Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie profile

• Name

  Robin van Persie

• Born

  August 06, 1983

• Rotterdam, Netherlands

• Position

  Striker

• Squad Number

  11

• Previous Club(s)

  Feyenoord

• Joined Arsenal

  May 17, 2004

• Arsenal Debut

  Manchester United (n)

• Community Shield

• August 08, 2004

• Won 3-1

• First Arsenal Goal

  Manchester City (a)

• Carling Cup

• October 27, 2004

• Won 2-1

If Arsène Wenger was granted one wish before the start of this season, he might well have asked for a fit and firing Robin van Persie.

A broken metarsal, knee ligament problems and a persistent thigh injury all played their part in restricting Robin to just 23 club appearances between January 21, 2007 and the end of last season. He is due a big slice of luck as far as fitness is concerned.

When he is fit, few strikers are more reliable than Robin. He was Arsenal's top scorer in 2006/07 and hit seven goals in his first 11 games last term before injury struck. Robin has bags of skill and is prepared to shoot from anywhere. You can't blame him - his hammer of a left foot means he is a threat from anywhere in and around the box. The departure of Thierry Henry has seen Robin, understandably, take up set-piece duties too.

The emergence of Emmanuel Adebayor meant Arsenal just about coped without Robin last season but the prospect of that pair teaming up is a mouthwatering one. If the Dutch half of that duo stays fit, he could be the key to a successful campaign at Emirates Stadium.

"For me, Robin van Persie is world class, top, top class," says Arsène Wenger.

The Premier League has been warned.