Arsenal haven't won anything since the 2005 FA Cup and Van Persie, who has spent much of this season out injured, says he cannot face the thought of a third consecutive campaign with no silverware.
But upon making his return to the first team fold, the Dutchman has vowed to fire the Gunners to Premier League and Champions League glory this season, honours he believes the squad fully deserve.
Winning A Must
"We have to win at least one trophy this season. If we don’t, then we would have played all the fantastic football for nothing," said the striker. “This is our moment and we need to win something. We all realise we are in a fantastic position and this has to be our year.
Double Dreams
"I am not a daydreamer," he continued. "I really think we can win the title and the Champions League this season. Why not? We have the qualities so we just need to stick together and believe in it. Belief can take you very far in football."
Arsenal have stumbled to four consecutive Premier League draws, surrendering the league lead to Manchester United at the weekend, while in the Champions League they face Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
"It is still in our hands to win the double and we have to take these opportunities because we have something special here at Arsenal," Van Persie added before going on to discuss his personal fitness. “Physically I can’t play a full 90 minutes yet but I’m getting there and I just need match fitness now," said the striker, who started his first league game for five months when Arsenal took on Middlesbrough on Saturday.
More Games Needed
"I need three or four games to really get back into my stride but I will give everything I have whenever I’m out on the pitch. It has been a very frustrating season for me. It started really well but now all I ever seem to do is talk about injuries. Yet I don’t feel as though I’m an injury-prone person.
"I suffered a thigh injury in October and then I came back too soon for the Carling Cup semi-final against Spurs and was out for another two months. I take full responsibility for that. It was all my fault. I was too emotionally involved because I was desperate to play.”
Van Persie and Arsenal travel to Chelsea on Sunday.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Arsenal Must Win Something
Friday, February 15, 2008
Fifa Rejects Premier League Plans
The president of football's world governing body Fifa has told the BBC that plans by the Premier League to host games abroad will never happen.
Sepp Blatter also warned that the proposal could harm England's attempt to host the 2018 World Cup.
"This does not take into consideration the fans of the clubs and it gives the impression that they just want to go on tour to make some money," Blatter said.
"This will never happen, at least as long as I am the president of Fifa."
Blatter's comments, in an interview with BBC sports editor Mihir Bose, are the strongest from the governing body since the Premier League's plans were revealed last week.
Top-flight clubs will consider plans to extend the season to 39 games with the extra matches taking place overseas.
But the idea has met with resistance in Asia, Europe and fans in England.
Blatter's stance effectively leave the proposals, for a round of games to take place in five different host cities from January 2011, dead in the water.
"The Premier League is richer than the others, they have more responsibility and what they are trying to do is contrary to this responsibility," he said.
"This is something I cannot understand and definitely the Fifa executive committee will not sanction such an initiative."
A Premier League spokesman said the clubs would "look forward to the opportunity to meet with Fifa in order to discuss this matter in full".
"This was always the starting point in relation to the issue of sanction for the proposed international round, and as such we will be making no comment until after that time," the spokesman added.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore had previously expressed his belief that Fifa could not stop the plan if the clubs receive the go-ahead from England's Football Association.
But Blatter rejected that claim.
"It is not true," he added. "Even if the FA did sanction it, all the national associations receiving these clubs would have to sanction it also. This will be very difficult.
"In addition to that, the Fifa executive committee will apply article two of the Fifa statutes: 'to prevent all methods or practices which might jeopardise the integrity of matches or competitions or give rise to abuse of association football'.
"This is abuse. The rich Premier League is trying to get richer and wants to expand the importance of that league."
There were early signs of Fifa disquiet when it was revealed the governing body had told the Premier League it could not consider the plans until the Football Association had contacted them.
It is understood the FA has held talks with Fifa and is ready to issue a statement distancing themselves from the proposals.
Blatter warned it could affect the FA's bid for the 2018 World Cup.
"When it comes to a decision of the executive committee concerning this matter of the 39th round, and I am sure they will be against it, then it will not have a positive impact on the bid from England for the World Cup in 2018," he added.
Scudamore's plans received a mixed reaction around the world, with the heads of the Asian Football Confederation and Football Federation Australia, which could host any proposed games, rejecting the idea.
The United Arab Emirates Football Association said it would welcome the plan but Uefa boss Michel Platini called it a "nonsense idea".
The proposals were also widely criticised by fans in England and Blatter said he understood their reaction.
"I support the fans 100%," he said. "If I was a fan in England I would say: 'no, please play at home and don't go and exercise your talents abroad'.
"If the plan includes official league matches then, as a fan, I would protest against this."
Fifa will examine the Premier League's proposals at its executive committee meeting on 14 March.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Premier League bosses in deadline day scramble
Premier League clubs have until midnight tonight to bolster their squads this season as the January transfer window closes.
A number of possible moves were still in the pipeline this morning, with Middlesbrough waiting to hear whether they would be able to sign Heerenveen's Afonso Alves for a club record fee.
The Brazilian striker was in the crowd at the Riverside for Tuesday night's Premier League victory over Wigan and has appealed a decision to reject his application for a work permit.
Manchester City face a similar problem in their bid to recruit Nashat Akram and were waiting to see whether the Home Office would reconsider its decision to refuse the Iraq midfielder a work permit.
Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been on the lookout for a goalscorer all month and is reportedly eyeing up Portsmouth's Benjani Mwaruwari.
It is thought too Eriksson could be close to tying up a deal for FC Basle striker Felipe Caicedo.
Even though he is only 19, Caicedo has international experience and represented Ecuador at the Copa America last year.
Eriksson needs to boost his attacking options after letting under-performing Georgios Samaras and Rolando Bianchi join Celtic and Lazio on loan respectively.
Sunderland boss Roy Keane has made a late bid to sign Charlton midfielder Andy Reid. It is understood the Black Cats have tabled an offer in the region of £4million for the 25-year-old Republic of Ireland international.
Fulham's hopes of making Rangers striker Daniel Cousin their fifth January signing also hang in the balance after FIFA claimed yesterday they had still to make a decision on his £3million transfer.
Cousin played 20 minutes of league football as a substitute for French club Lens before completing his summer switch to Rangers and FIFA regulations forbid a player from playing for more than two clubs in one season.
Although midnight on January 31 is the official cut-off point for transfers, special dispensation to complete signings beyond that deadline can be sought.
Newcastle appeared set to make a host of signings following the return of Kevin Keegan as manager but he admitted yesterday he may end the month without making a single purchase.
Keegan must decide whether to make an improved offer for Derby midfielder Giles Barnes after seeing a bid rejected by the Premier League's bottom club this week.
Rams manager Paul Jewell has revealed he would be prepared to sell at the right price.
Keegan has already been snubbed by Jonathan Woodgate, who chose to leave Middlesbrough for Tottenham and the Magpies boss had been expected to turn elsewhere for defensive reinforcements.
Spurs finally put an end to the Alan Hutton transfer saga yesterday by signing the full-back from Rangers for a fee believed to be in the region of £9million.
He could yet be joined at White Hart Lane by Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing, if Spurs make a formal approach for the wantaway winger.
That decision could be influenced Wayne Routledge's move to Aston Villa.
Routledge became Villa first signing of the month when he agreed an 18-month deal in a transfer believed to be around £1.5million.
Villa boss Martin O'Neill is also being linked with a £2.2million move for goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who plays for MLS side Chivas USA as well as Spurs full-back Pascal Chimbonda.
Bolton last night won the race to sign Aston Villa central defender Gary Cahill, in a deal believed to be worth around £5million.
The young centre-back has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at the Reebok Stadium, after weeks of uncertainty surrounding his future.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Man City 0-0 Liverpool
Fabio Aurelio came closest to scoring in a cagey first half, his long-range strike tipped over by City's Joe Hart.
Fernando Torres squandered two good chances and Hart palmed away a fierce effort from Yossi Benayoun as the Reds poured forward after the interval.
Dirk Kuyt had a glorious opportunity in the 87th minute but Hart and Richard Dunne combined to clear his header.
It meant Liverpool will go into the new year 10 points behind leaders Arsenal, with a game in hand.
Their previous clash against Manchester opposition, a 1-0 defeat by United, had finished with searching questions being asked about their title credentials.
This time they will be wondering how they failed to see off a City team that could not get close to the fluency they began the season with.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez again shuffled his pack, making five changes to the team that stole three points at Derby in their last outing.
And with the hosts in the middle of an uncertain spell, following two successive draws in the league and a Carling Cup exit, both teams struggled to establish any attacking rhythm early on.
Indeed, considering the talent and reputations on display, the first quarter was surprisingly bereft of genuine quality.
The first shot on target arrived after 25 minutes - a Harry Kewell strike collected by Hart at the second attempt - but it appeared to spark the game briefly into life.
A brave block from Jamie Carragher in the box denied City's subdued playmaker Elano a clear opening and Michael Ball deflected Kuyt's effort wide at the other end.
Reds defender Aurelio then twice came close to embarrassing Hart with two long-range strikes: the first bounced just past the post, while the second was helped over by the England Under-21 keeper's fingertips.
The game needed perking up and Liverpool did their best to break the deadlock with a flurry of chances in the opening 20 minutes of the second half.
Aurelio surged down the left and his cross fell at the feet of Torres, who shot tamely at Hart, with a fourth goal in three Premier League games beckoning.
Steven Gerrard then played the Spanish striker through after Stephen Ireland gave away possession, only for Torres' effort to roll wide after squirting through Hart's legs.
Although City were being roared on by the majority of a record Eastlands crowd all the action was taking place in their goalmouth.
Gerrard, who had gone close with a free-kick, strode through acres of space and the ball was worked through to Benayoun before the Israeli international unleashed a stinging drive that Hart palmed behind.
City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson replaced the off-colour Elano with Rolando Bianchi in a bid to ignite his team into action but his defensive players continued to be overworked.
Liverpool fans and Benitez were fuming when Dunne appeared to haul down Torres with the in-form forward in full flight.
Torres was then booked for a challenge on Micah Richards and the visitors' frustration was complete when the ball was worked back into the box after an Aurelio corner.
With the goal gaping, Kuyt failed to get enough power on his header, Hart clawed it away and Dunne hacked away from under the bar.
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Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson:"I think we defended very well. It was a good game but there were not a lot of chances. "I am happy with one point and happy with a clean sheet, which is good against Liverpool.
"We're not disappointed. When you play like we did against a team like Liverpool, you can't be disappointed. But I'm not 100% happy, because we wanted to win the game."
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez: "We're a bit frustrated. We had a lot of chances, played well and had lots of possession. I'm pleased with the team but disappointed with the result. "We had enough chances to win against a good team who are difficult to beat at home, and the commitment of all the players was fantastic.
"A clean sheet when you are playing away from home is a good thing but after 17 attempts on goal, you think you must win."
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Man City: Hart, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Ireland (Gelson 61), Hamann, Corluka, Petrov, Elano (Bianchi 70), Vassell (Geovanni 74).Subs Not Used: Isaksson, Garrido.
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Arbeloa, Aurelio, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Kewell (Babel 74), Torres, Kuyt.Subs Not Used: Itandje, Riise, Voronin, Alonso.
Booked: Torres.
Att: 47,321
Ref: Uriah Rennie (S Yorkshire).
BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Manchester City's Richard Dunne 6.91 (on 90 minutes).
