Van Persie taken out cold by Italian job
ByTrick question: How do you know that November is here?
Answer: Arsenal start accumulating injuries in a conspiracy to make November our worst month.
Whether it’s Gael Clichy and Niclas Bendtner being cheated by the spirits of Halloween and getting their injuries on 31st October; or whether it’s Diaby picking up a knock right at the stage where he’s gathering momentum; or whether it’s RVP being taken out by insalubrious forces – we know we’re in November when you see the sensationalist and panic ridden headlines about Arsenal being out of the title race.
If you had a scanner or some techy device that could pick up the mood of Arsenal fans around the world last night, you would have heard a collective and resounding ‘Foxtrot Yankee’ from all fans to, Uhm! Let me see – Giorgio Chiellini and his kith and kin, Sepp Blatter and his pack of corrupt FIFA punks, the Dutch FA for taking unnecessary risks by playing irrelevant friendlies, the staff nurse at the local hospital RVP was taken to for not tweeting the extent of the injuries and keeping us guessing. Take your pick, but Arsenal fans were eternally pissed off last night, and they probably will be for the rest of the season.
Looking at the video again, it’s hard to tell whether it’s the dangerous tackle that pisses me off more, or whether it’s the fact that Chiellini is being hi-fived by his team mates. That scene smirks of the disdain and impunity that Liam Ridgwell and his fellow thugs at Birmingham City showed after he took out Theo Walcott in a dangerous tackle hailed by the English establishment as ‘fit and proper’. If there was any evidence that the tackle on Walcott was dangerous, then the fact that he’s needlessly out of action for weeks on end speaks for itself.
As the cold light of day passes, I think Arsenal fans around the world will still be monumentally pissed off especially because RVP will miss a chunk of this season right when he has hit the form of his life because of a meaningless friendly match.
I would suggest that focussing on where he got the injury is a red herring. Players run the risk of getting injured when they step on the pitch. The more pertinent issue for me is that fans must and should have faith that we have a talented and technically astute squad that will adjust to playing without RVP.
No one will deny that at the moment, RVP is probably the most in-form and lethal striker in the world, especially because of his overall playmaking and contribution to the game. He recently pointed this out by suggesting he’s not an out and out conventional striker and he is playing well as a playmaker extraodinre, making our team more potent. We will no doubt miss what RVP brings to the team and his leadership and talent up front.
However, it would be unfair and premature to suggest that others won’t be able to step up to the plate and deliver. Of course the punditry and establishment will suggest that we’ll fall apart, but if there’s one thing we have that many other teams don’t have, it’s options, options, options. Not long ago (the beginning of the season really), most people wrote off RVP as not being able to perform the role of a lead striker. I think that conversation died its natural death. Equally, The team will find a way of getting the best out of the players assigned to step in and any conversation about RVP’s replacements struggling will also die a natural death and be buried in the Punditry cemetery right next to the first claim about RVP’s inability to shine.
The most obvious choice is Eduardo Da Silva who has played impeccably as a lead striker before for his country and previous club. Eduardo is as lethal a playmaker as he is an assassin in front of goal and there’s no question in my mind that the team will adjust sharpish to take advantage of Eduardo’s strengths.
We can only hope that the path to recovery for RVP is a short one. There’s no point speculating about how long it will take him to return until Colin and his medical team confirm this officially tomorrow. I’m sure Arsenal will spare no expense in providing RVP with the best medical care and rehabilitation in the world – but for now, we must and should have faith that Arsenal is not a one man team and the squad will stand up and be counted.
RVP can make himself useful meanwhile by spending some quality time with his young daughter Dina Layla, changing diapers, and occasionally massaging Bouchra’s feet.
Tue 13th September 2011; 19:45, Dortmund
I finally decided to write a comment on your blog. I just wanted to say good job. I really enjoy reading your posts.
Randy. Thank you for taking the plunge from lurker to participant. I’m glad you enjoy the blog and hope you stick around.
Why the hell has this kind of stuff always happen to Arsenal? Right when he’s playing wonderfully too……..damn you internationals!!!!!
Now it’s time for the others to really step up and take charge……I’d say Eduardo is the obvious choice but don’t forget Vela either….that is of course if he comes back fully fit….oh dear
Diceman. I think the folly here would be for us to find ourselves in a situation where we find it difficult to adjust.
Considering our history with injuries, we only have ourselves to blame for not considering and putting in place options that will allow the squad to show it’s strength and depth. RVP’s injury is very disappointing, especially in the manner it came about, but the team will have to set this aside and focus.
Like you, I’m very confident about Eduardo and Vela being able to shine when called upon to stand up and be counted. Bendy will also be back in 4 to 6 weeks and one would hope that Bendy sees this as an opportunity to move to the next level.
RVP should be taken care of with the business end of the season in mind. If he is indeed out for 2 to 3 months, then he’ll be back in late January when we will need his leadership and skill in helping us navigate a difficult business end to the season.
Meanwhile, the squad has a job to do.
Pretty much agree with you, Darius. It is comforting to get the views of the sensible on these matters.
For me these interlulls are a real pain the arse because they deprive us of interesting football for 2 weeks, interfere with your teams’ needs – get back after a defeat- want to continue good form,no time to prepare for the following match, particularly important if away, as we generally are & we always pick up an injury.
What a bore fest that England- Brazil game was. Brazil are a shadow of their great teams.
Of course you are right we shall adapt. Our problem is it always seems to be the players in a particular position that are crocked at the same time.
On the bright side someone gets the opportunity, Vela & Walcott or even Watt to show what they can do as attackers, because Eduardo will not be able to play every game. Maybe Ramsey could play a RVP style role he is very versatile.
Also if the RVP scenario is 2/3 months & not even more serious, we get him back refreshed for the business end of the season.
Flint. I honestly found it mind numbing to watch that England Brazil game. With Brazil, I can actually understand why they’re a more defensive and well ‘boring’ team at times. Dunga has brought his defensive mindedness to the team as a former no nonsense midfield enforcer.
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll get any fluency with spoilers like Melo and our Gilberto sitting in front of the back 4 like guard dogs with a mission.
As for England, I honestly hope that the season is kind to the key players because if that was the display that you’ll get in South Africa, they might as well not board the plane. I think the person who benefitted more was Capello, because rather than focus on hyperbole about what England can do – he had a viable opponent to measure his team against. This way, he will be under no illusion as to what this England squad is capable of.
I will not be surprised at this stage to see Little Jack Willy and Kieran Gibbs called up to the squad – because honestly, this so called second string is toothless. They’ll let England down.
I recently wrote the post Why England won’t win the 2010 World cup and I’m sticking to my story.
International football has over time become a defensive sterile imitation of the game we love, hence even the likes of Kaka are rarely able to break free from it. The very fact that dear old “Beast” is a regular in their squad tells you all you need to know.
I am so hooked by football that I will still try to see as many games as I can when the WC or Euros are on but in all honesty if you have seen 3 or 4 games that have been compelling entertainment, in each of the last several tournaments, that will be a lot. The last WC Final was typical with a poor Italy side winning almost by default. France ’98 was the last decent tournament, following ’96 Euros but it has been rapidly downhill since then.
It is not like club football because the vast majority of international games are uneven contests, where one of the sides has no ambition whatsoever. Clubs can be strong in every position & that is rare with any international team.
For this reason I would say if Greece can win the Euros, England can win the WC. Spain winning the Euros was unusual in that the best team actually won the competition.
Next years WC will be played in winter conditions, which will help England’s style if that is what you call it. Capello appears to be a down to earth manager, who may get the best out of the English players, who are unlikely to come up against any truly exceptional competition. The narcism that you so rightly highlight is important but I imagine that that trait is not just the prerogative of the English alone.
I do not expect England to win it but it is definitely an outside possibility. Would I want them to win? Yes if they deserve it by somehow playing great football, despite the fact that Sir John & Sir Wayne would be in front of us for the rest of my days.
What I really resent at the moment is the perennially stupid FA demeaning itself before the bunch of corrupt c##ts, that are FIFA, to get the 2018 WC.
I must admit that my annoyance over the RVP injury stems from the fact that it happened in a meaningless friendly. I do have complete faith in Eduardo and Vela. But my concern is that Eduardo may still not be able to play every week and Vela may yet again be injured from his long journeys to and from Mexico. You will admit that he has always come back with one injury or the other since the season begins.
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