Bendtner, Ade-bye-bore and The Usual Guff

One mystery is resolved, Arsene’s interview as quoted in yesterday’s Daily Mirror and widely reproduced was in fact from the Official Arsenal Magazine, rather than being an exclusive bout of repartee as intimated by the, ahem, rag. Indeed, it was from the same interview from which this morning’s praise of Nicklas Bendtner is derived. In terms of the comments Arsene made, there is nothing more that he said about Bendtner.

There are parallels between Bendtner and Kevin Campbell. The latter was in football terms, an absolute monster for the reserves and youths, setting records that lasted through the years. As part of a double act, Campbell was partnered by Andy Cole who never made the grade at Arsenal although one wonders how much of that was George Graham or the player’s own impatience at not being given a first team chance. I have a vague recollection of Cole turning out at some point during the tedious 1991 Charity Shield against the Tiny Tots but nothing much more than that. Bendtner meanwhile was partnered by Arturo Lupoli who has become something of a journeyman even with his tender years, returning from Italy to The Championship.

The point with Bendtner is that his career at club and international level are not in tandem. He is well established in the Danish squad without securing a starting place in the Arsenal team. He is a player not short on confidence which is something that stood him in good stead during his barren run in the first half of the season and at times in the second half, particularly during the Blackburn game when even with a twenty foot goal, I suspect he would have skewed the ball wide. It was one of those afternoons for the lad. Every footballer in any position in any league has them. Some suffer them more frequently than others, fewer in a higher profile situation. Yet he came back for more, willing to put himself in a position to miss, a sign of his strength of character.

Bendtner’s character draws attention to himself. He has the self-belief that good strikers require, the confidence in his own abilities to help him through the hard times. His youthful exuberance will be curbed over time and I would have to agree with Wenger that such is his all-round game, the Dane has real possibilities of developing into a great centre-forward.

Which is just as well since Adebayor’s Mr20% is mouthing off once more, claiming that Adebayor would like to work with Ancelotti and has been contacted by ‘an important club’. Defining the word important would be key to understanding which club because unless they are direct rivals of Arsenal, for all intents and purposes, they are unimportant until the suitcase full of used fivers turns up in Gazidis’ office.

Apparently, Stephane Courbis spoke with Wenger and was not told that the player was for sale but assumed this to mean that Arsenal has ‘economic problems‘ which could be solved by his client moving. For Adebayor, the comments reflect badly in some eyes, further fuelling stances against him. I doubt that anyone would believe him if he issued a denial in the same manner as Sagna. It seems that the only thing he would benefit from in the PR sense would be a summer of silence from Team Adebayor.

I could waffle on about Toure to Manchester City as some seem to think will happen although reports this morning suggest they have offered Everton £15m and chocolate hobnobs for their Board meetings if the Toffees decide to let them have a Lescott. Apparently Everton will not even consider the bid unless Rich Tea’s are thrown in but have refused outright Garibaldi’s. Crumbs! That really takes the biscuit.

’til Tomorrow.