Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0: Life after RVP proves hard to bear as Gunners draw blank

Posted Sunday, August 19, 2012 by Dailymail

He was the man who wasn't there, airbrushed from Arsenal's history.

Almost no one dared mention his name.

No one, that is, other than the Sunderland fans chanting 'He leaves when he wants, Robin van Persie, he leaves when he wants' and Arsene Wenger, who was admirably honest in his assessment of how much the striker will be missed.

But between Arsenal and their fans it seemed there was an unspoken pact not to dwell on the week's sorrow.

Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0: Life after RVP proves hard to bear as Gunners draw blank
No way through: Arsenal dominated possession but were unable to force their way past Sunderland

There was an oblique reference to Van Persie when defender Thomas Vermaelen was announced as 'our new skipper'. This received the loudest roar of the afternoon.

And although everyone knew the damage inflicted by the exit of the captain, coming on the back of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri leaving this time last year, the time for grieving was over and a new season awaited.

When £10million replacement Olivier Giroud was through on goal, eight yards out with eight minutes to play - having been played in delightfully by Santi Cazorla - he skewed his shot wide rather than finishing cleanly as he might have done last season for Montpellier, where he scored 25 goals.

Tempting though it must have been, there could be no comparison to Van Persie. Thoughts that Van Persie would have finished the chance, or that Arsenal might have won the game with their former talisman, must be banished, however compelling they are.

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