Arsenal FC: Robin Van Persie's User Manual and Bacary Sagna Inspired by Cisse

In recent times, there have been two main trends that have been synonymous with Robin van Persie: lots of goals and his pending contract issue.

The media Vultures have done their bit in linking van Persie out of the club with Manchester City dominating the headlines as his potential destination.

Fresh reports are emerging that Bayern Munich has joined the fray of butt-sniffers and the name Anzhi was mentioned too even if Roberto Carlos has quelled those claims. Van Persie has been in good form for Arsenal this season by leading Arsenal’s scoring charts with five goals to his name, and it seems as if Arsenal’s captain is going to be rewarded with a bumper contract.

It’s no more than he deserves if you ask me. The Flying Dutchman has been in Arsenal since 2004, but his Arsenal career has yet to blossom as of late thanks to the lengthy injuries he has suffered season after season. He just notched up a century of goals for the club, and I hope that he’ll come close to breaking Thierry Henry’s superb record of 172 goals, even if he’s some way off right now.

Van Persie has also talked up the ability off the Netherlands in the forthcoming European Championships, and I agree with him because that nation took their qualifying campaign by storm.

However, there’s a Dutch legend that’s clearly not satisfied about Arsenal’s recent tactics, and he has joined the league of football figureheads that have decided to teach other managers how to use a certain player.

When Fernando Torres was struggling for form and fitness after his mega move from Anfield, Rafa Benitez was kind enough to tell Carlo Ancelotti how to manage Torres. Months later, it was Dick Advocaat’s turn to teach Arsene Wenger how to use Andrey Arshavin:

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“One of his problems is that he plays 20 minutes per game. Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger uses him as a player who can be fielded in the second half and who can refresh the game.

Andrey is showing willingness to give the team the best of what he has. I worked with him for over two years at Zenit and I know who he is. A brilliant player of a single episode.

At Arsenal it is not enough to be a player of an episode. Expecting from him a ninety-minute running means not knowing and not understanding Arshavin.”

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I’m pretty sure that Wenger didn’t read that manual because Arshavin hasn’t been the Russian magician that destroyed Holland in the Euro 2008 semifinalss and led Zenit to Europa League glory in the same year.

Dennis Bergkamp has taken out some time to tell everyone how to optimize van Persie to his full capabilities:

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“When I look at Robin van Persie, he is the front player, but he is better in my old position. They are missing an out-and-out goalscorer.

Now they play with an extra midfielder instead [of two strikers, as was the case in Bergkamp's day].

The midfielders are all the same sort of players. You need one who wants to get in behind Van Persie.”

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Bergkamp still declared his faith in Wenger, but he was quick to point out that the club need more leadership behind the scenes. He has bemoaned Arsenal’s failure to sign Patrick Vieira to the club’s backroom staff:

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“I know [Wenger] is the one who will be struggling the most but with his experience, it’ll be OK. There was talk of Patrick going to Arsenal over the summer.

I would have done everything possible to get him there. Just to get him in and around the dressing room. It would have brought so much to the team.”

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Bergkamp is presently enjoying life in Ajax, but he hasn’t ruled out a move to England. He also had a great interview with fellow legend, Martin Keown.

It’s worth a read.

When Arsenal played Tottenham in White Hart Lane on October 2, the world witnessed a horror moment that was suffered by right back Bacary Sagna, and he has been diagnosed to be out until the New Year at least. This is a massive blow to Arsenal, but life without Sagna commences on Saturday, and a lot will be asked of youngster Carl Jenkinson.

Sagna has decided to draw some inspiration from the Blonde Jaguar, Djibril Cisse:

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“Djibril suffered operations worse than mine, and he always came back. He has a force of character that is an example to all players.”

“Some would have decided to give up or come back at a lower level. The fact that he was recalled to the France team, and he showed so much desire, is an example.”

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Cisse suffered horrific leg breaks on both legs but he came back stronger after very lengthy periods out of action.

Recuperating from a long-term injury requires a lot from the player that suffered the injury but it’s not every player that comes back blazing on all cylinders.

Shakhtar’s Eduardo da Silva is a classic example of a player that failed to rediscover form after the long spell out. Abou Diaby is another player that is still affected by that his ankle injury he suffered in May 2006 from that horrible tackle courtesy of a bloke called Dan Smith. Aaron Ramsey’s leg was snapped like a twig by Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross. The Welshman has shown massive improvement and Wilshere’s absence in the squad has given him room to shine.

I wish Sagna all the best and I hope he continues the form that won him a place in the 2008 PFA Team of the Year in his first full season with Arsenal.

Moving over to transfer news, Real Madrid is gunning for Borussia Dortmund midfielder and Arsenal target Mario Gotze, while the Gunners have been linked with Ligue 1 winger Aymen Abdennour. Wenger has a thing for Ligue 1, and I’ll have to do some homework on this chap.

“Where’s YouTube when you need it.”

It also seems as if AC Milan is going to beat Arsenal to sign Riccardo Montolivo from Fiorentina, and the Incredible (Brazilian) Hulk’s agent is saying that Arsenal is interested in signing the £87m man.

Even if Mr. Hulk of Porto decides to turn green and tear his jersey into bits while increasing in his mass, I can never fathom Arsene Wenger releasing £87m to acquire the bloke. Wenger can use £87m to buy two football teams worth of players if he has his way.

To wrap it all up, Djourcielny is back, Theo Walcott doesn’t want to take his England place for granted and Jack Wilshere has reaffirmed his future to Arsenal.

The quote of the day goes to my pal, Gareth J. Morgan:

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“I hope that van Persie’s love for the club will be enough to make him sign, but quality players need to play in quality sides, and unfortunately we are looking far from quality at the moment.”

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Sayonara.