{"id":69783,"date":"2014-11-29T06:27:02","date_gmt":"2014-11-29T06:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=69783"},"modified":"2014-11-29T06:27:02","modified_gmt":"2014-11-29T06:27:02","slug":"van-persie-low-bad-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/11\/van-persie-low-bad-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Van Persie low after ‘very bad game’"},"content":{"rendered":"
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says Robin van Persie’s confidence is low after a “very bad game” against his former club Arsenal.<\/p>\n
The \u00a324m Dutch forward has scored just three times in 11 games this season.<\/p>\n
Van Persie, 31, was substituted during United’s 2-1 victory at the Emirates and could lose his place to fit again Radamel Falcao.<\/p>\n
“You can count his touches on the ball and 13 is few for a striker,” said Van Gaal, before Saturday’s game with Hull<\/p>\n
“But more important is how he is playing. It was a very bad game for him. That is why I changed him.”<\/p>\n
Of those 13 touches, two were when he took corners, and Van Persie was taken off 15 minutes from the end.<\/p>\n
His surprising slump in form contrasts with the immediate aftermath of Louis van Gaal becoming Manchester United manager, when Van Persie’s place appeared set in concrete.<\/p>\n
There were even suggestions the Dutchman, who has a close personal relationship with his manager, would inherit the captain’s armband instead of Wayne Rooney.<\/p>\n
Six months on, Van Persie is not even sure of his place in the team.<\/p>\n
Being replaced by James Wilson at Arsenal has raised the possibility of Van Gaal trusting the 18-year-old with his first Premier League start of the season against Hull at Old Trafford on Saturday.<\/p>\n
“You shall wait and see,” teased Van Gaal, when asked exactly that.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, United assistant-manager Ryan Giggs was slightly more expansive, recalling the debut he gave Wilson inthe corresponding fixture last season, when the teenager scored twice.<\/p>\n
“James did well when he got his chance,” said the Welshman. “United have always given young players a chance. It’s part of the DNA.”<\/p>\n
It is the availability of Falcao, who has recovered from a calf injury, that should concern Van Persie more.<\/p>\n
Apart from his match-winner against Everton, the Colombian has not made much of an impact on the pitch since his deadline-day arrival on loan from Monaco.<\/p>\n
Off it, Falcao has caught the eye.<\/p>\n
So diligent has been his approach to training, one senior figure at United this week compared the 28-year-old to Cristiano Ronaldo, whose dedication to his craft was well known within the club.<\/p>\n
The speed of his recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury has not caused concern either, even though Theo Walcott, who suffered a similar problem on the same January weekend, has still to make a complete return at Arsenal.<\/p>\n
And there is no issue over Falcao’s bravery either, with the same source revealing the South American’s desire to “run through brick walls” if it was required.<\/p>\n
Understandably, no decision has been made by United about whether to trigger a clause in their loan agreement with Monaco that would make the transfer permanent.<\/p>\n
There is a feeling though that, as one of the world’s marquee forwards, Falcao is capable of having a major impact.<\/p>\n
Should his potential return – initially as a substitute, either against Hull or Stoke on Tuesday – be marked by the desired goal output, Van Persie could find himself squeezed out in a manner no-one could have envisaged when he scored that brilliant header against Spain during the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Not that Van Gaal is viewing the present situation as permanent.<\/p>\n
“For Robin it is a question of confidence, or maybe scoring a wonderful goal at the right moment,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It could be tomorrow.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says Robin van Persie’s confidence is low after a “very bad game” against his former club Arsenal. The \u00a324m Dutch forward has scored just three times in 11 games this season. Van Persie, 31, was substituted during United’s 2-1 victory at the Emirates and could lose his place to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":69784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[29,3],"yoast_head":"\n