ST - Robin van Persie

[indonewyork]

If Arsène Wenger was granted one wish before the start of this season, he might well have asked for a fit and firing Robin van Persie.

A broken metarsal, knee ligament problems and a persistent thigh injury all played their part in restricting Robin to just 23 club appearances between January 21, 2007 and the end of last season. He is due a big slice of luck as far as fitness is concerned.

When he is fit, few strikers are more reliable than Robin. He was Arsenal's top scorer in 2006/07 and hit seven goals in his first 11 games last term before injury struck. Robin has bags of skill and is prepared to shoot from anywhere. You can't blame him - his hammer of a left foot means he is a threat from anywhere in and around the box. The departure of Thierry Henry has seen Robin, understandably, take up set-piece duties too.

The emergence of Emmanuel Adebayor meant Arsenal just about coped without Robin last season but the prospect of that pair teaming up is a mouthwatering one. If the Dutch half of that duo stays fit, he could be the key to a successful campaign at Emirates Stadium.

"For me, Robin van Persie is world class, top, top class," says Arsène Wenger.

The Premier League has been warned.