You always worry when Arsene starts talking about resting players citing fears they could suffer burnout…mostly because he then doesn’t rest them and they suffer burnout, or their muscles disintegrate, or their legs fall off, or all of the above.
Acknowledging that striker Robin van Persie has played a quite a lot of football for a man who spent his formative years taking six month holidays with Colin Lewin’s scalpel sticking out of him, the Frenchman admits it may be time to give the Dutchman a break and let his teammates pick up some of the slack.
He says it, but does so with all the gumption of a reformed crack addict who is lighting up his favourite pipe and waiting to inhale. So you get the feeling he doesn’t really mean it. Although he’d like to mean it. Sort of.
Speaking to assembled press at the training ground, Wenger touched on his quandary about playing his Captain Vantastic.
“It is a difficult decision to make at the moment,” said the manager. “But I will have to do it [rest him].
“On Monday I decide always to rest him and on Friday I play him again.
“I don’t know about Sunday [against Stoke]. We will assess everybody on Saturday morning, then I’ll make the decision on the day. But I will have to rotate a little bit.”
While Wayne Rooney earned all the plaudits last year for his talismanic performances for Manchester United, Wenger now believes that Van Persie has usurped all other strikers in the Premier League with his consistency since January.
“Robin has scored 28 goals in 35 games so you always have that dilemma. This season he is certainly [the best all-round striker in the Premier League] and, in the last six months, certainly the most efficient.
“You like Robin because he’s not a typical goal-scorer. When you see him play it never comes to your mind that this guy is a goal-scorer. And then you look at the record and think he’s not only a good player, he’s a top-class goal-scorer as well.
“For all the other goal-scorers you do the opposite. You think they do not contribute too much to the game but they score the goals. For him you look and say ‘this is a good player’. And then you see that he scores as well goals.”
Arseblog News is keeping its collective fingers crossed that RVP can stay fit for the remainder of the season (it’s quite hard typing while doing that…try it), but suggests if the worst comes to the worst, Arsene try playing that Korean fella he bought from time to time. Surely he can’t be that bad can he?
Park does exactly what his name says, unfortunately. He parks his arse on the bench.
At least he’s over the first step; Admission
Maybe it’s all part of a brilliant plan to make people think Park is shit. Then, one day, when it looks like we have no other choice, he comes on and BAM! The opposition is totally unprepared for his skills.
Pure Wenger.
would love this to be the case. skinning nasri and scoring the winner in a champions leauge semi final….
You don’t remember Batista?!
The ex-wrestler? I’m not sure how great he is at football but he may do well in the BSP or North and South.
Now i remember Julio Baptista playing for us…..
And I’m addicted to watching him. Just a pleasure to watch his runs, his killer instinct, his ruthlessness, and his attitude.
Would be even funnier if Park shat on Nasri’s chest.
“On Monday I decide always to rest him and on Friday I play him again.”
This one line gives fair indication that Msr Wenger has zero or little faith in the so called strikers we have at the club. We can only hope that in January he brings in someone who can at least hold his own as a striker or promotes from within *cough* Walcott. I think if Walcott is given his chance as a striker we may just see him sign a new contract.
Surprise Arsene…..US TOO !!!
[…] who is playing most of our games, but the fact that said player is scoring most of our goals. Arsene said: Robin has scored 28 goals in 35 games so you always have that dilemma. On Monday I decide always […]
Robins dad knew before everyone that he’d be a top player.
It’s pretty normal for captains to play all games when they are fit. He should miss league cup games and be on the bench for the last two UCL games after we’ve made it through. He can also be on the bench for one or two odd premierleague games but if I were gaffer, I’d play him from the start, demand that we are at least three goals up by the hour mark(especially during home games against so-called lesser opposition(s)) and then take him off. That way he gets a bit of rest from time to time. However if he’s… Read more »
why wont he b addicted 2 play him. He is d best striker in Epl. Jst dat he’s injury prone which i pray dat he defeat it
Sort your spelling out dude. Text speak is wnk.
Is your name text speak aswell
wenger is only afraid of his injury records, which is fair enough. Truth is, top players play virtually all their clubs’ matches.
I believe he’s over his injury woes. There is the need to play other strikers though. We have at least two others. Play them.
Tottaly not relevant and I’m many of you don’t watch seire a, but Italian playmaker will be available next summer on a bosman. the papers have linked us with him in the past but he would really well into any Arsenal midfield. I would also hope that the club continues it’s chase of Lyon’s Gourcuff, though we should of signed him earlier on in his career.
How embarrassing I forgot to mention the Italian playmakers name…. It’s Montolivo
Stupid iphone
[…] from fatigue. However, Arsene has admitted that though Van Persie is a superb player, he is most likely to be rested some time soon, and possibly for tomorrow’s […]
Aaron Ramsey scores V Man Utd (01/05/11) – Bin Laden (02/05/11)
Aaron Ramsey scores V Tottenham (02/10/11) – Steve Jobs (05/10/11)
Aaron Ramsey scores V Marseille (19/10/11) – Col. Gadaffi (20/10/11)
weird?
Scores against Stoke, Pulis heart attack. One can but hope.
Who does he have to score against to seal Sepp Blatter’s fate?
His missus
Pulis or that knuckle dragging gimp Shawcross will do,fuck Blatter…although Aaron leaving the leg breaking prick flloundering as he scores the winner would do nicely!COYG.
haha..platt,clichy,nasri,tourex2, cheers !!