Still Time To Rely On Robin

Robin Van Persie needed just over 20 minutes in last night’s clash with Spurs to demonstrate his value to Arsenal and possibly to Fantasy Managers over the remaining four matches. Emerging from the bench, Van Persie was the catalyst for a frenzied last quarter at White Hart Lane but but despite his best efforts, he could not prevent the Gunners slipping to a defeat that all but ended their title ambitions.

While the Dutchman’s propensity for injury will always concern over the course of a season, his showing last night gave us no real short-term concerns. He will surely be available to Wenger for the last four league matches and therefore back on our radars…

“It felt good and I am happy to be back”

On another night Van Persie’s introduction would have brought immediate returns – the Dutchman was only denied by improbable gymnastics from Heurelho Gomes; the Brazilian keeper first turning away a rasping volley on 79 minutes before deflecting a curling free-kick just four minutes later. Had those gone in, there would be no question that Van Persie would have been top of our shopping lists going into the gameweek deadline…

Arsene Wenger had no doubts about the impact of Van Persie, singling out Arsenal’s lack of punch in attack as a key factor in last night’s defeat…

“One,Tottenham defended very well and two, we were not good enough with our final ball in the final third….That is the story of the game today until Robin Van Persie came on. It transformed our game in the final third…He has not kicked a ball for five months in a football team. You could see straight away when he came on that he could give us something different and something special.”

That would appear to put Van Persie firmly in the manager’s mind for a start at Wigan. Arsenal have to go for goals and the win at the DW stadium and Van Persie showed enough last night to demonstrate his fitness and value to the Arsenal cause. A start on the bench may be on the cards again, although it’s questionable whether Wenger can risk watching his side enjoy “a lot of ineffective possession” whilst the undoubted cutting edge from Van Persie remains seated next to him.

Where does this leave Nicklas Bendtner? Possibly still in the eleven but shifted out to the right flank – a role he took up on several occasions early on in the season when Van Persie’s cylinders were firing to full effect.

While there are slight doubts over Wayne Rooney’s availability going into the Manchester derby and real concerns over the chances of Fernando Torres taking to the field against Wets Ham on Monday, Van Persie appears to offer a strong alternative. It’s hard to see him not playing a part against Wigan and on last night’s evidence, it’s also difficult to imagine that Wigan can match the heroic resistance of Heurelho Gomes.