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Robin, Robin, Robin (etc etc)
by Walter Broeckx
What a boring weekend this is going to be. No Arsenal game in the weekend, this almost feels like the summer period we all love to hate. But it feels better than the weekends when Arsenal do not play and lose 1 or 2 players in some kind of stupid friendly international game. Those weekends are even worse than the summer period.
We can look forward to the game of United at Blackburn and hope that Blackburn can take some points away from Utd. Now that would make the weekend a nice one. And if in the cup both Chelsea and Tottenham would have to play extra time and maybe lose on penalties would make it a very nice weekend.
But one of the best things that happened in the last days, in matters regarding The Arsenal, is the coming back of our Messi-ah. Sorry I couldn’t let that go. According to all kind of sources Robin Van Persie is really back. He is not only back in training, no he seems to be back in full training with the rest of the squad. Newspapers and TV stations are all saying that Robin will be back in the squad for our game next Wednesday. Tell me, is this good news or is this good news ?
How much have we missed Robin? I think a lot. If you look at the first games without him it was really hard. From free scoring team we stopped even scoring, and lost to Sunderland, and after that we had to find a new balance in our attack and this wasn’t always easy.
Also in the big games we missed him. He is one of those players who have the ability to do well in those games. He is a bit older than the rest and you can see that he has matured as a player and as a person. I remember him from his early days in Holland and he could be a very angry young man at times. His ability was never in question but he had a bad temperament and was not always the easiest person for his teammates and coaches. But if you see him know on and off the pitch he really is a mature person and human being.
Now we can all have high hopes on his return and think he just has to come on the field and do what he did before his injury. That would be great but will it happen ? In fact the odds are against it. After such a long period it is difficult to find back your form. Just look at Clichy. He was out for some 3 months and he needed about 1 month to really be back at his best. Even Clichy admitted that it is very difficult to come back and just play like you did before. He said it took him a long time and I think we all have seen that he is now back to his best.
Remember the moaning brigade demanding that we should play Traore in the place of Clichy after Clichy’s first game back? But we know that they have no patience and no understanding that a player needs real games to come back and to get better. But one must be aware of the fact that Robin Van Persie will have been out twice as long as Clichy. If he takes the same time to come back to his best … well he could be in great form… in the world cup for Holland. Now I wish Robin all the best in the world cup but I really would feel very bad if he could not shine for us any more this season and then shine on the World Cup. I would feel disgusted to be honest.
I also hope that if Robin needs some time to become the player we knew before his injury that the moaning brigade will not put him on their transfer list from the first moment. You can be sure that he really hated it for being out for so long and he was as disgusted as we fans were during this period. He knew he was heaving a real great season so far and he was looking to break all his previous records in goals per season and given assist per season. He was well on his way to score some 20 goals and give even more assists.
But it wasn’t to be for him and for The Arsenal. We can only hope that he does a Bendtner when he comes back. Our Danish striker said at the beginning that he was hoping to score a goal per game for the rest of the season and I think he is not far of this target.
I really don’t know if he will play against Tottenham or be on the bench. But I do know that I am very happy to know that he is back to full fitness and I just hope we can see him doing the things he can do. He can score, he can let other people score, he is a great penalty taker, he can kick corners and he can kick great free kicks. Now I must say that I really hope he has trained on those free kicks as before his injury he always seemed to smash them on the post or the bar. So I hope he can put them between the posts from now on.
So now let’s give him the time he needs to adapt himself to the level of the EPL. Good to have you back Robin. And in the future: please stay out of these friendly internationals. Us Gooners will love you even more if you would.
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“Making the Arsenal”. A book utterly unlike any other book ever written about Arsenal FC. If you have ever wanted to know what it is that is so utterly incomprehensibly special and different from every other club, this book will go some way to explain that. “Historical Fiction on Acid”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwEFTGIW2sY&has_verified=1. This is a must watch if you have not seen it already. It is more4 tv programme called starsuckers about the media and finance.It may answer questions about the bullshit stories about football transfers and news reports in general. It also confirms Tonys view about journalists and there ways of coming up with the most stupidest stories. There is also an interesting part on Piers Morgan.This a great programme.Keep being strong Tony.
Just to have him on the bench, regardless of whether or not he plays, would be a huge psychological boost to the team.
Gud 2 c him back 2 d squard, he is gonna gear them up in fabregas absent & RVP will be a complete players wen chamakh do arrive nest season. Wenger jst need 2 get a gud CB & DM players like Jerome Boateng, Subotic, Hangeland, Chiellini, Melo, Veloso,Noble & a Gk in person of Akinvev, Loris etc
I wouldn’t have him anywhere near the Spurs fixture, even if it meant the difference between winning the EPL or not. The fixture will, as usual, be a fiery encounter with all the wild tackles (even though that maniac Keane will no longer be there). It’s not worth the risk.
Nicky, every game is a risk.
eduardo is also coming back, but some of the views about him disgust me.
he scored a beach goal, what a fabulous goal that was!! an important and fabulous header against WHU, not many can do it, after that long lay off (of course torres is an exception).
but buying chamakh, i think his time’s up at arsenal, and it’s very sad. I hope i am wrong. But some1 will go in next summer.
Sorry to say it but it doesnt look like Eduardo is going to be part of the setup next year. Its sad that a player of his calibre suffered such a horrific injury. With Chamakh coming in he will probably be deemed as surplus requirements. I might be considered crazy but Arshavin might be cashed in on as well. Hopefully we address the defensive situation quickly because with Senderos, Silvestre, Sol Campbell, and Gallas all out of contract this year, we need some additions ala Vermaelen. Having Van Persie back would be a tremendous boost. Lets bring it to the Totts on Wednesday. In Wenger we trust!
Great to have RVP back. Now let us not rush him to further injuries. We must be patient.
If Robin is fit enough to sit on the bench then he should be fit enough to play.
Considering that Fabregas and Arshavin are out with injury, then the frontline is likely to be Bendtner out wide on the right, Van Persie and Rosicky out on the left.
Chamakh’s introduction doesn’t necessarily mean the end for Eduardo. Wenger wanted The Moroccan from the beginning of the season but was not prepared to pay the asking price for a player who was out of contract in 6 months, and so he waited for Chamakh to be available on a free.
Also, it would be absolutely crass for Arsenal to leave Eduardo high and dry after sustaining such a horrific injury, yet it’s a well known fact that it takes over a season to get back to your best. Arsenal didn’t throw Diaby to the wolves despite him taking over 18 months to add consistent value to the squad after Dan Smith broke his ankle.
Are we then suggesting that we should also get rid of Ramsey when he’s on his way back because Eduardo supposedly proves you can’t hack it after a leg break?
Eduardo will come good in time. Meanwhile, we should appreciate his contribution to the overall play of the team and how he links up the play and opens spaces for the rest of the team to get into goal scoring positions.
Why can we get some comments that are devoid of we buying this and that. Like Olajide’s. I’m very sure Wenger’s gonna get someone(s) and he knows best. Why dont u leave him to do his job. Those comments disgust me- buy villa, messi, mourinho, scolari, zidane, obama.
I can think of 6 players that Arsenal should get that would have made a HUGE difference against Barca and in these final matches of the season. These players AW should get or else he should be fired:
1. Robin van Persie – he is a Dutch kid, about 26, and very, very talented. He would give us a huge cutting edge up front.
2. Andrei Arshavin – Russian, and hugely skillful. A match-winner.
3. Cesc Fabregas – 22 years old and already one of the best midfielders in the world. This kid will be special.
4. Alex Song – At 22 one of the most improved, and best, defensive midfielders in Europe. He would give us a real physical presence in midfield.
5. William Gallas – he may be 32 but he is still a class defender.
6. Johan Djourou – He is young and would give us valuable cover for TV and any other defenders. Strong and tall.
Anyway, that is my 2-cents worth about who we should buy. Our squad bloody sucks right now and we are not going to win anyone with our current bunch of stiffs. Those players above could really, really energize the squad and make us even better next season.
I MISS ROBIN ALOT.
Absolutely delighted for RVP to be back and cannot wait to see him in action soon.
Problem is with our title rivals, is that Sam Allardyce and Red Nose Fergie are close buddies, as was seen at Aintree, and I probably think that cabbage face will take pity on Manure as they are without Shrek, and do a M.McCarthy and play the reserves.
Chelski won, although Villa were denied a stonewall penalty which (if converted) would have made it really tough for the Blues, and it was none other than Howard Webb who officiated the game.
Sp*rs will decide where the title will go in my view. If we can beat them, and they can hold Chelski to at least a draw, then we are in with a shout, but if Chelski win, then I really think they will win the title unfortunately.
Back to RVP, it will be great as well that hopefully he will captain the side when he starts (Sp*rs may be too soon for a starting place) instead of Almunia. This could only be great for him and the team.
I hope he doesnt go to the world cup. He always seems to get fit just in time for these big competitions, and we always end up losing him thanks to international matches. Really, I hope he retires from international football because its costing us massively, as well as ruining his own career.
He could have been one of the best players around by now, but every time he starts to get some good form going, he gets a big injury. Im not saying retiring from international football would fix the problem, but it would definitely help a bit.
Paul C.Extracting the urine does not befit you :o) Hopefully Robin has not recovered fitness just to be injured in the WC. (Good initials those…personally I think it’s going to flush SA taxpayers down the drain.)
Off topic but can’t resist…All the chat about who is the best player on the planet asked the wrong question. It’s not Messi or Ronaldo. It’s Messi or Xavi. And in my book Xavi wins.
I also felt a deal better…at least we managed a draw at home and showed some “proper” fight. Real just showed improper.
Worth staying up late for that alone.
@Paul C, how much do u think we will need to acquire those world class players u listed? Correct me if i’m wrong, we’ll probably need around 250milion. Sorry, Lord Wenger would’nt want to spend that. A pity, they are a bunch of great team players.
Wait! Dont those players belong to us? Whao! Future’s bright.
Am I the only person who things RPV is not the finished article. Don t get me wrong a fantastic player not doubt, but since Henry left we have not had any world class strikers to change a game for us. he is fantastic player but i would not compare him to the likes of rooney drogba or messi or Ronaldo, they are all world class strikers, that are the top of the game. I think RVP could be one of those but he is so injury prone i don’t think he will ever get the chance. With that said it means we have a great player Who is always getting injured. Don’t we need to start thinking about this???? I know chamakh is supposed to be coming in the summer but how good is he if you look at his stats they are not amazing!!
I think we have a very bright future with the talent we have, just we either need to be patient or Wenger needs to buy in a few area’s to be up there with the rest.
My key concerns are Central Deference as many of you have already highlighted. This also includes Goal keeper.
One thing I would add about transfers – which of course we will be talking about once the season is over – is that I really do think that the club is now looking at the injuries that have hit us for 3 years and are saying, ok that is how it is.
So it is not enough to have a top player in every position, and one just behind him – we need a third level of players for when both of the first choices are out.
So bringing in another forward is not a bad thing – and does not in my opinion mean the end of Eduardo. I think Eduardo has signed a new contract, and I suspect the addition of another player means he will have plenty of time to find his form, without pressure.
Is Howard Webb the only ref that is allowed in games that Chelsea has to win ? It could well be the title of an article.
I must say that in any other country I know in the world it never would happen that a ref gets the same team in a space of a week and does them a favour in both of them (offside goal and not give a penalty).
In my country the criteria is that you do not get the same team within 4 (four) weeks and now Webb gets them every week ??? Very strange.
They are sending their best man to ensure Chelsea become champions!
@tony
ya u mite b rite, i desperately want u to be right.