Individual Player Analysis: Robin van Persie

In this series I’m going to look at the key players in our squad. That way I can focus my mind on football and stay away from the transfer madness. It will also help me build towards the preview of the next season. In normal course I’d have started this with El Capitan but it will be a redundant article if he were to leave, so I’ll start with Van Persie, the man most likely to take over the Captain’s armband if Fabregas departs.

Even the Misery Brigade accepts that RvP is one of the few World Class players in our squad. The only argument against him is his inability to stay fit for the whole season. Now it is impossible to blame the player for injuries received as a result of some bad tackles, but if we look at his fitness record there is a genuine hint that he is more fragile than the other leading strikers in the world.

The problem for Arsene is very simple – there aren’t too many replacements available. In fact, if we go below 30 Million (a price I just don’t expect Arsene will ever pay and rightly so!) there is hardly anyone who can be considered an equivalent replacement. Nonetheless, Wenger should create a plan B for a realistic situation that the Dutchman will miss a couple of months, at least. I’ll leave this point for the discussion on next season’s tactics and related issues. For now, let’s focus on the Flying Dutchman.

The system that we played this season was perfect for RvP. I had some doubts about it initially because Van Persie is not the best header of the ball or a classical centre forward.  What I’ve learnt is that it’s stupid to underestimate a player with such talents. This discussion will go better if I put down the strengths and weaknesses in bullet points,

RvP Strengths

• Impeccable technique (A first touch to die for, Shoots like a sniper, and delivery on set pieces is lethal)
• Fantastic awareness, speed of thought, and decision making
• Just as good with his back to the goal
• Timing of the runs is sublime
• Can create space where none exists
• Knows exactly where the corners of the goal are (extremely rare skill in my opinion)
• Can turn almost any defender in the league
• Has the intelligence to discover areas of improvement and the diligence to achieve it

RvP Weaknesses

• Doesn’t really dribble or run at defenders
• Not a shoot on sight kind of a striker
• Heading (the goal at Ewood Park showed superb heading technique but I’ll need to see more before I change my mind on this)
• Not as quick as some of the others

The strengths that Van Persie has are extremely valuable to any team. His weaknesses have to be acknowledged but they are not that the most important attributes for a top quality striker. If you don’t get this think of Darren Bent or Defoe.

Bent is really quick, can head the ball, takes a pop at goal at every opportunity, and even has a dribble or two in him. Defoe is similar, perhaps better on some attributes, although not that good a header of the ball. Can we really compare these two to Van Persie? I’m not saying the Englishmen are bad, but highlighting just how good the Dutchman is by comparison!

Another aspect that isn’t talked about is the improvements that he has made and the speed with which he adapted. The headers that he scored this season, the goals he scored by attacking the near post, or those scored with his chocolate leg were not typical Van Persie goals, at least not before this season. How many strikers show such a high level of improvement and that too while spending half the season getting frustrated on the sidelines!

The most important aspect of his game, however, is his ability to bring others into play. Dropping a few yards deep, collecting the ball with the back to goal, holding it or laying it off with a simple touch are not glamorous or noticeable events that get mentioned in match reports. These aspects become conspicuous by their absence. Suddenly the team doesn’t play as well as it used to, the midfield doesn’t dominate the ball, the wide players don’t make the right runs, there is little penetration in the final third and it’s very difficult to pin point the problems. Mostly because we end up looking at and analysing what is there instead of what isn’t there!

I’m convinced Van Persie is among the world’s elite. If I could get one wish for this transfer window, it wouldn’t be a new signing, it wouldn’t be Fabregas staying; I just want to see Robin van Persie play one full season without any injuries.