Veteran's View - how bad is Nicklas Bendtner? (Updated)
By Samuel Mowbray
Virtually 26 years to the day, Arsenal signed whom I consider to be one of the worst players I have ever seen grace the red and white shirt.
His name: Lee Chapman and the fact that he then went on to win a Divison One Champions' medal with Leeds shows you how much I know about football and footballers.
Stop reading now if you want - as I am sure many readers from my generation have their own differing views (about our worst ever player). According to records, he played 23 games for us and scored 4 goals. He cost the very princely sum (in those days) of £500,000.
I don't mention all of this as a rant against Terry Neill, the manager at the time who signed him - but the fact that I'm writing this after returning from the Twente FC match - and I think I have seen a player who runs him close.
Yes, stand up Nicklas Bendtner!
Checking records, we took on Spartak Moscow at Highbury on September 29, 1982 in the first round of the UEFA Cup. I was there. We had lost the first leg in Moscow 2-3. Creditable.
In those days, for reasons, I don't think I have ever know, the home teams played in their away strip.
Someone that year had decided our away strip was green and blue. Yes, green and blue. Far worse than any concoction of yellow and blue - and we know there have been some bad ones in my time - which at least have been associated with our away strips.
I won't go on.
I have always loved European football. If I read the stats right, it was our first at Highbury for four years.
We lost 2-5. Somehow playing in green and blue shirts made the defeat even worse.
I don't recall the scoring sequence. But I do recall the fact that Lee Chapman was dreadful. Dreadful. Even though he scored one of our goals.
At least, last night we won.
Bendtner scored too. I rest my case.
If this player ever scores 20 goals in a season for us, I will gladly write again on Arsenal Addict that I know little of football and footballers after watching for 45 years.
I truly hope he does - and proves me wrong.
Does Arsene (always) know?
Samuel Mowbray responds to comments:
Fellow Addicts. I never suggested NB was the worst ever player I have seen play for our team. I suggested, on the evidence of last night's game, he was running Lee Chapman, on his current form, close.
Evidence?
Put through by Cesc in a pass of sublime vision and precision, he failed in a relatively simple one on one. Watch his assist for Theo's goal, and it is clearly a fortuitous stumble/mis-kick. Unlike many I have never and I will never leave a game early or boo an Arsenal player. I just don't think he is a talented enough player in a small squad to win us the title
Of course he will have his moments. He is a professional sportsman. An international. He's young. We didn't pay much for him. These shouldn't be excuses - they highlight part of our dilemma.
I truly hope I am wrong but I doubt he will ever score 20 goals for us. If he does, I will post on AA out of joy - and humiliation. It will be a pleasure. But I don't see what Arsene sees him - any more than I ever understood what he saw in Aliadiere.
My opinion.
David Alexander
Reader Comments (147)
Well there you can see the difference between us and the scousers, Torres had an off game (and an even worse one at that than bendtner) yesterday too but was he slugged by his own fans in this way? Mow through the LFC blogs and you'll read they acknowledge he played pretty much shite but getting on his back? That'd be something new to me.
This a stupid article from an old fool! Wake up and take a look at the stats man. The great Dane for the few minutes he is given he proves Mr Wenger right. He scores and creates spaces. A fourth dimension in our team. Get your walking stick and go eat your porridge my old son.
You know nothing about football if you think NB is a bad player.
apart from being OK in the air and quiet a good fist touch
some one tell me 1 more good thing about Bendtner i bet u cant
the great Dane LOL OH MY GOD u are definitely high on drugs
I couldn't disagree more. His performance was poor last night, but he still scored - more than can be said of a player (who I absolutely love), van Persie.
According to Wikipedia he has 5 goals in 29 appearances for Arsenal, doesn't sound great but when you consider the total time he has had on the pitch (belied by "29 appearances") and the fact that a fair part of his game is linking play, it's hardly a bad return. 7 in 19 for Denmark (where he is a starter) is a lot more impressive. Compare these stats to Aliadiere (1 in 30 for Arsenal, no international appearances at any level) and your comparison of the two is very unfair.
He scores important goals (see against Spurs last year), he gives us something different to Ade, van Persie, Eduardo and Vela. He will have bad games, he will have great games, and there's a perfect reason for it - he's TWENTY years old.
If Bendtner was 27 I'd understand your criticism, he's not consistent enough so move him on. But consistency comes with age. Don't expect every 20 year old to be Fabregas, he's just a wonderful, magical freak of football, and we as Arsenal fans have been incredibly lucky to call him our own.
At the moment Nicklas is a bench player at Arsenal so the possibility of him getting 20 is rather unrealistic. But the lad will get 10+ this season, were he a starter I'd be willing to bet you would be writing that you "know little of football and footballers after watching for 45 years" before May.
Nic is a) a kid and b) full of potential. To write him off now is mongtastic. If we ever sign someone who can cross a ball he'll score 174 (at least) goals a season.
What a load of old piffle. I sometimes call by this blog when arsenal news is slim and have noticed that there are quite often random sweeping statements that have no base in reality but this has got to be the most ludicrous post I've seen so far. You clearly show how fickle your judgments are and how little your knowledge of football is. You come across as a really nice guy who clearly loves the club but dont give up your day job mate! Even the great Thierry had a few stinkers and at the end of the day bendtner scored a goal set up 2 and frequently got himself into good positions!!!!!!!
please answer this question do u guys think hes seriously good enough to play for us but please Arsenals bare in mind the top class strikes we have had at the club the lights of Dennis bergkamp Nicklas Anelka and the great Thierry Henry
are you one of the idiots who talked about how bad Th14 was in his first season?
There is an element among arsenal supporters i find increasingly childlike and pathetic.
Wonderful,accurate blog.He made more mistakes last night(as usual)then Senderos made in his entire Arsenal career but then he played at the back didn,t he.I spent most of last night screaming at the screen at Bendtner.He looked quite ordinary when on loan at Birmingham and doesn,t even look that good when asked to play for Arsenal.H messes up most of our attacks,gives the ball away constantly and generally is the original carthorse.What amazes me is that these people writing to defend him are,presumably,the same people moaning about 3 trophy less seasons.To persevere with him is to guaranee that particular run continues.I know that football is all about opinion but it really frustrates me to have to say that those defending Bendtner cannot have any serious football knowledge in their brains.
Are you blind? He has more skill and an eye for goal than Ade and Walcott put together. Shit article, arse
IT WOULD SEEM THAT WITH THE DEPARTURE OF SENDEROS, WE NEED TO FIND ANOTHER PLAYA TO PICK ON! HE GOT INTO THE WRIGHT POSITIONS AND YES IT WAS NOT HIS FINEST PERFORMANCE BUT THERE ARE ENCOURAGING SIGNS. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SPEND YOUR TIME MORE PORDUCTIVELY AND ADRESS A MORE SERIOUSE CONCERN. FANS SEEM TO B TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNUTY TO UDERMINE THE CLUB OF LATE. OVER THE PAST 3 SEASONS IF LUCK HAD BEEN ON OUR SIDE WE COULD HAVE EASILY TAKEN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, LEAGUE CUP AND LEAGUE TITLE! WHAT WE NEED IS MORE ATMOSPHERE IN THE STADIUM! WHY THE HELL DO YOU TURN UP, IF NOT TO MAKE SOME NOISE, WIN OR LOSE! THE ATTITUDE SEEMS TO BE, ENTERTAIN ME! A GOAL IS SCORED AND U CLAP LIKE U JUST SAW A CLOWN PERFORM A TRICK AT THE CIRCUS! ARSENAL FANS HAVE BECOME AN EMBARRASSMENT! A BUNCH OF PRICKS!
I agree with all the comments above about this article, you're being really harsh on a 21 year old who is still learning his trade. The one on one last night was a penalty and he created 2 goals and scored. You really should be getting behind the players/team and not crictising every bad permforance.
I'm still waiting on them answers gooners, i guarantee if i saw henry in a night club without no news paper reporters he would say the same thing fucking Adabayor said it to him on the pitch.
Just want to state my disappointment at Samuel Mowbray's article on Nicklas Bentnder and would really want to see influential blog writers getting behind the team and not criticising individual players with little evidence or facts. Nik is a young player at the club learning his trade, point out things he need to improve, tell suppoerters to get behind to improve his confidence, but don’t write articles saying “how bad is Nicklas Bendtner?” it creates a negative vibe. I hope Samuel however much of a veteran is can see this and write some positives pieces in the future otherwise I’ll be blacklisting this blog and making a point of saying “Is arsenal addicts the worst blog you’ve ever read”
Sorry for the moan but I we get enough grief in the Rupert Murdoch Man Utd press without our own supporters writing articles like this.
Rich
(A Fellow Arsenal Season Ticket Holder)
I would not say I agree with the writer that Bendtner will be one of the worst Arsenal players. But he may be one right now ,and he deserves the critics.
I watched some of the preseason games and i was impressed about him. For last season goal against spur, i even had his goal scoring picture as my desktop.
But at the moment I'm disappointed and angry with him again. His first touch and ball controlling is just horrible. Yes, he is now the worst player in the field for Arsenal. And he must improve. But his improvement will have to take time, and i don't think it will help our team at this important season.
he has not got nothing to offer to Arsenal no way near good enough to play for such a big club u lot talk about learning
his strade but that is the problem at Arsenal we have too many players at the club learning there strade in over words too many youngsters.Im talking now when the pressure is on us more than ever before he is SHIT and that is a FACT, and u guys have to face it I'm not one of them supporter's that are
saw nieve. Because a player plays for a club i support when hes shit i gonna say hes good when he is saw not.some of u
really need a reality check.
btw, is it the time that we Arsenal are "waiting for" or are "nurturing" great player for the future; or is it the time we are needing an actually great player? I think the writer has his point, and he did not deserve too many bad comments about this article.
We need trophy this season guys, otherwise it could be a disaster. I wish Bendtner would become a great player, but i don't think this is his season. And agree with brian. I was also screaming at Bendtner when seeing how he touched the ball.
Ive noticed if we have a good flowing move Bendtner is the worst player to give the ball to he always has too fuck it up.he makes me want to kick over my tv somes times he is the most frustraiting player too watch.
sale him to Newcastle united that is honestly the highest level i think he could ever reach but for now wenger should send him on loan too Stoke city
justleave the lad alone!!! wtf is wrong with u? before we think fo loaning off players like him i think we should first think of loaning off fans like U.
some of us arsenal is our religion. so just leave the players alone you onion!!!!!
The problem we face is that very few players will ever be prepared to settle for a regular subs role; Bendtner is an OK sub, as he adds a different dimension. Also, if nothing else, he provides competition for places - although he is in a different class, you would hardly say the RVP has played more than about 3 minutes of top class football this year. If he keeps playing like that we are in serious trouble.
But Eboue - oh yes - he is undoubtedly in the top 3 of all-time BAD players in the 40 years I have been watching. At what point does AW give up on him ?? He can't shoot, he's a fake, his final pass is a joke, and he is just a damn disruption. Why can't he do a cruciate, and give us all a break. Bloody idiot - deserves to join Sam Allardyce in the grand-stand somewhere (well away from us).
EBOUE EBOUE IS THE CRAP OF ARSENAL BENDTNER IS A FAR SECOND EBOUE IS SOOO FLIPPIN CRAP
mowbray you are a prick