Flying Dutchman solves missing hat-trick case

London: Robin van Persie had started to think he was cursed never to score a professional hat-trick.

On nine occasions he had scored twice for Arsenal in the Premiership but not gone on to claim the match ball.

When he struck a penalty high into the sky with that trusted left foot against Wigan on Saturday, it looked as if the Dutchman would make it 10 times unlucky.

But he did it, finally. In a campaign in which Arsenal are anxious to bury the ghosts of seasons past, Van Persie's fortitude certainly bodes well.

The striker, 27, said: "It was my first ever hat-trick. I scored five goals when I was 19 for my former club Feyenoord in the Dutch Cup, against an amateur side, but that doesn't really count.

"It means a lot because I've been here a long time. I had come so close, so many times. I'd score two goals and then I'd hit the bar or the post and I was unlucky.

"The same thing happened today, if I'm honest, because I missed the penalty and I don't really miss [them] that often. I've only missed two in my whole career. I was disappointed with myself because maybe the occasion got to me a little bit.

Delight and relief

"I was starting to think, why can I not score a hat-trick? It happened again last week, funnily enough, against West Ham. I scored two goals and then hit the post. I started to sort of accept it a little bit. The moment when you accept it, that's when you score one."

Van Persie's delight and relief, to some extent was obvious. Broken toes, knee and ankle problems have left him sidelined during five of his six full seasons at Arsenal and he made only his 12th Premier League appearance of 2010-11 against Wigan.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: "What he has gone through has been difficult. A player who is injured a lot is fragile. He feels useless and is without his job. He is without his happiness, of course.

"On the other hand, it has made him a lot stronger mentally because he had to fight against disappointments."

When asked what Arsenal could have achieved last season if Van Persie had not missed five months with ankle injury, Samir Nasri said: "It's difficult to answer it.

"Of course, Arsenal missed him, not only in the championship but especially in the Champions League, where you need players of great quality. "He's one of the world's top strikers, if he is spared injuries and if he finds his rhythm. We have seen that during the last games. He scored, he is decisive and he's [getting] confidence back.

"He has a very good technique and he likes to come to the ball. He is able to keep the ball or to give the last pass. He turns fast, he knows how to play with one touch and he's a great finisher.

"In spite of appearances, he is someone who fights a lot. He is very important in our organisation. He often wins his duels one-on-one with goalkeepers."

Van Persie was also quick to pay tribute to the sublime assists that helped him on Saturday: Alex Song's pass and Cesc Fabregas's run for the first goal, and Fabregas's vision for the second and third.