Eduardo raring to go

Croatian hit-man ready to fill in for Van Persie

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 17th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Eduardo raring to go

Eduardo: Added responsibility

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Eduardo insists he is ready to step into the void created by Robin van Persie's untimely injury.

Arsenal have been firing on all cylinders this term, with 17 different players on target in all competitions.

Leading the way has been Dutch destroyer Van Persie, who has been at his free-scoring best since being reverted to a central striking role.

He has led the line in style, notching seven goals in 11 Premier League outings, as the Gunners have made steady progress towards the upper reaches of the table.

The news that he is now facing up to six weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury sustained while away on international duty has understandably come as a major blow to Arsene Wenger's troops.

Creativity

Arsenal do, however, boast plenty of attacking options, with Croatian hit-man Eduardo expected to be offered the opportunity to fill Van Persie's boots.

The Brazilian-born striker has struggled to hold down regular action in the past, and has been troubled by injuries and controversy during his time in England, but he insists he is ready to step out of the shadows and spearhead the Gunners' hugely-successful 4-3-3 formation.

"The boss knows our qualities and how they can fit into a formation," Eduardo told the Evening Standard.

"For me it is fine to play on the left or the right, no problem, the most important thing is to help the team and I feel good in those positions.

"It is a formation that gives us more movement and more creativity through the middle, although it is not easy because we have to balance defence and attack and that can be difficult."