The phrase “must-have” is far too often overused when measuring the merits of Fantasy prospects.Sometimes it can take just a brief burst of form to get certain bandwagons up and running; a hat-trick here and a double there and managers are scrambling to juggle budgets in order to accommodate the latest flavour of the month.
There have been contenders this season, no doubt. Wayne Rooney flew out the traps, firing 9 goals in his first five gameweeks, while over in the blue half of Manchester, Sergio Aguero was adjusting to life at the Etihad seamlessly following his summer move from Atletico Madrid. The Argentine bagged 8 goals over the same period as City’s new attacking outlook took the top-flight by storm.
Robin Van Persie was sluggish in comparison. Five games in and the Dutchman has found the net just once. In retrospect, those stats read more like an absurd anomaly now, a brief stain in an otherwise immaculate record that shows no sign of letting up.
There was something of an inevitability about today’s trip to Carrow Road. Can we really raise an eyebrow at a brace, with the maximum bonus surely certain to follow? Paul Lambert’s Norwich can take solace in the fact they are simply another in a long line of opponents put to the sword by an extraordinary scoring spree that has seen Van Persie find the net 12 times in the last seven gameweeks as the new-look Arsenal storm up the table.
This article is no more than a homage to you then, RVP. A thankyou from Fantasy managers who seem to have finally found their new Cristiano Ronaldo. Back in 2007/08, the Man United man grabbed 31 goals in 34 games and was, arguably, the last real must-have. Good for the armband most weeks, almost always guaranteed to produce the points.
Since the start of this calendar year, in a run of 28 league games stretching back to a trip to St Andrews on New Year’s day, Van Persie has now scored a total of 31 goals. The likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri may be gone but the goals are far from drying up- whether it’s Chelsea away or Bolton at home, Van Persie steamrollers teams regardless. A Fantasy captain for every occasion, a real Robin relentless.
