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Arsenal Analysis: Former target for boo-boys Bendtner turns lynchpin for crucial Liverpool win
Danish striker shows Gunners what they’ve been missing up front
11 Feb 2010 09:00:00
By Matthew Weiner | Arsenal Correspondent
Last season, no Arsenal fan would have believed you if you had told them that Nicklas Bendtner would become the solution to the club's problems. But throughout the 1-0 win against Liverpool on Wednesday night, the big Dane proved that is now the case.
It’s one of those unwritten rules of football. Any player who is out injured automatically becomes – in the minds of fans at least - the one man who can save their team on his return. Even if, before he got crocked, they were always on his back. That is certainly the story of most Arsenal fans’ relationship with Nicklas Bendtner.
And after his long-awaited return from injury, the Danish international didn’t disappoint.
OK, he didn’t score the only goal of the game; that was provided by Abou Diaby with a powerful header in the 72nd minute. Nor did he supply the artful cross – that was Tomas Rosicky’s work.
But what he did provide was the physical presence up front that Arsene Wenger’s team had been crying out for ever since Robin van Persie got injured last November.
Arsenal’s No.52 may not have the exquisite technique or the dead-eye shot of his Dutch colleague, but he brings other essential ingredients to the team.
The burly centre-forward proved his worth against Liverpool by doing the ugly things well: chasing lost causes, winning headers, holding the ball up and laying off passes to his midfield colleagues. These are things that no other Arsenal forward, despite the lavish talents of Andrey Arshavin and Eduardo, has succeeded in doing over the last two months.
But then football doesn’t have to be such a complicated game. Just ask Didier Drogba – a magnificently effective striker who manages to do the simple things brilliantly well. And Chelsea prosper as a result.
Nicklas Bendtner is still a long, long way off the Ivorian’s standards - as demonstrated by his profligacy in front of goal when put through by Arshavin on the half-hour. His slashed shot would have been the talking point of the game had Diaby not saved the Dane’s bacon in the second half. But that winning goal would also have been impossible had it not been for Bendtner’s input.
It was only the Danish international’s strength and powerful turn that allowed Rosicky the time to catch up with play before whipping in his telling cross. The timing of the pass from Bendtner proved immaculate too – flowing directly into the path of the Czech’s unmarked run down the wing.
Even the Dane’s absence, following Wenger substitution of him after 80 minutes, only served to further the player’s cause.
Theo Walcott, who replaced him in the lone striker role, proved incapable of keeping hold of the ball.
During the dying embers of the game, the whippet-fast Englishman gave possession away cheaply rather than helping the Gunners protect their lead. Instead of running the ball towards the corner flag, he blindly crossed the ball straight into Reina’s hands, allowing Liverpool to launch one last attack.
Arsenal fans were left cursing Wenger for having taken Bendtner off the pitch. But incredibly, it was only a year ago they were cursing the manager for allowing him on it. Then again, that’s one of the other unwritten rules of football, isn’t it? Yesterday’s villain can always become tomorrow's hero.
Last season, no Arsenal fan would have believed you if you had told them that Nicklas Bendtner would become the solution to the club's problems. But throughout the 1-0 win against Liverpool on Wednesday night, the big Dane proved that is now the case.
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It’s one of those unwritten rules of football. Any player who is out injured automatically becomes – in the minds of fans at least - the one man who can save their team on his return. Even if, before he got crocked, they were always on his back. That is certainly the story of most Arsenal fans’ relationship with Nicklas Bendtner.
And after his long-awaited return from injury, the Danish international didn’t disappoint.
OK, he didn’t score the only goal of the game; that was provided by Abou Diaby with a powerful header in the 72nd minute. Nor did he supply the artful cross – that was Tomas Rosicky’s work.
But what he did provide was the physical presence up front that Arsene Wenger’s team had been crying out for ever since Robin van Persie got injured last November.
Arsenal’s No.52 may not have the exquisite technique or the dead-eye shot of his Dutch colleague, but he brings other essential ingredients to the team.
The burly centre-forward proved his worth against Liverpool by doing the ugly things well: chasing lost causes, winning headers, holding the ball up and laying off passes to his midfield colleagues. These are things that no other Arsenal forward, despite the lavish talents of Andrey Arshavin and Eduardo, has succeeded in doing over the last two months.
But then football doesn’t have to be such a complicated game. Just ask Didier Drogba – a magnificently effective striker who manages to do the simple things brilliantly well. And Chelsea prosper as a result.
Nicklas Bendtner is still a long, long way off the Ivorian’s standards - as demonstrated by his profligacy in front of goal when put through by Arshavin on the half-hour. His slashed shot would have been the talking point of the game had Diaby not saved the Dane’s bacon in the second half. But that winning goal would also have been impossible had it not been for Bendtner’s input.
It was only the Danish international’s strength and powerful turn that allowed Rosicky the time to catch up with play before whipping in his telling cross. The timing of the pass from Bendtner proved immaculate too – flowing directly into the path of the Czech’s unmarked run down the wing.
Even the Dane’s absence, following Wenger substitution of him after 80 minutes, only served to further the player’s cause.
Theo Walcott, who replaced him in the lone striker role, proved incapable of keeping hold of the ball.
During the dying embers of the game, the whippet-fast Englishman gave possession away cheaply rather than helping the Gunners protect their lead. Instead of running the ball towards the corner flag, he blindly crossed the ball straight into Reina’s hands, allowing Liverpool to launch one last attack.
Arsenal fans were left cursing Wenger for having taken Bendtner off the pitch. But incredibly, it was only a year ago they were cursing the manager for allowing him on it. Then again, that’s one of the other unwritten rules of football, isn’t it? Yesterday’s villain can always become tomorrow's hero.
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
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