Joleon Lescott says ‘technically different’ ex-Arsenal star was one of toughest he’s faced

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Arsenal have been blessed with some world-class players over the years, but not all of them are popular figures.

One such player was striker Robin van Persie, who on his day, could trouble any team he faced, with his combination of speed, skill, physicality and deadly finishing.

Van Persie was one of the best strikers in the world when he completed one of the most controversial moves in Premier League history as he joined Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, after burning his bridges with Arsenal and their fans.

Years later, former Premier League defender Joleon Lescott, who featured for Everton and Manchester City among others, revealed just how difficult it was to play against Van Persie in his Arsenal days.

Joleon Lescott claims former Arsenal star Robin van Persie was one of the toughest strikers he faced

Speaking on the Football’s Greatest podcast, Lescott named Van Persie as one of the toughest strikers he has ever faced, and highlighted why he was so difficult to defend against.

“Just his technical ability. Just the way he did it and even when you’re playing against him, you could appreciate the way he moved, and he did a skill on me at Arsenal once. It was that smooth, that I actually tackled him on accident. He literally did something, I don’t even know what he was attempting, but he moved the ball in a way that I’d actually gone with it,” he stated.

“He moved it back and then shifted it to where it moved initially, and I reacted in a way that I’d gone for the first dummy. And he had done three other movements, then he was coming back into me and I tackled him,” Lescott recalled.

Lescott’s experience highlights Van Persie’s unique ability to manipulate the ball and deceive opponents with his skillful movements. “As a player, you recognize when you’re lucky, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. And I was like, ‘Oh, that was nice. That was nice. That was something I’m not used to,’ and he’d always give me a challenge, he had so many strings to his bow,” Lescott added.

“He’s technically different, and I think his son is pretty impressive as well.”

Van Persie was a special striker at Arsenal

Although his time at the club ended so badly that memories of Van Persie may be tarnished, there is no doubting the Dutchman’s pure ability as one of the best the club has seen when it comes to strikers.

Theo Walcott even once claimed that Van Persie was a better finisher than Thierry Henry, with his powerful ball-striking one of his best attributes.

The attacker’s supreme technique meant that he could create openings for himself to shoot, whilst his incredible movement and eye for goal helped him develop into one of the deadliest goalscorers in the history of the Premier League.