Arsenal
Wenger Praises Van Persie
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended his club captain after Robin Van Persie was criticised for his performance for Holland at the European championships.
Robin Van Persie has come under criticism after Holland’s dismal Euro 2012 campaign, having been knocked out at the group stage with nil points.
Van Persie has been accused of being arrogant by native Dutch fans who also claim that he has not reached the same standards for his nation as he has for Arsenal.
Robin had a fantastic season with Arsenal which saw him win the Premier League Golden Boot after scoring 30 goals last campaign. He was expected to lead the way to Holland’s success this summer however he was just one of the many underachievers in the team.
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has defended his captain, quoted in the Mirror as saying he was still the best striker in the tournament but tiredness was to blame for his lackluster finishing:
“Robin van Persie deserves more credit in Holland than he gets. I think he was still the best striker at the European Championships.
“I watched all his games. If you look at the runs he made, his passing, everything really, was very good.
“He did not take some of his chances but that was down to tiredness. Robin is a class above other strikers. A class above (Klaas-Jan) Huntelaar.”
He added: “Robin is not just a great striker or a great player, he is an exceptional player.
“He did not have to prove himself here. I can understand he wanted to prove he can score goals for Holland. That is an obvious ambition because he is so intense, he loves the game so much.”
Wenger feels that the pressure placed on players to perform could also be the reason for Van Persie’s troubles at the Euros.
Was RVP just too for Euro 2012 tired after carrying Arsenal throughout their season?
