I Hope Rooney Doesn't Pip RVP For The Barclays Golden Boot

Robin van Persie has been unbelievable this season. Honestly he has been like Superman on steroids. But recently the goals have dried up, and despite Betfair football betting having the Dutchman as favourite to win the Barclays Golden Boot, Wayne Rooney is hot on the trail too.

Now I really hope that our man finishes as the top scorer in the Premier League ahead of Rooney, like he did after being crowned Footballer and PFA Player of the Year, for obvious reasons. The most obvious being I dislike the Manchester United striker almost as much as I dislike Harry Redknapp. And that's a lot.

Of course I admire Wayne Rooney's football ability though. Perhaps equally as much as I admire his pace when running from an OAP massage parlour. I'd be as silly as a sausage to suggest otherwise. But while I'll begrudgingly admit I think he is a great player, I also believe that Robin van Persie is far better. And that's not me being biased either. 

By all accounts Robin won both of his individual awards by an absolute country mile and that, in my opinion, was more than fair enough. The man has been as unreal as Kim Kardashian's bumcheeks but I have to hold my hands up though and say fair play to Wayne Rooney for even making the Golden Boot a contest.

At one stage it appeared that van Persie was running away with the award but, as I've said, the goals have dried up quicker than Paris Hilton's porn career for him. We need him to find that Midas touch again so he can win the top scorer award to cap off an already outstanding campaign and also to help cement 3rd place for Arsenal.

Although his back must be aching carrying a lot of the Arsenal players this year I hope that van Persie can muster up a few more goals. Our skipper has been untouchable at times and it would prove a lot of the doubters wrong about him.

People said he couldn't sustain an injury-free period for over 24 minutes and he has proved them wrong. Others said he would be a bad choice of captain for Arsenal and he has arguably proved to be Arsene Wenger's best choice for the role since Patrick Vieira. 

And there has always been doubts about his temperament. Sure, he can still be as fiery as a red-headed half-Italian half-Spanish woman, but he really has curbed that side of his game and leads by example. The rest of the Arsenal squad look up to him.

From a petulant nutcase to becoming Arsenal's captain and main man, Robin's transformation has been complete. To top off this achievement I really hope that he adds the Golden Boot to his awards because he deserves it immensely. And I'm confident he'll sign a new deal at Arsenal too.

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Should Yossi Be Offered A Permanent Deal At Arsenal?

Yossi Benayoun has surprised me since joining Arsenal on loan last summer.

I've always believed that he was a very good player, an Arsenal player in the wrong shirt really, but what I have been impressed with most of all is his fantastic attitude. 

He hasn't spent as much time on the pitch as he would have liked but, when he does play, he always give 110% to the cause.

Looks can be deceiving I suppose. I see Yossi and honestly want to take him home and feed him up. He looks so weak and wimpy but surprisingly he is a real fighter. 

His talent is unquestioned. This may seem more outrageous than a pair of Simon Cowell's high-waist trousers but I think that technically he is up there with the best in the league. 

And he has plenty of experience in top level football too. 

Despite his ability, taking him on loan raised more questions than Who Wants To Be A Millionaire but its only now we are seeing the best of him and what an influence he appears to be.

It seems the decision to bring him to the Emirates was a good move by Arsene Wenger. Especially at the business end of the campaign where his experience and influence is counting. 

Benayoun has been a little unlucky at times this season that he has picked up little niggly injuries otherwise I am sure we would have seen more of the Israeli on the park.

It's clear Wenger trusts him. He has played in important games and I wonder whether the gaffer might offer him a permanent deal at the club in the summer.

The only thing blocking that idea in my eyes is that Yossi might want assurances of a more active role in the first-team. And that is understandable.

If it was down to me I would offer him a contract at the club tomorrow. Or even right now, this moment. 

I know we are clamouring for signings with names bigger than Frank Lampard's waist size but in my opinion Yossi is one of those unsung heroes in a squad that are needed by everyone.

He might not be a massive name. He might need convincing that he is an important part of the first-team squad furniture, but I've seen enough of Yossi to believe that he deserves a contract at the club.

Or at least be offered one. Because if we don't, I think someone will get a real bargain in him this summer.

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Mikel Arteta, The Biggest Panic Buy Since Petrol

I hope everyone out there who described Mikel Arteta as a panic buy will stand up and apologise profusely until Tottenham Hotspur one day win the league. In other words, you'll be saying sorry for a long time. Maybe forever. And ever.

That man is a complete class act and the fact that he was even acknowledged by some as purchase of panic not only insults him but it insults me too. And my family. Even my cat was pissed right off.

I would describe the hysteria, amongst some, when Arteta signed for the club as bad as when people were rushing out buying petrol in a state of panic last week.  

The truth is Mikel is an unbelievably talented footballer who constantly lives in the shadow of Cesc Fabregas and that is not fair on him. Especially when a lot of people seemingly didn't want to give him a chance to prove otherwise.

It makes laugh more than seeing Harry Redknapp having a twitching episode when I read or see that Arteta is no Cesc Fabregas. Of course he isn't. And he wasn't bought to replace Cesc either. Arteta is Arteta and I am grateful for what he has brought to Arsenal.

And I am not basing this assessment just on Arteta's performance yesterday. He ran the show by the way. I have always believed that he would be a fantastic acquisition for Arsenal and even wet myself a little when he signed in the most dramatic of circumstances.

He has been immense for us all season long and it is evident that he brings the best out of the players around him. Especially Alex Song. His calming influence, and simple yet effective style of football, is a joy to watch at times.

Unfortunately Jack Wilshere hasn't had the opportunity to play alongside Mikel, due to his injury that seems to have ruled him out since the Dinosaurs ran amok on the Earth, but when that day comes we Gooners have a lot to look forward too.

Is it a credit to the strength of the Spanish national team that Mikel Arteta doesn't really get a look in. The Spaniard would get into most international sides but the fact is, unfortunately for him, he plays in an era where this Spain team, despite a lot of them being mugs, is full of world-class midfield players.

That's not to say that Arteta can't force his way into that Spanish squad at least. And I doubt he would turn into a mug if he did. His game has improved even more since joining Arsenal and he seems to be getting better with age. Like a fine wine. Or Jennifer Aniston. 

How he was ever associated with being a panic buy was beyond me. Perhaps if he had cost Arsenal £20m instead of £10m then the words would never have been linked with his name. 

The fact that he was bought on dead-line day may be a factor I suppose. But that is the only logical explanation I can think of. However I didn't see Robinho described as a panic buy. He cost £32.5m though didn't he?

Arsene Wenger has bought a player, with plenty of Premier league experience, to the club and has been proved right again. Of course, he gets many wrong, but Mikel Arteta is one of the signings that even the doubters must now admit they were wrong about.

One thing for certain, in my eyes, is that Mikel Arteta is no panic buy. I'm gutted in a way that he didn't sign a couple of years ago. But he has always been on Arsene's radar and we had been linked with him for years until he actually signed for us.

Whatever the case I'm glad he is a Arsenal player. I always felt he was an Arsenal player wearing the wrong shirt and now he proving all those who didn't believe in him wrong. But do they admit that? 

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Forget Euro 2012 Jack!

Being young and enthusiastic Jack Wilshere will be itching to play football again. 

The enthusiasm to get back out there on the pitch is all well and good but he must not rush his return to action because he could suffer repercussions in the future. Deadly serious repercussions.

Of course he want's to play for England this summer. He is probably as desperate to perform for his country as Rosie47 is to escape her master from hell, Harry Redknapp. The bastard, blaming his dog like that.

Wilshere needs to try and curb that frustration though because no matter how important playing for your nation is, it isn't worth risking an even longer-term injury for one tournament. 

Jack looks about 14 years old so he has many more international competitions in front of him. He doesn't need to rush his comeback this season to play in Euro 2012.

Not only that, he needs to think of Arsenal more than anything at the moment. We have waited patiently for his return and if he rushed back to play for England, and suffered an even bigger set-back, I'm sure some Gooners would be a little cheesed off.

In my opinion, I would write Jack off this season. Like the condom in Jay Spearing's pocket he hasn't been used. So we won't miss him and it really will be like a new signing for next season.

That is probably not what the little maestro would want to hear but it is the harsh reality of the situation. Jack needs to forget the Euro's, get it out of his head, and just concentrate on getting fit for next season. 

Also the way some players are praised to high heaven and then knocked down quicker than one of Manny Pacquiao's opponents by the English media is another reason for him not to rush back.

I have no doubt that if he returned to the England fold he would be hailed as the messiah and a half-fit player, with the expectation of a nation on his shoulders, would be under lot of pressure. Like Freddy Mercury.

Jack needs to grit his teeth, forget about the tournament and focus on next season. No matter how hard that must be.

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