It's been interesting reading the timeline of @DarrenArsenal1, an Arsenal season ticket holder and AST member with a lot of twitter followers whose opinions are well respected. In an exchange with John Cross about RVP, this is what he had to say:

@johncrossmirror I have a 7 year list of why Van Persie's a fraud, culminating not in that letter but the FT article which was all but....

@johncrossmirror ...written in his name but his friend. Throwing his team-mates totally under the bus. Captain my Captain indeed....

@johncrossmirror ..or the times he was declared barely fit back from injury and was asked not to play for holland but choose to and then....

@johncrossmirror ...got himself further injured. Happened at least twice, contributed to his long term layoffs, arsenal medics furious....

@johncrossmirror ...but selfishly for his own end decided to ignore it. Loyalty indeed, I have a list and could go on and on.

@johncrossmirror Van Persie didn't care, showed it through his 7 years at Arsenal on multiple occasions, but forgotton due to a good season

@johncrossmirror between FT article & the letter, he threw club,team mates and manager under the bus, yes AW remains classy asking 4 respect

@johncrossmirror He will never have my respect, never. Stapleton was a disgrace this fraud is even worse in my book

@arseblog @johncrossmirror has he had a 2nd good season,yes of course. Cuts no ice with me. At least Nasri tried to leave the right way


People claim that my opinion that RVP was a fraud is an extreme one, but both Arseblog (who I tend to disagree with) and Darren are basically saying the same thing. RVP, throughout his time at Arsenal, was either injured during important games, had bad performances when it really mattered (FA Cup semi vs Chelsea, Barca red card at Nou Camp, the last few games of last season etc) or exacerbated his injury problems by ignorning medical advice.

Not only that, but the article in the FT (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/49f4621a-a...#axzz2RMswbqXt) which was written by his friend does the dirty on his Netherlands team mates, surely with his understanding and tacit approval.

Losing a player like this was not a blow, it was a relief. The issue was not using the money to buy a top quality replacement, rather than a rather average player like Giroud.