MOSCOW, June 11 (RIA Novosti) - Andrei Arshavin on Monday warned his Russia team, which has become older but wiser since the run to the Euro 2008 semifinals, is starting to click.

Coach Dick Advocaat retained half of the squad that his compatriot Guus Hiddink took to Austria and Switzerland four years ago, allowing the side to mature and, says the Russia captain, display some formidable cohesion.

It was evidenced by Russia's 4-1 crushing of the Czech Republic in their Group A opener on Friday, and the 31-year-old playmaker wants to carry that form into Tuesday's game against co-hosts Poland.

"We are older and more experienced. We are thinking quicker on the pitch, although perhaps we are running a little slower," he said in comments on the Russian Football Union website.

"But if you look at the side, our big plus is the fact that we are interacting really well, we know any maneuver of every one of us, and what to expect from each other," said Arshavin, who was one of seven Zenit St. Petersburg players to start Friday's game.

Arshavin, who has 17 goals in 73 games for the national side, is on loan at the Russian club from Arsenal until July.

Russia surprised everyone at Euro 2008, beating the Netherlands 3-1 in extra time to reach the semifinals, where they lost 3-0 to eventual winners Spain.

Keywords: Russia, Sports, Soccer, Football - Russian News - Russia

MOSCOW, June 11 (RIA Novosti) - Andrei Arshavin on Monday warned his Russia team, which has become older but wiser since the run to the Euro 2008 semifinals, is starting to click.

Coach Dick Advocaat retained half of the squad that his compatriot Guus Hiddink took to Austria and Switzerland four years ago, allowing the side to mature and, says the Russia captain, display some formidable cohesion.

It was evidenced by Russia's 4-1 crushing of the Czech Republic in their Group A opener on Friday, and the 31-year-old playmaker wants to carry that form into Tuesday's game against co-hosts Poland.

"We are older and more experienced. We are thinking quicker on the pitch, although perhaps we are running a little slower," he said in comments on the Russian Football Union website.

"But if you look at the side, our big plus is the fact that we are interacting really well, we know any maneuver of every one of us, and what to expect from each other," said Arshavin, who was one of seven Zenit St. Petersburg players to start Friday's game.

Arshavin, who has 17 goals in 73 games for the national side, is on loan at the Russian club from Arsenal until July.

Russia surprised everyone at Euro 2008, beating the Netherlands 3-1 in extra time to reach the semifinals, where they lost 3-0 to eventual winners Spain.