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.

Podolski hails Arsenal

Lukas Podolski has encouraged Arsenal to keep up their pursuit by describing Arsene Wenger's side as a 'top club'.
Wenger is keen to sign the Germany striker from Cologne for £20million in January amid uncertainty about Robin van Persie's future at the club.
Podolski has been dismayed by his side's poor performances and talks to extend his contract beyond 2013 have stalled.


Asked about Arsenal's interest, the 26-year-old said with a smile: 'Arsenal are a top club. They have a good team and play right at the top level in England.' 
Cologne are just five points off the bottom of the Bundesliga after losing four of their last six games.


They are already out of the German cup and are not playing in Europe this season, which is a far cry from the level of club Podolski thought he was joining when he left Bayern Munich in 2009.
Earlier this week he admitted he could his hometown club, saying: 'My family and friends may live here, but if I am in top condition, then I think I could fit into any side in Europe. I am not forced to stay only in Cologne.'

Courtesy: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Boca Juniors hold Arsenal for a draw

Arsenal's endless summer saga of where Samir Nasri and Cesc Fábregas may ply their trade next paused briefly for a home bow against Diego Maradona's old club before Arsène Wenger, yet again, addressed the issue.

Regarding Nasri, who has a year left on his contract and is interesting Manchester City, Wenger informed him for the first time publicly that he should make a decision. "In the next 10 days it has to be clear on that front. If you ask me, do I want to keep him, I say yes. But he needs to be committed to that as well."

Wenger had included Fábregas in his ultimatum of 10 days, but, pressed on this, he softened the stance. "I don't give them 10 days, the transfer period is until 31 August. Ideally, we go into big games in the next two weeks, so in the next two weeks we need to sort our problems out, but there is no specific deadline of one day or 24 hours."

On Friday, Wenger had stated that, despite Fábregas wanting to leave for Barcelona, he would not be allowed to do so for less than Arsenal's valuation, with the Catalan club so far not returning with an improvement on their £27m bid earlier this summer.

Yet Wenger conceded that Nasri, if he does remain beyond September, could walk away next summer for free. Asked how much of a concern this would be, the manager conceded the point. "It's not ideal for us, of course, on the financial side, but, on the sporting side, he is an important player," Wenger said.

Gervinho's performance in a first-half cameo against Boca had suggested he may prove a vital performer this season. Yet, while the 24-year-old has a directness so chronically missing from these parts recently, Arsenal's concession of a two-goal advantage indicated their old problem of defensive brittleness may yet haunt Wenger's men again.

Once more, Fábregas was not included because of a hamstring problem – he is yet to feature this pre-season and may never again do so – while Nasri lined up in his familiar wide-left berth. This was a starting XI that missed Wojciech Szczesny, Alex Song, Bacary Sagna, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs from the strongest Wenger might field.

At its head was Gervinho, the £11m signing from Lille whose first telling contribution was to create Robin van Persie's opener. Peeling away from his central attacking position to the left, Gervinho took possession from a clever Jack Wilshere pass before pinging in a cross that Van Persie smashed home.

After the break, the substitute Aaron Ramsey smacked home Arsenal's second with his first touch, but the Gunners' flakiness then showed. A mistake by Sébastien Squillaci too near goal allowed Juan Riquelme to find Lucas Viatri, who pulled the first one back for the visitors.

Next, Johan Djourou let Pablo Mouche mug him, then slide home beyond Vito Mannone. Wenger claimed he was not concerned by the lapse, but he has some hard thinking to do on a few fronts.

Credits to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk

Arsenal settle for a draw against Greentown

The Gunners were desperately poor at the back in the first half and fell behind to a goal from Sebastian Vazquez after 16 minutes following a mistake from goalkeeper Vito Mannone.
Carlos Vela continued his impressive pre-season campaign when drawing Arsenal level on the stroke of half-time with a finish from close range, and though the Gunners improved markedly after their manager made 11 changes at the break, they were unable to find a winner in China.
Wenger was adamant earlier this week that his side does not have a weakness in defence, despite evidence to the contrary last season, and his players set about attempting to prove him wrong in an error-strewn first-half performance.
Mannone was forced into making a good save after only two minutes as Arsenal's defence was opened up by a ball over the top - a familiar scenario for the North London club in recent seasons - while Armand Traore also struggled at left-back.
After quarter of an hour, the Gunners were once again exposed as Uruguayan forward Paulo Pezzolano exploited uncertainty between the unconvincing Johan Djourou and Sebastien Squillaci when curling a shot against the base of the post.
Inside two minutes, Hangzhou were ahead. Mannone made a terrible mess of a free-kick and after he fumbled the ball in the box, Vazquez pounced amid a stationary Arsenal defence to slot home the opening goal.
Arsenal grew into the contest slowly and saw Samir Nasri - starting despite persistent speculation regarding his future - go close with a neat volley that flew just wide of the post, but chances were few and far between as the Premier League side struggled for fluidity.
On the brink of half-time though, they found an equaliser. Andrei Arshavin looped a pass over the top of the Greentown defence and after Van Persie's cushioned shot was palmed away by Jiang Bo, Vela was alert to bundle the ball home.
Wenger made 11 changes at half-time and the result was a far more cohesive, energetic performance. Indeed, Arsenal nearly took the lead on 55 minutes when a shot from Aaron Ramsey from the edge of the box threatened to squirm away from the keeper and in.
As Arsenal pressed with much more verve, they continued to create chances and just before the hour mark Ryo Miyaichi laid the ball off to Kieran Gibbs, who saw his low drilled effort palmed away expertly by substitute Gu Chao.
Gibbs was a bundle of energy and on 64 minutes it was his run that resulted in Theo Walcott being played in on the right of the box. His initial shot was blocked and Walcott lobbed the follow-up over the bar. His team-mates, Gibbs especially, were unimpressed.
Walcott was his usual frustrating self but on 78 minutes was unlucky not to score when darting in ahead of his man to meet a cross from Miyaichi and head narrowly over the bar.
Miyaichi and Marouane Chamakh both forced Gu into smart saves in the closing minutes but the Gunners were unable to make a winner materialise.

Credits to: http://asia.eurosport.com/

Arsenal linked with Wolves striker

It is been reported that Arsenal are linked with Wolves striker Kevin Dolye for a  £12million move to the Emirates.
Kevin Doyle can provide Wenger with very good attacking choices with the likeliness of Robin Van Persie and Gervinho.