Arsene Wenger believes striker is key
Arsene Wenger has singled out skipper Robin Van Persie as Arsenal’s most important player, as he has admitted that it is almost impossible to rest the star as they look to climb the Premier League table.
It is likely that the forward will start in Sunday’s Premier League clash against Stoke, resulting in Van Persie playing his 42nd game of 2011 for club and country.
However, admitting that he has tried to, Wenger has insisted that he cannot risk resting the Dutch star who has scored 28 goals in 35 games for the Gunners this year.
The Frenchman said: “On a Monday, I always decide to rest him and on Friday, I play him again.
“It is always a difficult decision to make but I’ll have to do it at some stage.
“Robin has scored 28 goals in 35 games so you always have that dilemma. But, as well, you know you cannot continue like that.” Wenger added
“In the last six months he has certainly been at his most efficient.
“You like Robin because he’s not a typical goalscorer. When you see him play it never comes to your mind that this guy is a goalscorer.
The Gunner’s chief went on to say, “And then you look at the record and think he’s not only a good player, he’s a top-class goalscorer as well.
“For all the other goalscorers you do the opposite. You think they do not contribute too much to the game but they score the goals. For him it’s the opposite. You look, see this is a good player – and then you see that he scores many goals as well.”
Wenger is certain that his key man will continue to improve and believes that the 28-year-old has become a leader following his newly instated role as club captain due to Cesc Fabregas’ summer departure.
Wenger concluded with, “He’s made a big improvement on the mental side since he has arrived at this club.
“And I think the final step was the armband. Yes, he had a history of being a bit temperamental. But he is a guy who takes things on board.”
