him and rate him as a player.

"The problem lies in the style of the English league, in terms of the tempo and the time you get to think on the pitch.

"The Italian and English leagues are two very different propositions. And the younger a player is, the easier it is for him to adapt and get to grips with English football."