Much has been said about Robin van Persie this season – will he stay or will he go?
There is no doubting that this season the 28-year-old has been in the form of his life.
Just recently, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had this to say about his captain and team-mate:
‘It’s clear how important he’s been for us with the goals he’s scored, he’s one of the best strikers in the world. He’s a massive part of the dressing room. I don’t know [if he will stay] but I hope he does.’
This season there has been nobody in the Premier League better than Van Persie, this is evident after he walked away with the Premier League Golden Boot, PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Player of the Year awards. In addition, He was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
Having taken this into account, is he irreplaceable to Arsenal? The media believe so, the opposing fans believe so, and even some Arsenal players believe so, but for me he isn’t irreplaceable, and here’s why.
There is no doubting his talent. This season the Dutchman has been his best since joining the club and this has been largely down to him being able to miraculously avoid injury, which brings me onto the reason I think he is replaceable.
On average, over the eight years at the club, RVP has played 35.5 games a year (the lowest being 20 in 2009/10 season) and the most being 47 (this season). Now 35.5 games a season seems, on paper, to be pretty good, but when you take into account Thierry Henry, who in his eight seasons at Arsenal, averaged a total of 48 games, or Dennis Bergkamp, who, despite not travelling abroad, still managed an average of 38 games a season (in his last eight seasons at Arsenal).
If we look at goals compared to Thierry Henry it looks even worse, with the Frenchman averaging 31 goals a season, while Van Persie averaging just 12.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Robin is a fantastic player, I really do. However, to say he is irreplaceable is an overstatement, especially considering who it has been said about in the past. Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas, Patrick Vieria, Tony Adams, David Seaman and Patrick Vieira are just some names of players who the tag of ‘irreplaceable’ has been given over the years, yet here we are with Robin and once again the opposing fans are saying ‘if it wasn’t for him you’d be relegated’.
The fact is our great club survived with the departures of all the abovementioned great names. We have stayed in the Champions League every year without these players at the club and we will do so regardless of if Van Persie leaves or stays.
Like what you read? Then follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/UKVampire
Visit and Join our Facebook page, click HERE to do so.
Gunnersphere is currently looking for new writers to join the squad. Contact via twitter or at Gunnersphere@snack-media.com for further details.
Do you fancy using the bwinbetting £25 free bet offer to place a bet on an upcoming Gunners’ fixture? Make sure you come to http://bwinbetting.com/ today for the latest bwin free bets offers!
I don’t want RVP any longer. Force him to see out his contract and then take the opportunity to spend and bring in top talent on a new contract. F*ck RVP.
You are a moroon. You must be a Man shitty fan.
I thought great men live and die honourably. The management of AFC both on and off the field have failed the club for at least four years. Time during which wrong decisions after another have stagnated the club. Pep showed what true men are made of. If the management of arsenal are not in it for gain alone they are the one we would be discussing of their departure.
Fine!!! Well said!!!
Let them go ahead and sell him then, probably, YOU, WENGER or GAZIDIS will replace him.
Which of these players you mentioned was ever replaced. Are we where we were when they were here???
You are messing up!!! Big time!!! #angry#
if he wants to go let him just remember weve won fuck all with him so whats the problem
dont think u realise what a great signing poldolski is u wait
If RVP played for a team like Real, Barca, ManU, City or Chelsea then YES he would be replaceable but because he plays for us then NO he’s not replaceable. Why? Because we wouldn’t use the money we got from his sale to buy a top class replacement. We’d probably sell RVP and just promote/keep Chamakh.
People dont realise dat no 2 players are d same. If rvp leaves surely sm1 will come in and stil make impact n score goals just adebayor did after king henry left. It was said dat afc would struggle without cesc n nasri bt we stil finished 3rd even after a turbulent start. I can tell u dat d rvp team is better and even have a winning mentality dan dat of cesc. If rvp leaves,maybe we might win d title cos we seem 2 do better each time we loose a star player.
The problem is, he is not irreplaceable but in are current set up he is. The ammount of goals he has scored this season by controlling a floating long ball is outstanding and the only person to have been able to control the ball like that for us was Bergkamp. If we get a new striker in his place then it will only be succesful if that playmaker role is also sured up, now whether it be wilshere, Arteta moved forward or somebody else bought into the club that will be the most important job of sorting out this summer. Wright and Henry had Bergkamp. Adebayor and eduardo had Fabregas so it’s not all about getting the best striker. You watch how many goals torres will score because of Hazard next season, how many Aguero scored because of Silva. Get that position sorted and we’ll be fighting for trophies.
agreed that a player maker will be utmost important for the team. kagawa can be the one. But, MU having lost out on Hazard will sign him,unless Arsene’s command of the Japanese language prove to be the changer.
Loosing RVP will be bad, but more important getting the right replacement will be the key.
I know its cruel thinking, but if RVP gets injured during the first match or before the EUROS, then no club will sign him.He can then spend the summer recupperating. Ha Ha
I believe he should act as a man and leave or sign the deal because even if arsenal was to hold onto him he will grow old and eventually leave.NO ONE IS BIGGER THAN THE GREAT ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB.The club has players who can step in.Play Walcot in the center and get the results.