Van Persie Is the Same, but Which Team Is Better?

For Robin Van Persie, Old Trafford was once an unforgiving place. As an Arsenal player the Dutchman never sampled victory at Manchester United’s Theatre of Dreams. United’s unbeaten home run against Arsene Wenger’s side dates to 2006; in fact, the Gunners sustained their biggest Premier League defeat the last time they visited.

Van Persie scored that day (although he also missed a penalty), turning in a performance that marked him as the Gunners’ only outstanding figure. It was a trend that carried throughout Arsenal’s season, with Van Persie scoring 30 times in the league, 40 percent of his team’s total for the season.

So considering the apparent gulf that already existed between United and Arsenal last season, and the off-season move of Van Persie to the northern side of the rivalry, is it safe to assume that gap has widened as the teams prepare to meet on Saturday (8:30 a.m. Eastern, ESPN2)? Is United better with Van Persie? Is Arsenal worse without him?

League tables never lie, it is said, so one drawing a comparison using the Premier League standings would conclude that Arsenal is actually better without Van Persie, having taken 15 points from their opening nine Premier League games, compared to only 13 from the same number of fixtures last season.

Of course, this comparison is far too simplistic, but it does dispel the common consensus that Wenger’s decision to let the Dutch striker leave the Emirates has critically weakened his team. Van Persie has continued his impressive goalscoring form with United, scoring seven times in seven Premier League starts. But has United become as reliant on him as Arsenal was often perceived to be?

Van Persie was responsible for a big chunk of Arsenal’s total attempts on goal last season, a little more than 26 percent. However, despite United’s supposed superior attacking line, Van Persie has taken a larger share of his new team’s overall shots in his first seven league starts, just over 32 percent. This would fit assumptions if Van Persie’s lower share was the result of a larger total attempts count by United. Yet Arsenal averaged almost 17 shots on goal per game last season, compared with only 15 by the Red Devils this year. But if Arsenal was indeed a one-man team last season, United is just as reliant on Van Persie already.

Wenger did not directly replace Van Persie at Arsenal. Instead he strengthened his squad across the board, giving the Gunners more attacking options by bringing in dynamic forwards like Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski, as well as the Frenchman Olivier Giroud. Wingers Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Theo Walcott have also been given more attacking responsibility.

That burden is now shared across Arsenal’s new look inter-changeable front line, with no one player enjoying more than 18 percent of the Gunners’ total attempts on goal. Some actually argue that Wenger’s decision to let Van Persie leave the Emirates has actually made his team more balanced. He also might have proved that the Gunners are not doomed without the Dutchman after all.

In Arsenal’s opening nine games last season they averaged 15 attempts on goal per game, hitting the target 34 percent of the time, and scoring 15 times. This year the Gunners have averaged 18 attempts on goal, with an on target rate of 33 percent, and have found the net 14 times.

So if Van Persie’s move north hasn’t weakened Arsenal, has it at least made United better?

By contrasting the opening seven games of United’s 2011-12 season, without Van Persie, and 2012-13 season, with him, it’s possible to get a glimpse of his impact. United averaged 18 attempts on goal (7.2 on target) and 3.4 goals in their opening seven league fixtures last season (numbers padded, for sure, by an 8-2 win over Van Persie’s Arsenal). This season they have averaged only 16 attempts on goal (6 on target) and 2.8 goals per game. The difference is too slight to conclude the signing of Van Persie has unsettled or even weakened United’s strike force, but neither can it be said that an improvement is clear.

Wenger has urged the Arsenal supporters making the journey north for Saturday’s game to show respect to Van Persie, their former captain, reminding them of what he did for the club during his eight years there. Those Arsenal players who were made to suffer sheer ignominy at Old Trafford last season, however, will have incentive in trying to prove to their former leader that they’re better off without him.

MANCHESTER UNITED VS ARSENAL TOMORROW MATCH DAY PREVIEW

All eyes will be on Old Trafford on Saturday as Manchester United striker Robin van Persie takes on Arsenal for the first time since leaving the Gunners in the summer.

Nonetheless, despite plenty of attention being drawn to how the Dutchman will do against the players he captained last season, there are also three vital points at stake for both Barclays Premier League title contenders.

After closing the gap on leaders Chelsea with a controversial 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge last week, United will be looking to maintain the pressure on the Blues, while Arsenal are currently sixth on the table but are only six points off the summit.

Arsene Wenger's men may have produced one of the most memorable comebacks in recent history on Tuesday when they came from 4-0 down to record a 7-5 extra-time victory over Reading in the Capital One Cup, but the way they defended against a side currently in the relegation zone will leave their manager sweating at the prospect of taking on a Red Devils attack consisting of Van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia and an in-form Javier Hernandez.

United themselves were eliminated from the Capital One Cup on Wednesday as they fell to a 5-4 extra-time at Chelsea after thrice taking the lead, and with the likes of Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski firing on all cylinders, Sir Alex Ferguson's defence could also be under severe pressure on Saturday.

It’s Chris Samba or Gary Cahill For Arsenal – Or Is It?

I  It is the general consensus at Arsenal that the team needs a strong, forceful centre back to add to the spine of the team and help them to some much needed trophies. It is also the general feeling among the gossip columns that Arsene Wenger will choose between either Blackburn's Chris Samba, or Bolton's Gary Cahill to fill that gap in his squad. But which one will it be? In truth, both seem increasingly unlikely for various reasons, so lets evaluate why.

Lets start with Chris Samba. At 27 years-old and a good 5 years with Blackburn, Samba has plenty of experience that the Arsenal team is often said to be lacking in. He stands at a towering 6 foot 4 inches, and is a force to be reckoned with defending set pieces, with his large frame able to reach above the attacking opponents to clear the danger. He would slot nicely into the defence alongside the combative Thomas Vermaelen, who was missed terribly last season for Arsenal.

Samba revealed last season that he was close to joining Arsenal in the January transfer market, which shows that Arsenal are clearly interested in the player, which is good news, as it shows Wenger's intent to add experience and power to his defence. However, Arsenal's £10 million bid was not enough to persuade Blackburn part with their captain, but it is thought that £12 million would be the price in which Blackburn would be willing to let Samba go.

Unfortunately for Arsenal, recent transfer events have transpired against them. In fact, it may be arch rivals Manchester United's fault that Arsenal miss out on Samba - not because United are themselves interested in Samba, but because Sir Alex Ferguson has recently stolen Samba's young defensive partner Phil Jones away from Ewood Park. Would Blackburn be willing to let both halves of their defensive backbone leave the club in one transfer window?

That doesn't seem likely unless Arsenal tie up a deal for Samba quickly, as that way, Blackburn will have both the time in the market and the money from the sales of the pair to find some replacements and back-up. Last season Samba and Jones were vital players in the sides survival, and so losing them both would not help the club one bit - the club surely understand this, and however swiftly a deal for Samba could be done would still be very reluctant in letting him go.

Next, and to Gary Cahill. He, like Samba is a strong, fearless defender, and having played in the Premier League since 2004, has the experience needed at Arsenal. At 25 years-old, he has more of a long term future than Samba, and has more time for improvement, though some may argue potential is not what Arsenal need at the moment.

The gossip columns have been all over this story, with Cahill said to be wanted by Manchester City as well as Arsenal, and will cost at least £17 million to match the players release clause in his Bolton contract.

Should I stop there? Wenger probably would want to after hearing £17 million. That amount would be the immediate detractor for Arsenal, whilst being absolutely no obstacle for City. The Daily Mail have come up with a clever little solution of sorts for Wenger, as they claim that Arsenal may offer their young 19 year-old Spanish centre back Ignasi Miquel on loan to Bolton as well as cash to persuade them to part with Cahill.

Of course, a player plus cash deal seems attractive for Bolton, but with Miquel's inexperience in the Premier League, it seems a big risk for them and a young experiment for Arsenal to see how their youth player does at the Reebok. Bolton are no stranger to Arsenal's loans, with a very useful one in Jack Wilshere occurring just two season ago in which the 19 year-old came of age and subsequently broke into the Arsenal first team, but this one may be less attractive.

If it is money Bolton are looking for, then City would win a bidding war with Arsenal immediately. So, if Wenger does make one of these players his priority for the summer, then it looks more likely to be Chris Samba, due simply because he is the cheaper option and it would avoid a huge bidding war with big spender Manchester City. Contrary to some reports then, it will be either Samba or Cahill rather than Samba and Cahill who may join recent £1 million signing Carl Jenkinson at Arsenal.

Tell me what you think!