Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admits striker Robin van
Persie has been struggling for confidence in front of goal and had "a
very bad game" against Arsenal last weekend.
The Holland forward had only 13 touches of the ball against his
former club, three of which while taking corners, before Van Gaal
replaced him with 18-year-old James Wilson for the last 15 minutes.
Indeed, in the whole of 2014, Van Persie has scored only eight goals in 21 Premier League matches.
Van Gaal said when he was in charge of Bayern Munich, Germany striker
Mario Gomez had fewer touches during some matches, but accepted that
Van Persie has been struggling for form.
"I do think 13 is few for a striker. I want to improve that," said
Van Gaal. "You can count his touches on the ball but more important is
how he is playing.
"It was a very bad game for him. That is why I changed him. When I
change a player, it is not because he is the best player on the pitch.
You are doing something wrong. I believe in the players. When I change
them, normally, it is because they are doing something not good in their
performance.
"When you pick up this match it is easy to put a question about 13
touches. Okay. But strikers do not touch the ball often. That is their
profession.
"Now I have a surprise for you. I had an international striker, Mario
Gomez. He touched the ball nine times during Bayern Munich matches in
my time."
Asked what Van Persie needs to do to get back to the level of being
the best striker in England, the United boss said, "It is a question of
confidence, or maybe scoring a wonderful goal at the right moment. It
can be tomorrow.
"You know how strikers are. They have to score goals. They feel like
that. It is not that I am asking that. I have said they have to be an
attacking point and help our team in the third and fourth phase. For me,
it is not important who scores. The team has to score."
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