Russian Pavlyuchenko adapting to English game

Russia striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has started to shine after a slow start at Tottenham Hotspur, the club he joined in August from Spartak Moscow for €17 million.

Pavlyuchenko arrived in the Premier League with a big reputation after helping Russia reach the Euro 2008 semi-finals under Dutchman Guus Hiddink but found life tough in a new country where he did not speak the language.

"From the first game, or maybe even the first training session, I realised I had to restructure my game," he said.

"It's a lot faster, more mobile and more physically demanding so I definitely needed to make a change to my game.

"The Premier League is probably one of the best in the world and one of the most challenging. I have experienced personal growth since joining this league and I have developed as a player," said Pavlyuchenko at the club's training ground.

"At least it didn't take me a year to adjust. Sometimes foreign players in Russia take that long."

Pavlyuchenko hit the headlines in October 2007 by scoring twice in Russia's 2-1 victory over England in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Moscow.

He followed up by scoring three goals in five games at the finals in Austria and Switzerland, finding the target against the Netherlands and eventual champions Spain as Russia exceeded expectations by reaching the last four.

Pavlyuchenko struggled at first to make an impact in England, scoring just once in his first six games for Spurs. But he has now found his feet by notching a total of seven goals in 14 appearances.

That tally includes a goal in every game in the League Cup since he opened his account at Newcastle United in the third round, helping the holders reach the semi-finals.

"My game has changed and the results have changed and this is the obvious thing that everybody notices," he said after Spurs had endured a difficult start to the season under Spanish manager Juande Ramos before Harry Redknapp took over.

Ramos said Pavlyuchenko and potential strike partner Darren Bent found it difficult to play together although the Russian believes they can form a potent combination.

"It seems everybody keeps saying there's a problem with the two of us playing together but I don't feel there's a problem providing we play together more," Pavlyuchenko said.

The 26-year-old said he enjoyed spending 90 minutes, four afternoons a week, learning English but added he disliked the local food so his wife Larisa always prepares Russian dishes for him and their two-year-old daughter Kristina.