Sunday, October 01, 2006

This year is make or break for Van Persie.

A good win yesterday. It was a funny game that we could have equally won 3 or 4-1 if our finsihing had been better, yet also perhaps have lost if Charlton had put away someof their chances, or been awarded a pretty stone-wall penalty.

We seem to be playing really good football again in terms of our passing and movement. Pin-ball football - or Wengerball - seemed to be happily pinging away. Indeed, some nice early passing created an opportunity for Fabregas, which he should have scored with a headed chance set up by Thierry. Instead, he skied his header from close range. It was a poor miss and you could tell he was dissapointed by the way he refused to meet Tel's eyes as he ran off.

Charlton then, against the run of play, took the lead. Hoyte, who continues to be a weak spot in the team, played Hasselbaink onside, allowing him to cross for a completely unmarked Bent. It was a really soft goal to concede and I did worry about our reaction.

Yet we've had to battle back from a goal down a few times already this season - the difference yesterday was that two of our chances actually went in.

Hleb was a constant hub of activity on the right hand side. Unfairly maligned by quite a few supporters for his reluctance to shoot, he is becoming a real creative dynamo. He holds on to the ball and more often than not makes an intelligent pass. I've said it before, but he really reminds me of Dennis sometimes - not in his scoring abilities [yet] but the way he always seems to be thinking when he's on the ball. Something always seems on the verge of happening with him, and very often does.

He was given too much time by the Charlton defence for RvP's first goal. He danced around enough to pull defenders towards him, before floating a perfect ball to RvP. Robin's finish was excellent, and at 1-1 I fancied us to win.

There are not enough superlatives in the dictionary for Robin's second. It was a stupidly good goal, the type you try when you're a kid in the playground and ends up in the road. Arsene got it right when he said it was technically perfect. A perfect goal, perhaps, already,the best of his career.

And after that we should have put the game to bed; but we fluffed our lines instead. Robin missed an easy chance for his hat-trick, while Thierry missed a fabulously easy chance when one on one with the keeper. Persistent tackling by Hleb gave Thierry the ball with only Carson to beat and, unusually for Thierry, he snatched at the opportunity.

So we then had to deal with a lot of Charlton pressure and three golden chances in particular. Jens pulled off a fantastic save low to his left to prevent an otherwise certain goal. At his present rate, he's pulling off on game-winning save a game. Then Willy hand-balled it in the box but a penalty wasn't given. I don't think he was fully fit yesterday but he's so good I want him in the team whenever possible at the moment. He's a real battler who can help us win games just by his presence. Finally Hasselbaink, who moaned all game, headed wide when he should have scored.

The headline might seem odd given his fantastic performance yesterday, but I really believe that this is the case. We've all known, since the Blackburn semi-final, that Robin is capable of scoring unbelievable goals - hence why he has a loyal fan club among many Arsenal fans. On his day he's as dangerous a striker as they come and its good to have a player in the team who's game is so focused on scoring goals. But, the worry remains that he isn't developing his wider game for us. For Holland, he gets to play on the wing, which, despite his desire for goal, he may actually prefer, and he seems to contribute more to the team. Unfortunately, I think he likes the spaces that Thierry occupies. When Robin's scoring, he's fulfilling his worth to the team and squad. Unfortunately, and unlike, say, Adebayor, or even Baptista in the flashes we've seen of him, when Robin isn't scoring, he often might as well not be on the pitch.

I think Arsene will give Robin another year to prove his worth to the squad. If he gets 15+ goals this year and isn't otherwise developing, he may get another year on top of this. But if Robin's game doesn't become more consistent or more productive in terms of his general team play, he may cash in and bank on one of Bendtner or Lupoli making it at Premiership level. Both are currently tearing up the Championship. Especially as I'm still not sure if Thierry likes playing with Robin.

Results elsewhere went for us yesterday, so, if we win our game in hand, we're only two points from the top. And our next home game is against Watford. Three good summer siginings, combined with a few youngsters and foreigners who have now adapted to the Premiership, have turned our squad into one that can genuinely compete for the title. Especially with Chelsea, Man U and Liverpool all looking fallible.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

rubbish rubbish rubbish

Anonymous said...

So you are telling me that 4 more goals than last season then he is safe. I have never heard so much rubbish in my life.

One more year and that's it! What sort of brain do you have? I keep reading stupid articles like this; first it was ANR and now this. RVP is technically better than Henry, but Henry is a better footballer.

Think a little bit hard before you write articles please. If Henry is not playing who would you play? If you are honest with yourself you will say RVP simply because he is next to Henry. How can you say stupid things like this about the second best striker behind Henry.

RVP was Arsenal second highest goal scorer, 11 goals. One more years, you are having a laugh. One of the brightest young prospect in the world. The strike yesterday and today you write articles like this; it just shows how stupid you are!

Anonymous said...

You DO know Robin is top of the assist table for the team don't you?

TWICE as much as any other player.

Well I'd guess you don't.


But don't let facts get in the way of lazy critiques eh?

Anonymous said...

this article doesn't make much sense, Wenger is no fool to sell an amazing talent like RVP, come two more years he'll be as good as anyone out there. Even now, it won't be wrong to say he comes just behing Thierry interms of pure class

Anonymous said...

Goonerboy is absoulutely right. RVP is an awesome talent, no one is questioning that. The question is can he produce consistently? Frankly, despite his two excellent goals, he had a poor game on the left wing. I'm a big fan and I think the boy will come good, but he also should have been sent off before his goals and at 23 he has to learn. He's also sooooo right about Hleb, he's indispensible at the moment yet when he was subbed yesterday, he got only lukewarm applause which is really disappointing. Especially because Freddie was ineffective again yesterday but gets this hero worship. I think those of you that commented above are too defensive, if you look at van Persie's output performance wise, he is still inconsistent and to be the top, top player he can be, this needs to be rectified.

Goonerboy said...

Thank you LD.

I think the way that Hleb is treated is very poor. He hasn't even got a song yet as far as I know and he set up RvP's first, and should have had another assist when Henry missed.

I do like RvP - but I think the fact he's scored some exceptionally good goals has covered up many of the inadequacies of his game.

Anonymous said...

van persie is a bit like wayne rooney, same temper but brilliance. vp is very dangerous when on form just like th14. im also sure that vp contributes to the team hugely when he doesnt score, like assists and tracking back, he will learn from top players, and become one of the best in the next season. so why the f**k should wenger sell him off????

Anonymous said...

with goonerboy here. it shows just the at times blind way that rvp supporters view the debate over his performance to the team. in fact it is the same way they have been moaning why he was being subbed while freddie was not (conveniently forgetting that appart from freddies defensive attributes, rvp was on a yellow already)nobody denies his talent. the question is what he brings to the team. this is an area that he can improve on, but if he does not then his talent is not worth much.

his maturity also comes into question. an instance is his tackle on hasselbaink that luckily earned him a yellow. then when he scored the second goal (what a goal!) he had me worried by running to the supporters. worried in that he could have easily earned a second yellow like robben did sometime back last season.

overall i believe that he really has to show his general contribution to the team and be consistent as lupoli and bendtiner are really full of hunger on his heels (then there are walcott, the beast, ade etc}

Anonymous said...

HAHAHAHAHA. I love the way that guy called Fups gives everyone a lecture on spelling and how to write an article when he writes like a five-year-old. That's like Henry telling a nuclear physicist how to do his job.

Anonymous said...

For your information, RvP was actually defending in some parts of the game and driving the ball forward. It was almost like what Reyes used to do when he was around. Also, RvP was playing around the right wing.

Anonymous said...

You again are too defensive glory100. I'm not saying his temper denegrates his class, but it's something he has to work on. It's a mistake to think that just because he is a brilliant player he cannot improve. RVP certainly has a worse temper than Cesc, Fab was kicked relentlessly yesterday but let his class do the talking, RVP took a petulant swipe at JFH which would have cost us the game had he been sent off. The reason we are talking about inconsistency is because we are acutely aware of his class. RVP is a brilliant player but that does not mean we owe him blind religious quiescence, this is a valid point made in the article. I care not for what the majority say, I've seen every game RVP has played for us and he is inconsistent. If he becomes consistent, he will be one of the top strikers in the world.

Anonymous said...

Selling Van Persie is the most ridiculous comment i've heard from a gooner in a long time. He has the potential to be as good or even better than dennis bergkamp and i dont think dennis performed at a consistent level until he arrived at arsenal. Give Van Persie time and he'll be the best player in the premier league.

Anonymous said...

This isn't a make or break season for RvP.

That's ridiculous.


All he has to do is put his head down and keep improving.

He scored 6 goals in the premiership last season; he can definitely improve on that. I'm looking for AT LEAST 10 premiership goals from him this season and at least 15 in all competitions.



He's still a young lad and he has incredible potential. Trust in Arsene to help him fulfil it.

Anonymous said...

RVP scored 11 goals last season. 4 more goals and that make 15. If he get less that 15 Arsene will sell him. You are having a laugh.

I can't believe what I see, Little Dutch and the guy that wrote this article what are you talking about?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Anonymous said...

Ok Gooners, it's like this:

YES, he does have a petulant streak and a temper issue.
YES he is improving. Both his game and his temper.
NO, we are never ever selling him.

End off.

Anonymous said...

the simple fact is that for any player to gain consistency he need regular football. ask yourself this. does he gat regualr football at arsenal

Anonymous said...

i meant regular football.sorry

Anonymous said...

Nope!

Anonymous said...

i am the special one

Anonymous said...

Charlton were the better side in this game, Van P should have been sent off adnCAFC should have had two penalties!