During his time at Arsenal, Nicklas Bendtner slowly but surely developed into a laughing stock. Indeed, it’s easy to forget just how long the Danish forward spent at The Emirates. It’s not like he was a flash in the pan. He was with The Gunners for 9 years in between 2005 and 2014. Let me repeat that again: Nicklas Bendtner was an Arsenal player for the best part of a decade.
In total he made 168 appearances for The Gunners and found the back of the net 47 times. That’s a fairly woeful return for a centre-forward, but it’s worth noting that he was often pushed out wide and often joined the game from the bench. He wasn’t Arsenal’s number one striker by any means.
Goal-scoring has never been Nicklas Bendtner’s problem. If he gets into dangerous positions, he’s usually capable of finding the back of the net. The main problem seems to be his attitude, outlook and lack of discipline. That’s what has always held him back. His character always prevented him from becoming the kind of world-class striker that he seems to think he is.
When he left The Emirates this summer as part of a free transfer, most Arsenal fans felt relieved. It was like they’d finally got rid of a spot that they just couldn’t pop. There’s a reason why The Gunners had sent him out on so many loan moves: they’d been trying to get rid of him for years.
So what are we to make of Bendtner’s claims that Arsenal ‘wasted’ his time? Check out these quotes, courtesy of The Mirror:
“I played regularly for Juventus until I got injured. At Arsenal I barely played. My last year was wasted there. [The previous year] I was loaned to Juve. It went well there. I played regularly, and I was fit. Then I got injured and had to miss the next six months. We were champions, I wanted to stay. But Arsenal took me back. I wasted a year there. That annoys me the most.”
I can understand why Bendtner may feel a little aggrieved, but Arsenal were the ones paying his salary and receiving very little in return. It’s not like Bendtner avoided disciplinary issues last season. He was, as ever, the architect of his own downfall.
With that in mind, perhaps it’s time for Nicklas Bendtner to start taking responsibility for his actions?
What’s your take? Is Nicklas Bendtner right to hit out at Arsenal?
Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.