We can talk about van Persie’s numbers all day, but the fact remains that we can view him as being a quality player since 2008, with last season being his career best from a goal scoring perspective. Already, just four months into this season he

Over the course of 2011, there has been one great development for Arsenal and supporters of the club: Robin van Persie. Though the Dutchman has been at Arsenal since 2004, he has been affected by injury, which has hampered his contribution to the team; that’s not to say he hasn’t done well when he has played, but when one looks at the number of games he’s missed in a season and compares that to his goals scored it’s easy to wonder what he might have done had he played more games.

It’s understandable that a young player who just joins Arsenal can’t be expected to play every game in his first couple of seasons, but when we look at his product since becoming a more significant team player (let’s say since 2008-2009) his level of seasonal contribution has nearly doubled from his early years at the club. A large part of this can be attributed to van Persie gaining a better knowledge of the game, adapting to the Premier League, coming of age, and developing as a player. It’s important to note that in that time since his season low in 2007-2008 he’s always scored in the double digits every season and three of those four seasons have included 20+ goals.

We can talk about van Persie’s numbers all day, but the fact remains that we can view him as being a quality player since 2008, with last season being his career best from a goal scoring perspective. Already, just four months into this season he has nearly matched his striking output (21 goals this season to last season’s 22) and you don’t have to be a genius to know he’s obviously in great form (“Robin van Persie, he scores when he wants”).

I would attribute this great form (or at least the potential for it) to a lack of injury in the 2011 calendar year, which has given Robin a higher number of games and opportunities to score goals, but that is not likely the only factor affecting his success. What about the other players in the squad who contribute assists and maintain possession to create a higher number of quality goal scoring chances? This season we’ve seen Premier League assist contributions from Alex Song (5), Gervinho (5), Theo Walcott (4), and Aaron Ramsey (3), showing the ability of these players to create chances for the Dutchman to score. In the absence of Fabregas, the team seems to be adjusting well to filling his role as playmaker, even if the players do so as a group.

Of these players, it seems Robin has developed the greatest connections with Theo Walcott and Alex Song. I remember thinking last season that Walcott had two primary problems as a player: finishing and crossing. If the QPR game on December 31 still calls in to question his finishing, the season overall will suggest his crossing has improved greatly and no one can be more appreciative of that than van Persie. Alex Song has been fantastic in his holding midfield role, but when he sees an opportunity to lob the ball in to the Dutchman, he certainly takes it, and on a number of occasions has been remarkably effective (will any of us forget the amazing run he made down the left against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, or the delicious ball he lobbed over the Everton defence for van Persie’s spectacular volley?) It seems that the more time Robin gets on the pitch with these players, the more goals he scores.

Finally, I wonder how confidence and attitude figure into the equation of Robin’s good form. He’s definitely surer of himself in front of goal, taking more chances (which sometimes have paid off). He’s been made club captain in the wake of Fabregas’ departure to Barcelona and it seems he’s taking it seriously, enough to know that what he does as captain has a great effect on the team; hence van Persie’s leading by example, both in his style of play, but also in his interactions with others on and off the pitch. He’s a far better captain this season than Cesc was last season, meaning he can inspire others to greater things and keep them focused on the game and how they play it, which has already improved results for the club. Sure one player can affect the team, but that player is a product of the team in which he is a member and is affected by those around him. Arsenal being referred to as a one man team is, in my view, a rather ridiculous statement and the work of van Persie and other Arsenal players have shown this to be the case.

There’s concern that van Persie may seek a contract elsewhere in the coming year and that other salivating clubs will come looking for him. At the moment he seems the ultimate professional in his job and is putting in an incredible effort to better Arsenal and I have no doubt this will continue, but the manager and team as a whole need to pull their weight and continue giving him the opportunity to prove he’s a world class striker if he’s to decide that Arsenal is the club for his peak years. Whether or not he stays is irrelevant to the current season, however and we can only hope his performance and that of the team itself will continue to improve well into the New Year.

Mean Lean’s Response

Reading your piece makes me think about how much Robin van Persie has developed and improved as a player and indeed a person. It is fantastic to see a player blossom into one of the finest strikers in the world. But it has also made me think about what might have been. I know, I know. I try not to do that but sometimes it sneaks up on you and slaps you in the face.

I dare say that a few league titles have vanished into the ‘what might have been’ as well. We had a constant supply of chances in Cesc Fabregas, the best playmaker in the Premier League and we could have also had the best striker in the Premier League getting on the end of those chances consistently.

Unfortunately for us it seemed as if when one of those players was fit then the other was on the treatment table. Cesc said it himself, one of his biggest regrets is not getting a full season alongside Robin van Persie. But such is life, Robin will get a full season with Jack Wilshere next season and I expect big things.

Another point which has sprung to mind after reading your very good piece is another version of what might have been.

Thierry Henry was a supreme athlete. Physically amazing in the fact that he hardly ever picked up injuries. Week after week, game after game, Thierry Henry was available to play and he wasn’t a playmaker, he was a sprinter. A player that covered a lot of grass, he racked up the miles every single game. You may be wondering what relevance this has with Robin van Persie, well I will tell you.

The Thierry Henry that came to Arsenal was a talented, quick attacker but had plenty to learn before he transformed into the best striker in world football at that time in my opinion.

But that youngster who arrived at Arsenal at aged 22 (currently the age of a certain Theo Walcott) adjusted pretty quickly to Premier League football and then had week after week of learning on the job. Gaining momentum, finding confidence in his game and improving. If I remember correctly I think the click came when he scored 10 goals in 10 games or something and then from then on his development every single season was so clear and vivid.

I am a huge believer that consistency of playing is the most valuable gift to a footballer. A fit average youngster can have a far better career than an injury ridden talented youngster.

Thierry Henry had the gift of fitness while Robin van Persie has had a stop start Arsenal career ever since his senior mentors left this great club. Where would Robin van Persie be if he had the gift of fitness from back then? What level would van Persie be on if he had played 35 out of 38 games in 2007/08 and lifted the Premier League. Where would he have been if he was spinning off his marker and pulling down yet another Cesc scooped pass for full season after season?

We just do not know, perhaps he may not have the enthusiasm and energy that we see today because of those exact injury problems. Whatever the answer is and we will never know, one thing is for sure, we have missed out on some fantastic goals, some fantastic faints on the right of the penalty box and many victories that we now know as draws or even defeats. But what irks me is that we may have witnessed an even better player today.

We are all a little anxious or even a little worried about ‘that contract’ but I cannot help but feel that van Persie has far more about him than characters like Samir Nasri. I really believe that he will stick around and sign a new contract because the captain’s armband has meant more to him than it has for a number of players previous. Because he truly loves the club and the football we produce.

One thing we will need to do to help that along is get ourselves in the top four at the very least and we will need to perform better offensively from players other than Robin van Persie.

I must say, I disagree with you about Theo Walcott’s finishing. Although with the QPR game in mind it probably isn’t the best time to make this argument. Last season I rather hastily suggested that Theo Walcott is the best finisher at the club but I think I can shove that suggestion in the bin but I still think Walcott is a fantastic finisher who has the full repertoire of finding the net. The trouble is he is out of form in front of goal and I am sure Arsene would have banked on Theo getting more goals at this point.

It is amazing that Theo Walcott is being written off completely in some quarters when he is the same age that Thierry Henry was when he moved here from Juventus back in 1999. The 22 year old Henry was light years away from the 28 year old Henry so I hope that Theo starts to make similar strides forward and the same goes for Wilshere, Ramsey, Song, Gibbs, Chamberlain and many more.

Fingers and toes crossed, here is to a more positive 2012 for Robin van Persie and the rest of our boys.