‘Van Persie A Perfect Fit For United’

‘Van Persie A Perfect Fit For United’, Our blogger says Robin van Persie’s late goal against Southampton proved he is perfect for Man Utd. Van Persie a perfect fit for United, The sneaking suspicion that Robin van Persie and Manchester United might just be perfect for each other was given further credence on Sunday when, on the occasion of Sir Alex Ferguson’s 1000th league game as United manager, the Dutch striker contrived to produce an enthralling conclusion that was in the club and Ferguson’s very best traditions.

It has been one of the United manager’s most familiar refrains through all those 26 years in charge that his team, his club, “like to do things the hard way”, and in chipping a woeful attempt at a Panenka penalty at the diving Kelvin Davis when 2-1 down away at Southampton, it certainly seemed as though the £23 million acquisition had carelessly invited a first taste of the hairdryer treatment from his new manager.

But after 88 minutes he swept home an equaliser and, in trademark ‘Fergie time’, Van Persie struck again after 92 minutes with a gorgeous flicked header – his dramatic intervention securing one of the more memorable, if not most significant, late late shows of Ferguson’s long reign. It appears it has taken Van Persie just two-and-a-bit matches to fully buy into the ethos of his new club.

For 20 minutes or so it appeared as though his horribly hit penalty – won after a comically bad challenge from Jos Hooiveld on Van Persie himself that resembled a Skoda rear-ending a Ferrari at a roundabout – would be a smear on his early United career. But when you have the force of character and extreme, undiluted talent to still inspire your side to a win in the dying seconds, Early Doors hopes you can be forgiven a botched attempt to show off a bit.

It’s not as if missing a Panenka is integrally worse than failing to score any other kind of penalty: certainly the result is the same, even if the humiliation is a bit more intense.