Arsenal's time is now - Robin van Persie

A handful of Arsene Wenger's boys will need to become men if Arsenal are to end their five-year wait for a major trophy this season and in Robin van Persie, they have a player who looks ready to complete his rite of passage.

After years of being hailed as the promising Dutch kid who may eventually stand on the plinth once occupied by Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp, Van Persie has finally matured into the world class striker his manager has long hoped he would become.

Indeed, Wenger seems to have come to the conclusion that Van Persie has reached his peak after he proclaimed his protégé as the finest striker in the Premier League earlier this week and at the age of 26, he could be the finished product at last.

Still scoring the brilliant goals he has always specialised in, 'RVP' seems to have added a few of the more mundane tap-ins to his repertoire of late, giving him an awesome all-round package.

As he prepares for Saturday evening's live ESPN UK game against Wolves, Van Persie has stated his belief that this Arsenal team are more than capable of re-entering the winners' circle this season and yet he suggests tricky away games like the upcoming battle at Molineux represent the acid test for the Gunners.

"We have not always been so strong against the smaller teams and it has cost us in recent seasons," begins Van Persie, who was a part of the last Arsenal side to lift silverware in the 2005 FA Cup final. "Picking up three points in the games you are expected to win is important in a title challenge and we have not always done that, so concentration is vital in these games.

"I believe it can be different this season and that we are ready to overcome all the challenges you face in the Premier League. In the past, the idea was you could give Arsenal a hard time physically and they would fall away. Now, we are prepared for this tactic and can work our way around it.

"People still say we lack experience, but the truth is we have a young team rather than an inexperienced one. You look through the side and we have players who are hungry to win prizes and just because they are young, people point to inexperience as a problem for us. I don't agree as we cannot say this is a developing team any more.

"There is no doubt we have the players to beat anyone, but we have not managed to jump over the final hurdle in the last few years. Hopefully this time can be different because the target for Arsenal has to be at least one trophy every year and as everyone tells us, we haven't done that recently."

The gloom merchants are quick to suggest Wenger's long-term strategy of building the club around a youthful base is doomed to failure and when a small pocket of Arsenal supporters threatened to join the dissenting camp at the back end of last season, it seemed as if a crisis may be just around the corner for the legendary coach.

However, the wavering few among the Emirates Stadium hoards appear to be back on board after a promising start to this season and one area where Wenger can always be assured of unequivocal backing is among the group of players he has thrown onto the biggest stages in the game over the last few years.

Van Persie is the first to admit his determination to bring success to Arsenal burns brightly as a result of his devotion to a manager who has put his own reputation on the line by backing a bunch of highly talented footballers who convinced him many years ago that they will eventually deliver the trophies the club expects.

"All of the players at Arsenal owe the manager so much and this is why we are determined to succeed for him," confirms Van Persie. "The boss has shown great faith in me and has helped me to develop as a player. Even in the times when I was injured, he has been very positive and that support is not forgotten quickly.

"I signed a long contract here as my ambition is to give the best years of my career to Arsenal because I owe the club and the manager so much. Winning at Arsenal would mean more to me than at other clubs. Personally, my time here has already been a success because I have won a lot as a person in the way I have been able to grow at this club."

Keeping Van Persie fit may be the key to Arsenal's trophy ambitions this season as few players slot into Wenger's silky game plan more snugly than his gifted No.11.

His absence for long periods during Arsenal's trophy 'drought' has clearly damaged Wenger's ambitions, but Van Persie went some way to banishing the notion that he is injury prone as he crammed in 44 games for Arsenal last season, proving conclusively that he can be a reliable threat in front of goal.

The Dutchman believes his lengthy spells on the sidelines helped him to appreciate the game more and now he is determined to complete his education under Wenger in a season that could define his career.

"You learn more about yourself as a person and what your body can stand up to when you have spent some time on the sidelines," he adds. "Building yourself up in the gym is important and giving the body the best chance to survive a long season is the best way to get through without too many problems. You also need some luck with fitness and I have not always had that.

"There is still a long way for me to go as a player, but I feel as if I am performing consistently now and what I need to do from this point is take a few more of the chances that come my way on the field. I finished up with 20 goals last season and the truth is I could have had so many more. If you get three big chances in one game, you should score at least one goal and that has to be my target now."

With the World Cup finals looming large at the end of this season for Van Persie, 2010 could be the year when a member of what can now be described as Arsenal's old guard becomes a winner on the grand scale.