Robin van Persie admits Arsenal are no longer title contenders

Robin van Persie, Arsenal

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Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has questioned his team’s potential, saying they must realise they are no longer title contenders after repeated failures in recent seasons.

Van Persie enjoyed a good season on a personal level – scoring 18 goals in just 19 Premier League starts and setting a record for scoring in nine consecutive Premier League away games along the way – but Arsenal once again finished the season without a trophy, and the striker says they must now become more realistic in their expectations.

“Every year it always goes wrong in an identical way and that is frustrating,” said Van Persie in an article in The Express.

“When you look at results in the last years, then Arsenal shouldn’t be talking about winning the league because too many times things have gone wrong.

“Sometimes you have to eat the truth and be realistic. But I do believe with the signing of a number of players then next season we should be in there competing for prizes.

“Even now it’s still unbelievable that we didn’t win the Carling Cup as that was the breakthrough moment, showing everyone that we could win a cup and create a belief within the team. It still hurts. It was so stupid and I ask myself how that came about.

“But it’s important that one must not stay too long dwelling over disappointments. Desire and motivation is 60, 70 per cent decisive in what level a player reaches in his career.”

While it might be understandable if a frustrated Van Persie expressed a desire to leave the club along with some of his team-mates, the 27-year-old simply wants to be able to play on like some of his heroes.

“The really top players aren’t fooled by riches or fame because they are fully focused with their football,” he said.

“It isn’t easy. Sometimes a certain amount of nonchalance can creep in and everywhere in the world you see it goes wrong when players start playing casually.

“I was in New York not so long ago and saw Thierry Henry playing. When you see him chasing and playing with so much desire it’s fantastic. Thierry is still hungry to win. He is a true lover of the game and I also have that in me. I hope I can keep playing as long as him.

“Look at players like Ruud van Nistelrooy, Clarence Seedorf, Edwin van der Sar and Dennis Bergkamp. They managed to keep on playing for so long because they lived like true professionals.

“They all have children and that brought with it other priorities. For me, it’s very important to be having breakfast every morning with my two children and that wouldn’t be possible if you were hanging about in a disco all night.

“When I see some of my English colleagues who are out till three in the morning, then I can only conclude that they are invariably finished at 33.

“I have made the choice to be doing what I love the most, playing football. I’ll finally stop when my game looks so bad or when my wife says, ‘Robin, you’re putting me to shame’.”