Time to give the Dutchman the rest he needs?
24 goals, eights assists, United sitting 12 points clear of the Noisy Neighbours, to say the signing of Robin Van Persie has been a success is akin to stating Ryan Giggs has a bit of experience. The Dutch striker has grabbed the title race by the throat and all but strangled the life out of it.
Yet the past few weeks it’s been obvious that all is not quite as rosy as it once was for the player who’s become as essential to United’s team as a certain Scouse striker used to be.
In the past nine games Van Persie has one goal, a record nowhere near what a player of his quality should be enjoying. Now before you all start defending him let me add this isn’t a criticism of our star striker, merely a ‘fact’ that simply highlights the point I’m slowly bumbling towards, a point many Reds have noticed. Van Persie needs a rest, both physically and dare I say mentally of having to be relied upon even when he’s on the bench to ALWAYS come on if things aren’t going United’s way- Braga anyone?
Take the games previous to the last nine, where Van Persie’s record was nine goals in as many games- there’s the rub as the Bard would say, we know what he’s capable of and we do need him but he needs a rest. Looking at some of his recent performances you can see how vital RVP is to the side, his control, his link up play with those around him, his skill, but not recently his goals and dare I say “swagger” which seems to have deserted him a little of late.
The game at the Bernabeu was a case in point, I have no doubt that without Van Persie United would not have left their on equal terms as his contribution was fundamental to the Red cause. Yet let’s not sugar coat it, a fully firing RVP would have buried at least two of the three chances he had and all but ended the entire tie.
The Chelsea game on Sunday highlighted the problem United face with RVP- he needs a rest but we need him. One of the most disappointing aspects of United’s capitulation was the fact that yet again, we couldn’t allow the former Arsenal striker to have a rest, we HAD to bring him on.
Robin Van Persie is enjoying one of the longest runs he’s ever had in his professional career, yet it may just be time to let him have the rest he so obviously needs.
My worry over Van Persie is that his form will continue to suffer at the time when United need him the most, mainly as it seems too much of a risk to drop him from the squad altogether- even for the upcoming game against struggling Reading. Wayne Rooney’s erratic season and Danny Welbeck’s lack of goals mean that other than Chicharito the Reds don’t have a striker we can really rely on for goals if Van Persie is not available. Dare we take the chance and drop him from the squad this weekend? Give him a break from the pressure he’s under at the moment?
Do you agree or is this all completely bonkers? Feel free to comment suggest and abuse below:
The problem is not with RVP. The midfield paraded by United is to mediocre to provide the necessary arsenal for RVP to unleash on opposing teams. How many assists has your Carrick the chairman of the United midfield provided with all the matches he has played? Can you compare Carrick with Yaya Toure, Lampard, Gerrard etc? The United midfield isn’t just good enough. Parading the likes of Valencia, Young, Anderson, Cleverly as United midfielders will take the team nowhere. SAF must put sentiment aside and give Nick Powell enough playing time in addition to bringing in two top midfielders in the summer otherwise we should forget about European football glory and probably remain as local champions in England.