Last updated: 11th May 2008
Van Persie: Ambition
Robin van Persie says he is "100 per cent convinced" Arsenal will win silverware soon - and he believes the players will make their mark on history in the process.
Arsenal looked on course to win both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League earlier this season, but a run of five games without victory in the league all but ended their title hopes in March while they went out of Europe after Liverpool claimed a controversial late penalty in April.
The club has suffered further blows since, with Mathieu Flamini deciding to leave for Milan after the title disappointment and Alexander Hleb apparently eyeing a move to Internazionale or Barcelona.
But Van Persie believes the players were unfortunate not to win the Champions League this year and insists they will prove that they are a great side in the near future.
"I am 100 per cent convinced we will soon win big trophies," he told the Mail on Sunday.
"When that happens, I know the whole world will be behind us. It will be a lasting memory if we win it with our style of play.
"We started great, but at the last hurdle we did not make it. We were very unlucky.
"Against Liverpool in the Champions League, we were more or less in the semi-final six minutes from the end.
"We get one unfair penalty against us and we are out of the Champions League.
"Should we put our philosophy and vision on the way Arsenal play overboard because of one lousy penalty? I don't think so."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 16th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs West Brom |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Man City |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Stoke |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Portsmouth |
| 15:00 | Everton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Hull vs Fulham |
| 15:00 | Man Utd vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Tottenham |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Liverpool |
| 15:00 | West Ham vs Wigan |
| Saturday 23rd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Hull |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Arsenal |
| 15:00 | Liverpool vs Middlesbrough |
| 15:00 | Man City vs West Ham |
| 15:00 | Newcastle vs Bolton |
| 15:00 | Portsmouth vs Man Utd |
| 15:00 | Stoke vs Aston Villa |
| 15:00 | Tottenham vs Sunderland |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Chelsea |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 11th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Chelsea 1 - 1 Bolton | |
| Tottenham 0 - 2 Liverpool | |
| Wigan 0 - 2 Man Utd | |
| Birmingham 4 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Derby 0 - 4 Reading | |
| West Ham 2 - 2 Aston Villa | |
| Middlesbrough 8 - 1 Man City | |
| Everton 3 - 1 Newcastle | |
| Portsmouth 0 - 1 Fulham | |
| Sunderland 0 - 1 Arsenal | |
| Monday 5th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Newcastle 0 - 2 Chelsea | |
| Sunday 4th May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton | |
| Liverpool 1 - 0 Man City | |
| Saturday 3rd May | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 4 - 1 West Ham | |
| Aston Villa 0 - 2 Wigan | |
| Blackburn 3 - 1 Derby | |
| Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Portsmouth | |
| Bolton 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Fulham 2 - 0 Birmingham | |
| Reading 0 - 1 Tottenham | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Everton | 0 | 0 |
James Pearson breaks down Everton's chances of making it into the Premier League's 'big four'.
James Dall rolls up his sleeves and picks the bones out of Arsenal's pre-season carcass.
Tony Curtis looks at whether West Ham need to cash in on Anton Ferdinand to bolster their squad
Man Utd have rubbished stories suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo is on the brink of a move to Real Madrid.
Middlesbrough have sealed the signing of Didier Digard from Paris Saint Germain.
Man City captain Richard Dunne has pledged his future to the club by signing a new four-year deal.
Liverpool have completed the signing of Udinese defender Andrea Dossena on a four-year deal.
Talented young defender Steven Taylor has signed a new three-year contract with Newcastle United.