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)
bullshite! comparing bendtdner to dirk kuyt i would say bendtner is better quality wise and he is obviously younger,taller is just as energetic and has great determination. He also has a very high Bendtdner in my opinion looks much more like a finished article than theo and is only a year or so older. i rest my case!
no his not Eboue's level more like Titus Bramble
Merida u idiot what Bndtner better than Dirk Kuyt i take it u dont know football have you seen kuyt he is probably the most
hardest working striker i can't believe what u wrote, mate u are having a laugh right
This is one of the worst articles i have ever read. Saying a 20 year old is the worst player ever at arsenal. Obviously haven't seen the likes of Malz and Stepanovs perform. As for eboue, in the middle of the park? Seriously was this a joke? The man is not fit to wear the shirt. Not only is he crap, he dives and gets hurt every game. I think Bendtner has the potential to be twice as good as Ade, and will prove it in the next couple of years.
C'mon. NB is still 20 so he will have youthful consistency. I believe he will be better then Ade in the coming years. One of his major strengths is that he can sit deep and create goals. Just like DB 10. Although it is unfair to da lad to be compared 2 all time gr8's. But I am sure if he can work hard. He will surely bcome a gr8 player 4 arsenal. I hope we sign Barry or Alonso not De Guzman.
It seems some Arsenal fans are even joining the media doubters that put Arsenal down at the beginning of every season by moaning in any way they can at the moment. It is all i seem to hear. Why not get behind the players and the club for the next 9 months or so, enjoy the football and leave the whinging to the Spurs fans with their inevitable mid table load of shit.
Darren Bent or Nicklas Bendtner?
i think bendtner will prove himself in the next couple of seasons to be a strong center forward and adebayor can piss off back to togo cos he cant even finish with no one else on the pitch - adeeeeeebayor adeeebayor, the other players went home, but he still can't score!
This website commanded lots of respect from me until now.
How many players have been deemed terrible and later became legends. Bergkamp was insulted after a brief stint at juventus he came to arsenal to become arguably our greatest player ever. Adebayor was insulted time and time again but he was our highest goal scorer last season. the problem with the british is they lack patience and that's whhy england has no quality players or youngsters. if messi was english he would not be as good.
Nicklas isnt a finished product yet neither is Theo. Age and the cost should be irrelevant. But the potential is there for them to become the best and hence, the ever continuing faith shown by Arsene. You dont become an international by fluke. Clearly watching for 45 years comes at a price - your judgement of players becomes awful. On the other hand, if you were talking about Eboue I would agree with you wholeheartedly.
i know i keep going on but do u lot honestly think Bendtner,s good ?
Stop slagging of Big Ben at least he seems to care he will come good and 20 goals should be reachable.
1.had a good pre season played well and scored lots
2. had a bad game LAST NIGHT. 1 game. he still scored though
3. he got 9 goals last year mainly coming on as a sub therefore i see no reason for him never being able to score 20
4. his 20 give him a break
5. are you actually going senile?
the best upcoming youngter coming up from the of the youth team
is Barazite he is the next big thing but wenger doesn't want to rush him he is much better than bloody Bendtner
please remember the bogie side he scored them goals against. Mate and twenty goals this season where more likely to see Stoke city winning the premier league.PLEASE the guy cant keep the ball for more than 4 seconds without loosing it all the time. and for fuck sake stop using age as an excuse
have u seen the youth talent in Europe starting from like 17
like i said before Rooney was better than him when he was
16 i know hes a Arsenal player but come on the guy is shit
no way good enough to even ware a Arsenal shirt u guys are saw nieve hes not even a arsenal type of player.u can tell
the frustration on the over strikers face when they play with him like i said i guarantee most of the Arsenal players
will tell u the same thing like in a bar no news reporter's and a couple of pints
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH THIS BLOG
Very very poor article. Don't make stabs at players like that for having not even that bad a game. Hardly helps their confidence!
He did well, a few poor touches and decisions but great otherwise. Always invovled in the action, helping out and keeping possession in opposition half, as well as making space for himself to score, etc. Although perhaps not match sharp just yet, these are EXACTLY the kind of games suitable for this purpose.
He is quite a player tbh!
U r truly an idiot. RVP even will never score 20 goals for us n u wanna slate Bedtner because he missed a chance. RVP too missed a open chance? the goal from Gallas came through because Bedtner controlled the ball beautifully n shot... rebound then came to gallas. Shut the hell up
i dont think he's as bad as robin 'perfect volleys from 25yards only please'van, i think your article is bad,what about eddie mcgoldrick?? what about chris kiwomya ,you have been harsh on a young fella ,its becoming trendy now to shit on the players ,bring us some joy in your blogs, but at least you dont claim to have inside info to who we aint signing like the other blog!
goals per minutes on the pitch show that nicky B and super ed are our top goal scorers,the facts dont lie! theo had a decent 20 mins so its rip up nicky b day instead! look at yourself in the mirror when you write these blogs,this is the only thing you could think of ? wat a mug!
NB will in my eyes be a far better player than Ade given time - to come down on him like this after 1 performance is a joke
This is a joke! Have you had a few drinks when you wrote this. Nic is pure class, he will be arsenals main striker for years to come. Yes he missed a few chances but he is only 19 and we expect far too much from him. If you have a problem look at Robin "I want a pay rise but have not played in years" Van Persie or Emmanuel " i want more money after one good season" Adebayor. So leave the future of our club alone. What a joke and enjoy your next drink!!
I like most of your posts, but i think your way off the mark with this one. NB is very talented I think. Very much a confidence player but once he gets a few goals he will be flying.
Just throwing it out there, I think he is very similar to Ibrahamivic (whoes name i cant spell). I think he will go on to be better than him???????
I wonder if the author have 'selective' memory. Ade who imho is the worse ever arsenal player did that exact 'fluke' pass to RVP who scored a goal last year. Everyone praised his 'passing' and 'vision'. Frustratingly Ade has never repeated the way he scores goals, he has the worse first touch, passing, shooting and 1v1s ever for a striker in the premier league.
NB is just 20 this year, The mistakes he made in Twente game was laughable, BUT NB has controlled and pass the ball much better than Ade would if Ade were to start in 10games while NB starts half a game.
NB has natural talent and skill, Ade requires prayers and luck. NB had an off day wif twente, Ade is perpetually off.
what the feck are ye talking about mate ??
smoking too much ganja eh ? anybody claims to be an author these days .. stop writing such articles and go back to cleaning those johnnies .. feckin disgrace that you call yerself as a gooner ..
wtf??!! wanker....what a load of bollocks. Nik has a more natural nose for goal than bloodybayor....he had an off day in that game n yet still came up with the goods in the form of a goal....chew on that, u spuds fan!