A couple of observations

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Before last season I don't remember him being fit for 9 months?

I genuinely though we were awful last season, as someone mentioned even after going above Spurs we kept dropping points and somehow none of the other teams managed to take advantage.

From about December 2010 to November 2011 (exluding summer months off) would be enough to tell you if it's a sign RVP may have got over what problems he had encountered in the past - enough to show whether Wenger absolutely needs to buy someone as a back-up in January to him. In any case someone probably would've stepped up anyway, they always do. Hence how we were able to attain the same level when RVP had been injured. Or when Cesc had been injured. Or whoever it might be at any particular time.

In reference to you mentioning Global's post, we dropped points after going above Tottenham yes but it wasn't five defeats in eight, it was five games where we dropped points out of eight. Plus we actually won three out of four after initially going above them.

[Özim]

From about December 2010 to November 2011 (exluding summer months off) would be enough to tell you if it's a sign RVP may have got over what problems he had encountered in the past - enough to show whether Wenger absolutely needs to buy someone as a back-up in January to him. In any case someone probably would've stepped up anyway, they always do. Hence how we were able to attain the same level when RVP had been injured. Or when Cesc had been injured. Or whoever it might be at any particular time.

In reference to you mentioning Global's post, we dropped points after going above Tottenham yes but it wasn't five defeats in eight, it was five games where we dropped points out of eight. Plus we actually won three out of four after initially going above them.

I thought he was injured for a big chunk of the season in 2010-2011:

He ended the season just two goals behind joint league top scorers, Carlos Tévez and Dimitar Berbatov in the race for the golden boot, despite being injured for half of the season.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_van_Persie

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He was, that's why I said December 2010. He was around from then onwards.

[Özim]

He was, that's why I said December 2010. He was around from then onwards.

Yeah but if he missed half the season then I don't think that's enough to prove he'll stay fit, especially when he was out for another couple weeks in the time you mention and had a horrendous record before then. On that basis I stand by my point about expecting him to be fit based on hope rather than reality.

[Kano]

Last season I meant we were lucky to get above Spurs (Chelsea were awful until Di Matteo took over), so I should have said lucky to get 3rd.

spurs were only a point behind, so all that luck didn't seem to help that much.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Yeah but if he missed half the season then I don't think that's enough to prove he'll stay fit, especially when he was out for another couple weeks in the time you mention and had a horrendous record before then. On that basis I stand by my point about expecting him to be fit based on hope rather than reality.

I said judging from December 2010 up until November 2011, that's a big enough timeframe to see. Especially when he had made a change, the change being of doing his own training and being less prone to getting involved with challenges he doesn't need to make.

[Özim]

spurs were only a point behind, so all that luck didn't seem to help that much.

It helped us get 3rd and a CL spot, that's quite a big difference, especially when we were miles behind them at one point.

[Özim]

I said judging from December 2010 up until November 2011, that's a big enough timeframe to see. Especially when he had made a change, the change being of doing his own training and being less prone to getting involved with challenges he doesn't need to make.

But seeing as the transfer window is in the summer it's only December 2010 to May 2011 and maybe part of August (and in that period he did get injured), if you're going to sign someone then you'd sign cover/a replacement in the summer and thus the period from September to November doesn't really apply.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

But seeing as the transfer window is in the summer it's only December 2010 to May 2011 and maybe part of August (and in that period he did get injured), if you're going to sign someone then you'd sign cover/a replacement in the summer and thus the period from September to November doesn't really apply.

Nearly every player gets a small injury over the course of a year, in RVP's case as I mentioned it had been the impact injuries he has usually suffered from that kept him out for long periods of time.

And of course it applies, during the summer he would have had that whole time in the off-season to build up the new regime he was on and any manager would notice he is stronger because of it ("I know when a player is in the red zone"). Perhaps rather than looking for luck or unluck you should be asking whether it was a good decision or bad decision.

[Özim]

Nearly every player gets a small injury over the course of a year, in RVP's case as I mentioned it had been the impact injuries he has usually suffered from that kept him out for long periods of time.

And of course it applies, during the summer he would have had that whole time in the off-season to build up the new regime he was on and any manager would notice he is stronger because of it ("I know when a player is in the red zone"). Perhaps rather than looking for luck or unluck you should be asking whether it was a good decision or bad decision.

You say that but look how much he's been injured, I don't think you can look at his injury record and just say he's been unlucky for x amount of years to be honest....he's clearly more prone to injury than many others.

Why would it apply, if you're going to sign a replacement or cover that will only happen in the summer, thus we'd have to either decide he's going to stay fit in August or sign someone else....after this period we're stuck with our decision. As for the noticing something is different, I don't think you can tell that easily, especially not with a player who has had so many injuries, surely Wenger thought the same before every season when he failed to sign a replacement for him?

I don't really think anyone would have been willing to bet RVP was going to stay fit all season with any great conviction, how could you after his injury record....it would be like expecting Diaby to be fit for a whole season just because he manages to stay fit for 4 months.