RVP and Bendtner out / Eduardo In ? who else ?
Who else in the frontline then ? Is Walcott match fit now and can he deliver immediately ?
Could Eduardo replace Van Persie for 6 weeks?
It was a clean tackle.
Fifteen minutes into the game against Italy, Robin van Persie was tackled in the box.
Holland had played him at centre forward for the first time, I believe, rather than his usual right-of-front-three role.
As RVP ran into the penalty area, and was about to shoot with his left foot, Giorgio Chiellini made a clean tackle. The Dutchman swung his mighty left boot and the Italian's foot just got to the ball first and knocked the ball away for a corner. So Van Persie kicked Chiellini's leg and jacknifed over, a violent somersault.He landed on his left knee and left hand. Replays suggested that a finely judged left-footed tackle had prevented a spectacular goal
Van Persie was taken off on a stretcher after 15 minutes and the game finished 0-0.
National coach Bert van Marwijk said, "The first diagnosis is a bad ankle injury. We are waiting for X-rays in hospital. It's terrible for Robin and is not good for Holland or his club."
Later reports said he has "partially torn" his right ankle ligaments and will be out for six weeks. His RIGHT ankle ligaments? That suggests that he was injured by the fall, not by kicking the defender's leg.
Van Persie does not blame Chiellini for his injury. He told Dutch TV, "There was no intent."
Will Wenger play Eduardo up front now?
I can't see that happening. If it did, I can't see it working.
Nov 16, 2009