Nicklas Bendtner 'not satisfied' with bit part role at Arsenal

Nicklas Bendtner has articulated his frustrations once again with his fringe role at Arsenal, admitting he is "not satisfied" and suggesting that he cannot tolerate playing out of position.

The Denmark centre-forward has never made any secret over where he sees himself in Arsène Wenger's starting line-up but, to his dismay, he has often been used on the right flank.

Wenger has said he will meet Bendtner at the end of the season to discuss his future and, as he plans to make changes to the squad, he would like to keep him at the club. But the 23-year-old, who signed for Arsenal in 2005, has made it clear that he cannot wait indefinitely for his opportunity. Bendtner has started only three Premier League games this season.

"I need to have a talk with him [Wenger] because I'm not satisfied as well," Bendtner said. "I'm not satisfied with playing on the right wing which I've done more or less all season long."

"I'm concentrating on getting the Champions League place and then we'll do the evaluation at the end of the season. It's certainly not the best thing for me but it's not up to oneself and sometimes you have to adapt to what the manager says."

To his irritation, Bendtner, who is synonymous with self-confidence, has found himself behind Robin van Persie and Marouane Chamakh in the pecking order for the lone striker role in Wenger's formation.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 10 May 11

Arsenal must turn beautiful game into trophies, says Nicklas Bendtner

Nicklas Bendtner fears that Arsenal will be labelled as failures if they finish the season empty-handed. Bendtner being Bendtner, though, it is not a notion that he envisages entering reality.

The striker has become almost a by-word for confidence and belief. In recent psychometric tests at the club designed to measure self-perceived competence, players were rated on a scale of up to nine. Bendtner scored a 10.

The 23-year-old Dane scored a hat-trick in the 5-0 FA Cup fifth round replay win over Leyton Orient on Wednesday and has the future mapped out. In the absence of the injured Robin van Persie, he will lead the line next Tuesday in the Champions League last 16 second leg and help the club past Barcelona to provide the catalyst for a silver-lined finish to the season.

"At the end of the day, we know all of you guys are going to rate us on one thing [trophies] but that is what we are trying to achieve," Bendtner said. "I believe it will be different this season. We have beaten some great teams and we are in amongst it for everything. I believe we have the players and the mentality to create something special."

"The way you rate strikers is with goals and with teams, it is what they win. It's part of the game. We want to try and get our beautiful football into trophies."

Bendtner outshone Marouane Chamakh from the right flank against Orient and he looks to have done enough to start up front in 's Premier League fixture at home to Sunderland. He would then travel to Barcelona for the eagerly awaited second-leg tie with his tail up.

Bendtner scored the opening goal at Camp Nou last season, in the Champions League quarter-final second-leg, as Arsenal briefly threatened to spring an upset. They went close to scoring a second on the night for a 4-2 aggregate lead before Lionel Messi took them apart and Barcelona advanced. Arsenal head to Catalonia this time with a 2-1 first-leg advantage.

"The dream scenario is to lead the line and score again against Barcelona," Bendtner said. "It is a difficult place to go and Barcelona have not failed to score there ... forever, but we have to be compact, press in a good way, have a good balance and then take our chances because Barcelona always score at home."

"It is going well, we are a team and I think that the team will win in Barcelona, not just one player."

Bendtner's off-the-scale reading in the psychometric tests is an amusing tale that bears retelling. The French psychologist Jacques Crevoisier, a long-time friend of Arsène Wenger, has worked regularly with Arsenal's young players, assessing their belief, concentration levels and determination through a series of questions, but Bendtner astonished even him.

"One of the categories is called 'self-perceived competence', ie how good the player himself thinks he is," Crevoisier said. "On a scale of up to nine, Bendtner got 10. We have never seen that before. Pat Rice [the assistant manager] was sitting next to me and he couldn't stop laughing.

"When Bendtner misses a chance, he is always genuinely convinced that it wasn't his fault. You might say that's a problem and, to a certain degree, it can be. But you can also view it as this guy has a remarkable ability to come back after setbacks."

Bendtner's goals against Orient took his tally for the season to nine and, after struggling for some time to shake off niggling injuries, he believes that he is at the peak of his fitness and set fair to make an impression over the defining months ahead. After the Barcelona tie, Arsenal travel to Manchester United for an FA Cup quarter-final on Saturday week, but Wenger has made it plain that the Premier League is the priority.

"I believe that I am getting back to where I belong, although there are still improvements to be made," Bendtner said. "I have been on a steadily improving curve over the past few weeks where I have been getting minutes and I feel that I am back now. I am roaring to go out and prove my worth. All it takes is match practice to add the final touch, preferably in my favourite position. I play where the manager wants me to but I will not deny that I perceive myself as a central striker."

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 3 Mar 11

Bendtner - We expect Barcelona to score

Nicklas Bendtner believes Arsenal will need to score in the Nou Camp to advance to the last eight of the Champions League - because he expects Barcelona to find the net.

The Catalan giants have to find a way past Arsène Wenger's side next Tuesday after losing 2-1 at Emirates Stadium in the first leg of their last-16 tie and they are odds-on to do so having been shut out just twice on home soil since May 2009.

Barcelona ran in four goals when they hosted Arsenal at the Quarter-Final stage of the competition last season after Bendtner gave the visitors an all-too-brief advantage in the first half. The Danish striker is in line to start once again with Robin van Persie sidelined by injury and he is hoping to repeat his personal feat.

"That is the dream scenario," said Bendtner.

"It is a difficult place to go and Barcelona have not failed to score there in forever, but we have to try to do the same as we did [in the FA Cup win over Leyton Orient], try to be compact and press in a good way, to have a good balance in the team and then obviously take our chances because Barcelona always score when they play at home."

The 23-year-old is bang in form after his hat-trick helped Arsenal see off Leyton Orient in their FA Cup Fifth-Round replay on Wednesday night. The Nou Camp represents a significant step up in class but Bendtner believes he can rise to the occasion after rediscovering his best form.

"Of course [I have no problems leading the line]. I believe now I am getting back to where I belong, and there are still improvements to make," he said.

"I feel that in the last month I have definitely improved, also due to my injury being completely finished. You can see that on the pitch. I played for a little bit when I was half-injured [last season], I sort of just got through it and did my best.

"However, I had my own injuries to deal with and then at the start of the season I missed a bit. It has taken me a long time to get where I am but I am pleased with my progress.

"It is going well for me, but we are a team and it will be the team that wins in Barcelona, not just one player."

Source: Chris Harris, Arsenal.com on 3 Mar 11

Nicklas Bendtner hat-trick blasts Arsenal past Leyton Orient

Arsenal came through an FA Cup replay that will bear no resemblance to the quarter-final, even though Leyton Orient attacked when feasible and might have scored. The encounter with Manchester United on 12 March will have the air of an entirely different tournament. Even so, this encounter had its uses. Nicklas Bendtner scored a hat-trick as goals flowed for a club that will have welcomed a soothing return to action.

The contribution by the Dane will stoke his already burning sense of self-worth but the outsized confidence should be met with appreciation as well as amusement. With Robin van Persie ruled out for at least four weeks Bendtner is a man of consequence. The efficiency of the whole side was reassuring. The visitors can take some satisfaction in the outcome. Orient may be members of League One but they had demonstrated their merit when drawing the first encounter.

For all the brittleness, there is still a gleam to Arsenal's football even on an occasion that became humdrum because of their early effectiveness. The loss to Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final confirmed that the one indestructible aspect of Arsène Wenger's Arsenal is their well-deserved reputation for fragility. That debacle provided a backdrop of sorts to this replay but there were to be no associations with the woe of Wembley and the first of Bendtner's goals was the 100th of the season in all competitions for an Arsenal side whose style deserves to be celebrated.

Even if he had not been affected by a string of injuries, the manager would have made radical alterations with confidence. While the FA Cup matters, Wenger was still able to think more of Saturday's Premier League game at home to Sunderland and, particularly, next Tuesday's return at Barcelona in the Champions League. Orient were breached here with just seven minutes gone.

Tomas Rosicky, who was later replaced after a blow that Wenger termed "slight concussion," got past the left of the visitors' defence and the cut-back was converted by Marouane Chamakh for his first goal since 27 November.

The ease should not have been so very surprising since Orient have won a mere three of their away games in League One. They did have purpose on the attack nonetheless and a low ball from the left by Charlie Daniels was sent wide of the near post by Alex Revell in the 13th minute.

Arsenal were not distracted and they struck once more after half an hour. Kieran Gibbs crossed from the left and Bendtner took the first of his goals by climbing to send a header into the top corner.

He next scored two minutes from the interval as he move along the edge of the penalty area, eluding the full-back Ben Chorley to put a precise shot low past the left hand of the goalkeeper Jamie Jones. With Van Persie injured, this was an excellent time for Bendtner to make the case for his continuing inclusion.

Impact was to be anticipated from Arsenal since Wenger had the means to field a largely recognisable line-up, even if it included players such as Denílson, who have drifted to the margins of his thinking. The eye-catching aspect lay in the inclusion of two teenagers. The Spanish defender Ignasi Miquel, who captains the reserve side, had made his first appearance for the club in the earlier game with Orient while the English midfielder Conor Henderson was given his debut.

Arsenal were not sated by the early goals and five minutes into the second half Abou Diaby played a one-two with Chamakh before putting a low drive narrowly wide. Even so, the concentration levels could not be maintained by Wenger's players and there was a period in which Orient, with their fate sealed, began to enjoy themselves.

From Arsenal's perspective, the value of the contest lay in allowing players who have been on the margins to hone their form. Bendtner was a natural selection to take the penalty after 62 minutes with which he completed the second hat-trick of his Arsenal career, the first having come against Porto last season.

The spot-kick opportunity came after Revell had brought down Gibbs. The Dane was soon to be replaced, his mission accomplished.

An element of surprise was introduced when the substitute Gaël Clichy scored just the second goal of his Arsenal career, putting a low drive across Jones 15 minutes from the end. He was also to receive a booking but this had still been a therapeutic fixture for Arsenal.

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 2 Mar 11

Nicklas Bendtner upstages Marouane Chamakh in Camp Nou audition

The Danish striker's hat-trick against Leyton Orient puts him in pole position to fill the void caused by Robin van Persie's injury

When Arsène Wenger relates "bad news" about an Arsenal injury and suggests that he will be out for "the next three weeks, for sure", seasoned watchers of the manager tend to double the estimate. Especially when the player is Robin van Persie.

Whenever Arsenal lose the injury-prone Dutchman, it hurts but the pain is compounded this time around. Van Persie had been in supreme touch and the fixtures keep getting tastier.

The Champions League return against Barcelona at Camp Nou looms next Tuesday and the club now have an FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester United on Saturday week.

This fifth-round replay against League One Leyton Orient had a low-key feel, although not for the 9,000 travelling fans, who watched their team flicker briefly in the early running. But for Arsenal's stand-in strikers, it represented an audition. Marouane Chamakh and Nicklas Bendtner had claims to press.

It might have irked Bendtner that Chamakh, left, got the nod as the central striker, with him being asked to forage from the right. Bendtner has said on many occasions that he is not comfortable on the flank. He would hate for his greater versatility to count against him. Yet the Dane was undeterred as he went about upstaging Chamakh.

His hat-trick performance featured some of the usual foibles that can, on other days, infuriate the crowd. But his goals were of the highest order, particularly the second, which he curled with dead-eyed precision from 20 yards, having popped up on the left. He embraced his licence to roam. His 30th-minute leap and headed finish were ripped from the pages of the old-fashioned No 9's manual.

Bendtner scored at Camp Nou last season, as Arsenal threatened to pull off a famous upset before they were taken apart and he is the favourite to start ahead of Chamakh.

The Moroccan, who arrived last summer from Bordeaux, began his Arsenal career in encouraging style. He had 11 goals in all competitions by the end of November but, until this game, he had not scored since.

He admitted a few weeks ago that "by the start of January, I had completely lost my edge" and he added that he was benefiting from being taken out of the firing line.

Bendtner might never lack confidence but Chamakh looked tentative here, too measured in his passing, as though fearful of making a mistake.

There was a period in the first-half when all of his lay-offs went awry and this was after he had enjoyed the tonic of steering home the opening goal to end his three-month long scoring drought. He was hustled off the ball all too readily by Orient's centre-halves and the cobwebs remain.

Despite the comfort of the evening, the crowd expressed their frustration at his sloppiness. It felt significant that Wenger withdrew Bendtner but kept Chamakh on for the full 90 minutes. Wenger sorely needs his supporting cast to step up as the matches come thick and fast and the injuries mount, particularly the muscle strains. Tomas Rosicky became the latest casualty when he was helped off after 62 minutes with mild concussion.

Wenger had missed seven players at the outset due to various ailments. One of them, Cesc Fábregas, who has a hamstring problem, said that he was "running, getting better and not sensing any pain at the moment". Wenger said the midfielder would not feature against Sunderland on Saturday but, to Fábregas's mind, there is no doubt about Barcelona.

Wenger, though, painted a less than optimistic picture about the defender Thomas Vermaelen, the long-term achilles absentee. "We have to be patient," he said. "I don't want to put him under any pressure and anyway, we are in March now and he has not played since September so it will take him a while to get back to a competitive level."

Bendtner is at his level. Chamakh labours.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 2 Mar 11

Bendtner - I could tell Barca were tiring

Nicklas Bendtner spotted a chink in Barcelona's armour on Wednesday night - while he was warming up.

The Danish striker came off the bench in the 77th minute of a compelling first leg at Emirates Stadium with Arsenal trailing to David Villa's strike. Within six minutes Robin van Persie had equalised and Andrey Arshavin had completed a stunning turnaround.

Like last season, Barcelona faded after a flying start in north London. And Bendtner saw signs of what was to come as he limbered up on the touchline during the second half.

"As I was warming up, I felt that they got a little bit tired," he reflected. "I felt from the first half to the second half they got a little bit tired and I think we could see there was a really good chance to get at them in the last minute."

"That was what turned the game around, we just kept going on the counter-attack as soon as we got the ball and attacked with four or five men all the time."

"It is a great feeling and everyone is just so happy. It’s a big, big result against probably the best team in the world. It’s a fantastic night."

Barcelona have been imperious in Spain this season. Indeed, Wednesday's reverse was their first defeat in a 'meaningful' game since September when Hercules stunned the Nou Camp. According to Bendtner, Arsenal's never-say-die spirit was the key to ending that long unbeaten run.

"We could have given up, but if you look at the team right through the season, one thing we have never done is give up," he said. "We have always kept going to the last second."

"Even in the FA Cup we had some difficult times against Leeds, I think that’s the way the team is now, we never give up and we seem to get the results."

"It was a great result, and the way we earned the results was through patience, belief and also being calm. You always against big teams need a little bit of luck and I think we had that with some of the chances they had in the first half."

"But we did smashing in the second half to get ourselves back into the game and put on a real good performance."

Source: Chris Harris, Arsenal.com on 17 Feb 11

Nicklas Bendtner clears Arsenal's path to Wembley as Ipswich crumble

A win over visitors from a lower division ought to have met with no more than a nod of recognition for a simple task undertaken competently. The mood at the Emirates was nothing at all like that. It is far too late, with six years gone by since the last trophy, for Arsenal to do anything than revel in a result that sends them to Wembley for a Carling Cup final with Birmingham City or West Ham United.

Ipswich Town, 1-0 winners of the first leg, did much to contribute to the feeling of achievement in the ranks of Arsène Wenger's side. There are exceptions in players such as Gaël Clichy, Cesc Fábregas and Robin van Persie but this is largely a squad still wondering what success with Arsenal would feel like. That is an asset if it means that they meet Carling Cup games with more than a yawn.

The one gesture towards nonchalance by Wenger was eye-catching. Samir Nasri, the outstanding performer in both Arsenal's ranks and perhaps those of the entire Premier League, was not involved in this tie until the 85th minute last night but there had been a tell-tale adjustment. While he was on the bench this time, there had been no place for him at all in the earlier game.

The emergency that would have warranted his early introduction at the Emirates never occurred. There is no blame in that regard for Ipswich. They resisted with both steel and calm. Their new manager, Paul Jewell, could have asked for little more from his team. This side had survived 151 minutes of the tie before they were breached at last. Robin van Persie, with half-a-dozen goals in his past three appearances, was stifled in this return leg.

Ipswich were broken entirely at the Emirates only when Andrey Arshavin put Cesc Fábregas through for the third goal in the 77th minute but the team seldom lost the accuracy or, tellingly, the tempo of its passing. The influence of Jack Wilshere's distribution was also notable and few 19-year-olds can have participated to such an extent over the course of a campaign without looking depleted. He was at work here because his presence matters, particularly when Wenger deemed that it was Nasri who had to be protected.

Any degree of difficulty was increased by early vexation for Arsenal. Gareth McAuley, the visitors' centre-half, went unpunished by the referee, Mark Halsey, in the 10th minute when the official declined to give a penalty for a shove on Fábregas.

There was a different type of blow to Arsenal when the goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny collided with Bacary Sagna while defending a free-kick. The right-back soon had to be replaced by Emmanuel Eboué. That sort of distraction could not stop Arsenal from mounting attacks but they did not always have the effortless poise of the usual showings at the Emirates.

Ipswich somehow did better for a long time here than most of the Premier League visitors. That, of course, did not mean they were at ease. Since the defeat of Arsenal in the first leg Jewell has enjoyed two wins in the Championship. His side is not remotely comparable to Wenger's in talent but they had a morale in the tie that would be a match for anyone.

Glaring opportunities were not as common for Arsenal as anticipated. The most tempting before half-time came in the 35th minute as Wilshere found Fábregas but the midfielder's finish went wide. A mood of contentment remained in the crowd, although the jollity that lay in the news that Manchester United were behind to Blackpool in the Premier League was not to last as Sir Alex Ferguson's team resolved the problems at Bloomfield Road.

Arsenal fans will still realise that Wenger, in contrast to all other managers in England, retains an interest in four tournaments, from the Carling Cup to the Champions League. That is no accident and he has a splendid collection of footballers, yet there is also a gnawing question about their ruthlessness. It was as pertinent as ever while Ipswich maintained their morale.

Arsenal were still losing a tie that was three-quarters of the way to its conclusion but they did bring it under control in the end. Sheer talent made the difference after 61 minutes. Wilshere's excellent pass found Nicklas Bendtner on the left and he cut inside Carlos Edwards before placing a right-footed shot into the far corner of the net.

The tempo as much as the talent was taking its toll of Ipswich. Three minutes later the goalkeeper Marton Fulop could not cope with an Arshavin corner and the centre-half Laurent Koscielny headed home. If that sort of method is not usually associated with Arsenal, it will please Wenger to know that his men had come up with a way of polishing off a dauntless Ipswich.

"For us it is the perfect night," said Wenger. "Our season depends on our performances, our results and our consistency. We do not have to focus on Manchester United or anybody else. We are a team that have taken off a while ago and are consistent now."

Source: Kevin McCarra, The Guardian on 25 Jan 11

Nicklas Bendtner sinks weak Wigan to book Arsenal's semi-final place

Arsenal can sense an end to the drought. It was not so much their progress into the semi-final of the Carling Cup that fired the belief that they can claim a piece of silverware for the first time since 2005. Nobody expected them to slip up against Wigan Athletic and they duly cantered to victory in what was a one-sided contest.

The tonic came from the east of the capital. The news of West Ham's resounding win over Manchester United was flashed up on the big screen immediately after the full-time whistle and it drew perhaps the biggest cheer of the evening. Arsène Wenger's team now find themselves as the firm favourites for the trophy.

Wenger expressed his "surprise" at the result at Upton Park. "Because I looked at the team United played and they looked to have a strong team out," he said. "But against Premier League teams, you have to accept that there are no guarantees. Now, it's home and away in the semi-finals and it will be tough for us."

Wenger has always given the impression that qualifying for the Champions League, for example, with a third or fourth placed Premier League finish is a more noteworthy achievement that winning the League Cup. He spoke of not "making an obsession" of the club's five year barren spell and said that his principal focus remained on performances. "The rest will be a consequence of that," he added.

Yet he also recognised the futility of asking supporters not to get ahead of themselves. "They always want more and that is completely natural," he said.

If Arsenal could win the season's first trophy, it could conceivably galvanise their quest for the two that really matter to Wenger – the championship and the Champions League. "And it might make you ask me different questions," he added, with a smile.

Chief among the positives for the manager was the display of Robin Van Persie, who started for the first time since his ankle ligament injury in August. Playing in the hole behind the lone striker, surely his best position, his vision and impish promptings were a delight. Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere also caught the eye.

The Wigan manager Roberto Martínez felt that the longer the scoreline stayed blank, the more Arsenal would become frustrated. He picked his strongest available defence and the striker Mauro Boselli was often his only player in front of the ball. In a sluggish first half, Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela spurned glorious chances for Arsenal, which were laid on by Van Persie and Martinez might have felt that his plan was working.

Wigan had also enjoyed a stroke of good fortune when the referee Martin Atkinson missed Maynor Figueroa's handling of a 39th-minute cross that was bound for Van Persie, who was in a goalscoring position. Yet their luck turned and with it, the tie, moments later. Theo Walcott's inswinging corner sparked panic and the ball ricocheted off Antolín Alcaraz, the Wigan captain, to fly past Ali al-Habsi.

"That goal was the real difference," Martinez said. "It allowed Arsenal to relax." Martinez was left to lament injuries to Victor Moses and Boselli; the former a suspected dislocated shoulder that could rule him out for four to six weeks and the latter a knee ligament problem.

Cesc Fábregas, the Arsenal captain, who is out with a recurrence of his hamstring injury, said before the game that he did not "want to put a date on my return". Everyone at the club hopes it will be in time for the trip to Manchester United on 13 December but this was an opportunity for others to stake their claims.

Bendtner moved the game beyond Wigan when he bundled in at the far post from Vela's cross but his was an erratic performance. Vela did himself no favours by missing a glut of chances. Walcott and the substitute Samir Nasri also missed out while Figueroa appeared to get away with a second handball inside the area.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 30 Nov 10

Nicklas Bendtner threatens to leave Arsenal if denied regular starts

Nicklas Bendtner has poured out his frustration at being on the fringes at Arsenal, insisting he "cannot accept" the situation and saying he will push for a transfer if it does not improve.

The Denmark striker returned to selection contention in the middle of last month after a long-term groin problem, yet he has been used only as a late substitute in five Premier League matches.

He was given the opportunity from the start in the Carling Cup tie at Newcastle United and the Champions League game away to Shakhtar Donetsk.

Arsène Wenger, the manager, admits it is a challenge to keep all his strikers happy – Robin van Persie is now playing again after his serious ankle ligament injury, while the summer signing Marouane Chamakh is the club's top scorer with eight goals in all competitions – but Wenger said outbursts from any player could not influence his selection policy. "I'm extremely disappointed with my lack of minutes on the field," said Bendtner, who has just 45 to his name in the Premier League so far this season.

"I feel I've done everything right in getting back to fitness and I'm in the best shape of my life. I feel even better than before the injury and, at that point, I was in the starting XI and close to fulfilling my potential. I just lack minor things now to be back to my best again but I'm only getting those by playing matches. That's what I have to do now. There's not more to it than that.

"When I'm 100% fit I cannot accept sitting on the bench. I'm turning 23 soon and, at this stage in my career, it's important for my development to play regularly, game after game.

It was put to Bendtner that going public with his views may irritate Wenger. "I think I can allow myself to say this," he replied. "I simply have to get to the next stage in my career and that's the reason why I'm saying these things right now. I'm just saying my opinion as the person I am. If the situation doesn't change and I'm still on the bench at Arsenal, I'll look for a transfer. That's obvious.

But my first priority is definitely, as it always has been, to play for Arsenal. I've had a lot of patience and I won't sit on the bench any more. I want to play, and I hope I will for Arsenal.

"I'll just say that I'm 100% good enough for the starting XI at Arsenal. I have the qualities and I've been sitting enough on the bench in my career. If my manager feels differently that's fair and he's the one choosing the team, but then I disagree [with him]."

Wenger has grown used to Bendtner's particular brand of self-confidence – its mention drew a wry smile from him on Friday – and he said that the player would have to continue to bide his time, although he accepted getting the message across may be difficult.

"When you try to convince a player that he has to be patient, then you waste your time," Wenger said. "That's what you've got to do but you ask a player if he is fit after two training sessions and he says 'Yes'. It's normal. I was the same. Nicklas has to continue to work and when he is completely match-fit, he will play.

"When the manager picks a team before the game, he picks one to win and he doesn't consider anything else. If you start to consider anything else, you never finish."

Wenger has accepted that Van Persie, who has been on the substitutes' bench for the past two matches, will join the Netherlands squad for next week's friendly against Turkey despite his initial reservations. He will talk to the Holland coach, Bert van Marwijk, and he said that it might benefit Van Persie to play for 45 minutes.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 12 Nov 10

Nicklas Bendtner prepares to show Arsenal what they have been missing

The striker is likely to make his first start of the season in the club's Carling Cup fourth-round tie against Newcastle tonight.

Nicklas Bendtner was on target in Arsenal's 3-0 win against Manchester City on Sunday, scoring his first goal of the season and, ahead of tonight's Carling Cup fourth-round tie at Newcastle, is now aiming to back up his recent boasts of having returned to his very best. Arrogant? Perhaps not.

Arsène Wenger admits Bendtner's groin has been troubling him for some time and it has been a while since he has seen the Denmark international at full fitness. The injury is not the first the 22-year-old has picked up since making his debut for the north London club in 2005, but despite this, and the fact he has rarely been a first-choice striker for Wenger, Bendtner's goal at Eastlands was the 50th he has scored since he arrived in England (including the 13 he scored on loan at Birmingham).

Since picking up his groin injury, which he played through at the World Cup in South Africa, Bendtner has had to watch Marouane Chamakh arrive at Arsenal and firmly establish himself as the club's principal frontman. The Morocco international's adaptation to life in the Premier League has been seamless and he is looking like a fantastic all-round option for Wenger. The 26-year-old adds the height that Robin van Persie lacks and the quick link-up play that can, at times, elude Bendtner.

The Dane has time on his side, but also a lot to learn. His feud with Emmanuel Adebayor when the Togo striker was at Arsenal was well-documented and even boiled over on to the pitch at White Hart Lane during a Carling Cup tie.
Learning from Chamakh rather than pitching himself against him will do Bendtner good. He has a similar physique to the Moroccan but does not always use it to his full advantage. Chamakh, on the other hand, holds the ball up well and usually turns the defender only for them to foul him. "As well as scoring goals he works hard when he doesn't have the ball, which I like," Bendtner has said of his team-mate. "I like Marouane. I hadn't trained with him until very recently but he seems like a good guy, a good football player and – on what I've seen so far – I think he has done really well."

Bendtner looks likely to start at St James' Park tonight and will be hoping to show Wenger and the Arsenal fans what they've been missing.

Source: Melanie Hughes, The Guardian on 27 Oct 10