RVP’s time at Arsenal

Fast forward to the beginning of the 2006-07 season, and Van Persie’s campaign got off to a flyer, quite literally, when he struck, what Wenger described as ‘the goal of a lifetime’ against Charlton. But again, it wasn’t long, January in fact, before he suffered another impact injury. fracturing his metatarsal against Man Utd.

Following Henry’s departure to Barcelona in the summer of 2007, Van Persie was expected to take the baton and lead the line for Wenger’s side. The doubters were initially silenced by seven goals in ten games, unfortunately, a knee injury sustained on international duty would keep the player out for a number of months and prove to be the beginning of the end for his season as more problems meant fewer appearances than ever before (Just 15 league appearances, 23 in total) in a campaign.

The 2008-09 season proved to be more consistent for Van Persie with 44 appearances, 20 goals, and 15 assists. Following another red card against Stoke in November, he would go on to be named Arsenal.com Player of the Season as, I think many would admit, he carried the team through a tough January period, either scoring or assisting every single goal scored by the club in that time. Although we had previously seen flashes of his technical brilliance, this was the first time the player had looked like a leader.

Many believed this to be ‘make or break’ time for RvP and his Arsenal career and with the player’s most personally productive season behind him, he signed what proved to be his last long-term contract at the club, adding ‘My heart is with Arsenal and I just can’t picture myself in another shirt.’

An eventful season in all respects unravelled before our future captain. He turned provider and scorer for many goals and showed signs that the player we had all hoped for would finally come of age. That was until an ankle injury, again sustained on international duty, kept Van Persie out of action for five months.

Another injury at the start of the 2010-11 season led many calls for Arsene to invest in another striker and cut his losses with Robin. If there was a debate held over Wenger’s most infuriating and respectable character attributes then ‘loyalty’ and ‘stubbornness’ would be high on both lists. On this occasion, he was proved correct. One brief muscle injury aside, Van Persie repaid the faith shown in him by the manager, and go on a journey where-by descriptives associated with our main striker mutated from ‘injury-prone’ to ‘world class’. 81 appearances, 59 goals, and 22 assists later, and a run of form that finally enamored him to even the sternest of critics, Robin became Arsenal’s 8th highest goal scorer of all time.

However, as contract talks were continually postponed by the player and his agent, the Hollywood ending was becoming but a dream and it wasn’t long before the love affair would end for us Gooners. Quoted late in the season as saying he would always love Arsenal no matter what happens, I don’t think there’s an Arsenal fan in the world who hasn’t had a snide snigger when reminded of that comment. Especially given the statement released after the Euro’s and the now completed transfer to rivals Manchester United.

While these two sides have not been at logger heads in more recent seasons, you don’t have to hark back much further to be reminded of Martin Keown’s confrontation with Ruud Van Niistelrooy, Pizza-gate, or the aforementioned F.A. Cup Final. It’s a rivalry that may not be as relevant on the pitch but still bares bad blood between the two sets of fans. For that reason, Robin van Persie has gambled his impending legend status at Arsenal Football Club for, what he must perceive as, a better opportunity to win trophies, coupled with a reported £220k per week.

In closing, it was a long, arduous path for all involved that will ultimately be looked back upon as another fantastic spot by Arsenal’s scouting team and a great business decision by the manager and board, rather than the fairy tale boyhood-supporter-turned-goal-getter we had hoped for. Shame really.

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