From frustration in the treatment room, to PFA Player of the Year winner. The rise of RVP!

Over the last few season injuries have often been something that Arsenal fans have referred to, as a reason as to why we haven't finished of the season with trophies. In the last few years, we have been in great positions in the early months, and then have fallen away dramatically (ala Spurs) in the subsequent months, towards the end of the season, leaving us with nothing! One player that was more often than not pinpointed as a key player missing for a long time, thus decreasing our ability to win things, was Mr Robin Van Persie.

I will take 2009/2010 season as an example. At the start of the season we were absolutely flying, scoring goals for fun, the season ahead looked like it could be an exceptional one. On the first day of the season we won 6 - 1 at Goodison against Everton, followed by a 4 - 0 demolition of Portsmouth at the Home of Football, I could go on but I won't for fear of borring the socks of you! The point is we were absolutely flying and I remember RVP was the premier league's leading scorer in the early weeks of this season, and he was relishing his new role as the CF in our new (at the time) 4-3-3/ 4-2-3-1 formation, one which was designed to get the best out of Cesc and the man himself (RVP). It was a tactical move that RVP himself, has since admitted to being sceptical about, as he did not see himself as being able to be a successful CF as he saw himself as more of a second striker (where he had been playing off Adebayor a player who was not replaced after his departure to $ity)

Besides to say RVP was a key factor in our great start to the season, he was on top form. However as had a been a regular theme in the seasons and years leading up to this point, he then got injured in an international friendly against Italy in October 2009, and it was revealed that he had a broken ankle which would leave him out for around 4 - 5 months. This was a big blow! I remember thinking at this point that the man is super super talented, but a liability injury wise, and I have to admit was beginning to think that maybe we should let him go because of his injury record! He was a player who would put in some great performances, score some great goals for a period of time and then get injured and be out again, for a long period of time which was really costing the team goals, as we then had to rely on the likes of Bendtner and Eduardo neither of whom had much confidence for differing reasons. Eduardo was just coming off that hideous injury and Bendtner was always the butt of fans' criticism! Therefore when RVP got injured we were often left suffering in front of goal, it was becoming a too regular occurrence.

That season he did come back towards the end of the campaign, by which time our season was basically as good as over, once again we were ruing what might of been had RVP been fit for the season. The 2010/2011 started in similar vein no RVP after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, however at this point we had a striker on great form in the shape of Maroune Chamakh-attack a recent signing on a free transfer from Bordeaux that summer, which made the loss less problematic than it had been in recent years (especially in the previous season). However since his league comeback against Chealsea in December of that year (2010) he has been spectacular and has been improving all the time. I remember thinking when the team was announced that night at the Emirates and hearing RVPs name read out, that he must be sharp because otherwise Arsene wouldn't have dropped a man in form in the form of Chamakh for such a big game. Sharp he was, as they say form is temporary class is permanent, and class this chap RVP most certainly has! From that game onwards he has been brilliant, has broken record after record: "most away games scored in a row", "most goals by an Arsenal player scored in a calendar year", "first player in premier league to 10 and 20 goals" (2011-12 season), numerous Barclays Premier League and Arsenal.com player of the month awards, and of course the one recently "PFA Players Player of the Year Award" 2011-2012. He has been phenomenal from January last season (2011) till now. He has been fit for a long period of time (every one touch wood please!), for what is really the first time in his career at Arsenal, and we have reaped the benefits of that, there is no doubt!

As I said this is a man that didn't believe he could play as a lone striker as a CF, and believed that he would be better used in the "Cesc role" or as the 2nd Striker. However the last year or so has proved that boy this lad can do such a job, and do it fantastically well!! This is a lad that many (including myself and many of my friends and family) were getting frustrated with from an injury perspective, because every time he got into great form and started driving the team forward he then got another injury, he was becoming a liability. But praise the Lord, thank God the boss stuck with him, as he has with many other players in the past 16 years, because we are now seeing what a fully fit and firing Robin Van Persie can do over a long period of time when injury form, and we are seeing that he can "Score when he wants"!! He is world class, and lets all raise a glass or can/ bottle (whatever) to RVP and the contract talks that are going to start in due-course, and heres hoping he signs on the ".............."!

UP THE ARSENAL!!!

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