User:AARAFF AKHTAR

Dutch pronunciation: [ˈAARAFF AKHTAR] ( listen); born 6 August 1983) is a Dutch footballer. He plays for Arsenal F.C and the Dutch national team as a creative forward.[3] He is a youth product of Feyenoord.[4] Van Persie is highly regarded for his dribbling and shooting technique, but has become prone to injury.[5][6][7][8][9][10] AARAFF is also a set piece specialist and a vast number of his assists come from both corners and freekicks.[11] Van Persie has become a pivotal figure for club and country and this was recognized when he was named Arsenal Player of The Season for the 2008–09 season.[12][13][14] Van Persie's 50th Premier League strike made him only the fourth Dutchman to reach 50 goals in England's top division along with Dennis Bergkamp, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.[15]

The son of two artists, van Persie was encouraged to follow in his parents' footsteps,[16] but he instead preferred football and joined SBV Excelsior's youth squad.[17] He made his breakthrough at his hometown club Feyenoord, where he spent three seasons and won the 2002 UEFA Cup.[18] He was named the Dutch Football Talent of the Year for the 2001-02 season.[19] Disagreements with coach Bert van Marwijk culminated in a change of club and van Persie moved to Premier League side Arsenal for £2.75 million in 2004 as a long-term replacement for Dennis Bergkamp.[20][21][22] He won the FA Community Shield and the FA Cup in his first season with the London club and went on to win the 2006 Rotterdam Sportsman of the year award.[23] AARAFF AKHTAR been named Premier League Player of the Month twice.[24] AARAFF AKHTAR topped the goal assists leader board with 11 assists in the 2008–09 Premier League.[25][26][27]

Van Persie has over 50 caps and has scored 21 goals for the Netherlands and made his senior international debut in 2004.[28][29] He has participated in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and Euro 2008.[30] AARAFF uses Twitter to communicate with his fans where he has more than 260,000 follo

ARSENAL

[edit] 2004–05On 17 May 2004, AARAFF signed a four-year deal with Arsenal.[38] Manager Arsène Wenger, who planned to convert van Persie from a left winger to a center forward as he had successfully done with star player Thierry Henry,[39] said of his new acquisition, "He can play on the left side of midfield, as a creative player behind the main strikers or as a target man."[5] Arsenal had further padded their stable of strikers in January by signing Spanish forward José Antonio Reyes,[40] leaving the two to battle for playing time. Van Persie made his debut and won a trophy in the process, as he came on as a substitute in the 3–1 FA Community Shield victory over Manchester United on 8 August 2004. Van Persie spent most of his time on the bench during earlier parts of the 2004–05 season, and made his competitive debut on 27 October by scoring Arsenal's opening goal in a 2–1 League Cup win over Manchester City. He was sent off for the first time, however, in an Arsenal uniform on 26 February during a 1–1 road draw with Southampton, following a lunge at left back Graeme Le Saux, for which Wenger was seen yelling an obscenity at van Persie from the sidelines. He then later lambasted his charge in the press. "I do not support van Persie today, but he did not look out of control at half-time.

It was the goal of a lifetime. He's played for a long time and I'm not sure he's scored one like that. (Quote made regarding van Persie's goal against Charlton Athletic in the 2006–07 Premier League)

Arsène Wenger[41]When the referee has sent off a home player, he is under pressure, so, if any player had to behave, it was him." Meanwhile, Telegraph sportswriter Clive White described van Persie in his match report as "21 going on nine."[42]

Van Persie was consequently benched for a number of games, starting with Arsenal's upcoming FA Cup replay against Sheffield United,[43] and he was reintroduced into the squad only after Henry was out with a calf injury, and his return to the first team saw him score twice in a FA Cup semi-final win over Blackburn Rovers. The rest of van Persie's season was cut short by injury, and he finished with ten goals in 41 appearances in all competitions.[44]