After a blistering start to the season, the striker has recently faced a goal drought which is a huge worry for Sir Alex, and he will need his star striker at his best this Sunday at Old Trafford.
Amidst the drama at Old Trafford last Tuesday, everyone had their attention diverted to the controversial Luis Nani red card and the fact that United heartbeat Wayne Rooney had been dropped to the bench.
However what many failed to realize is that Robin Van Persie, a man who can virtually score when he wants, has failed to do so in the last five matches.
His display against Real Madrid on Tuesday night, was rather comical with the striker failing to connect with the ball on many occasions and when he did so the shot was never powerful enough to trouble the keeper. Even in the first leg against Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, Persie failed to register a goal, infact he missed a great opportunity from inside the box to put his side ahead in a very important match.
The striker who had been in emphatic form last year, scoring incredible goals for both Arsenal and Manchester United has failed to carry his breathtaking form to the New Year. The former Arsenal man has scored only once in the last seven matches and has failed to do so in any of the last five. This has been Persie’s worst run of form since the beginning of 2011, when he truly established himself as a lethal goal scorer, the year also saw him completing his 100 goals for Arsenal.
In the last seven matches, Persie averages a shot on target every 63.4 minutes, he has had five clear cut chances and has been able to convert just one into a goal. His clear cut chances conversion rate has now fallen, by a significant margin and is now just 20%, much below the likes of Bale and Suarez who have been exceptional.
His current form is in contrast with his commendable campaign last year, when he topped the scoring charts earning himself the golden boot as well as the PFA player of the year award. Chances of him of repeating his antics seem bleak as Liverpool’s Luis Suarez has already toppled him off the top of the scoring charts, with the Liverpool man and Spurs talisman Gareth Bale likely to duel for the PFA player of the year award.
The United man has probably experienced a burn out, having appeared in all of United’s 28 League outings. He now seems to be looking exhausted and lacks the sharpness he had at the beginning of the season. He was at times bullied by the Real Madrid defensive pairing of Varane and Ramos, which is something we could have never imagined.
It is important to also keep in mind his history with injuries and the fact that he is not used to playing all 38 games in a season. His last season with Arsenal, was the only season in his entire career when he appeared in all 38 matches. Prior to that, his career had been massively plagued with injuries both in his times at Feyenoord and at Arsenal, and only managed 15.1 league starts in the last 10 seasons prior to the 2011/2012 season.
He experienced a similar slump in form last season with Arsenal within the period of March 21 – April 21, when he managed just one goal in seven outings. He also failed to score at the San Siro in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the Champions League against AC Milan, and then failed to score a sitter when Arsenal were cruising 3-0 against the Italian side in the second leg.
After a 47 game campaign with the gunners, which is also a career high for him, the striker seemed fatigued in that year’s European Champions in Poland and Ukraine and registered only a single goal in the entire tournament as the Dutch crashed out of the tournament without earning a single point.
The Red Devils are 12 points clear at the top of the table and are far from being in any sort of crisis, but their star striker misfiring is surely a worry for them. With his misfiring outings, United will instead have to rely on young Danny Welbeck for the goals, with tensions already surrounding Wayne Rooney after he was demoted to the bench for the important tie against Madrid. Hernandez on the other hand who although is a prolific goal scorer, has failed to establish himself as regular starter.
An FA Cup exit will surely hurt United, with memories of the Champions League exit still fresh, however even despite his unfruitful recent run, Alex Ferguson can expect goals to come from the Ducthman on Sunday who has been brilliant against Chelsea in the past. Van Persie himself possesses a very strong character and one can surely expect that he will pick himself up from here and do what he does best; score when he wants.
However what many failed to realize is that Robin Van Persie, a man who can virtually score when he wants, has failed to do so in the last five matches.
His display against Real Madrid on Tuesday night, was rather comical with the striker failing to connect with the ball on many occasions and when he did so the shot was never powerful enough to trouble the keeper. Even in the first leg against Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, Persie failed to register a goal, infact he missed a great opportunity from inside the box to put his side ahead in a very important match.
The striker who had been in emphatic form last year, scoring incredible goals for both Arsenal and Manchester United has failed to carry his breathtaking form to the New Year. The former Arsenal man has scored only once in the last seven matches and has failed to do so in any of the last five. This has been Persie’s worst run of form since the beginning of 2011, when he truly established himself as a lethal goal scorer, the year also saw him completing his 100 goals for Arsenal.
In the last seven matches, Persie averages a shot on target every 63.4 minutes, he has had five clear cut chances and has been able to convert just one into a goal. His clear cut chances conversion rate has now fallen, by a significant margin and is now just 20%, much below the likes of Bale and Suarez who have been exceptional.
His current form is in contrast with his commendable campaign last year, when he topped the scoring charts earning himself the golden boot as well as the PFA player of the year award. Chances of him of repeating his antics seem bleak as Liverpool’s Luis Suarez has already toppled him off the top of the scoring charts, with the Liverpool man and Spurs talisman Gareth Bale likely to duel for the PFA player of the year award.
The United man has probably experienced a burn out, having appeared in all of United’s 28 League outings. He now seems to be looking exhausted and lacks the sharpness he had at the beginning of the season. He was at times bullied by the Real Madrid defensive pairing of Varane and Ramos, which is something we could have never imagined.
It is important to also keep in mind his history with injuries and the fact that he is not used to playing all 38 games in a season. His last season with Arsenal, was the only season in his entire career when he appeared in all 38 matches. Prior to that, his career had been massively plagued with injuries both in his times at Feyenoord and at Arsenal, and only managed 15.1 league starts in the last 10 seasons prior to the 2011/2012 season.
He experienced a similar slump in form last season with Arsenal within the period of March 21 – April 21, when he managed just one goal in seven outings. He also failed to score at the San Siro in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the Champions League against AC Milan, and then failed to score a sitter when Arsenal were cruising 3-0 against the Italian side in the second leg.
After a 47 game campaign with the gunners, which is also a career high for him, the striker seemed fatigued in that year’s European Champions in Poland and Ukraine and registered only a single goal in the entire tournament as the Dutch crashed out of the tournament without earning a single point.
The Red Devils are 12 points clear at the top of the table and are far from being in any sort of crisis, but their star striker misfiring is surely a worry for them. With his misfiring outings, United will instead have to rely on young Danny Welbeck for the goals, with tensions already surrounding Wayne Rooney after he was demoted to the bench for the important tie against Madrid. Hernandez on the other hand who although is a prolific goal scorer, has failed to establish himself as regular starter.
An FA Cup exit will surely hurt United, with memories of the Champions League exit still fresh, however even despite his unfruitful recent run, Alex Ferguson can expect goals to come from the Ducthman on Sunday who has been brilliant against Chelsea in the past. Van Persie himself possesses a very strong character and one can surely expect that he will pick himself up from here and do what he does best; score when he wants.
