RVP Reminder

It was "only" the Community Shield, granted. And, no, beating Owen Coyle's second-tier Wigan at Wembley doesn't earn you any gold stars. But it does mean you've avoided more controversy and acrimony and, perhaps, a knee-jerk reaction, of the kind that manifests itself when you stumble. And Manchester United's 2-0 win did provide two important reminders. 

One is that Ryan Giggs, less than one hundred days removed from his 40th birthday, can still generate magic and energy. Certainly not every game, probably not every week, and maybe not even every few weeks. But knowing he's around and can still make the difference is a boon for the club's younger players (which is basically everyone bar half a dozen guys). 

The other is that Robin van Persie is still around. That's right. RVP. Remember him? A year ago today there was talk of little else. His potential transfer fee, his wages, whether he could fit in at Old Trafford, whether he could stay healthy, whether he could deliver. Thirty-six goals in 48 outings for United answered that question. 

Yet this summer, in a soap opera dominated by Wayne Rooney and manager David Moyes -- with supporting roles for Rooney's agent, Paul Stretford, and team executive Ed Woodward -- RVP has been a minor recurring character. Now that the stage has moved back to the pitch, he's ready to be the whole show once again, as he was early last year, when he carried United on his back in some outings.

It's not just one less thing for Moyes to worry about -- it's also a major added value of the kind the media rarely talks about because Van Persie is not the kind of guy who generates headlines when he's not doing his thing on the pitch. 

With Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale, the other two-thirds of last season's Player of the Year triumvirate, either on their way out or (at best) embroiled in long and unsettling transfer controversies, Van Persie is the one guy who has had a long, relaxed summer during which to recharge his batteries. 

Given the upheaval and changes at the club and throughout the top of the Premier League, Van Persie's stability could end up making all the difference come May.