With Van Persie set for the exit and off the back of a promising Euro 2012 could Bendtner still play a significant role for Arsenal at Emirates?
Podolski, Giroud, Walcott, Chamakh, Arshavin, Gervinho, Park, Bendtner. With Robin Van Persie seemingly on his way out at The Emirates it would appear Arsenal have an abundance of budding replacements at their disposal with 8 potential forwards highlighted for 3 starting berths.
But with Park, Chamakh and Arshavin set for departures that number dwindles to 5. Walcott, Gervinho and Podolski will more than likely be used as the wide men in the trio leaving a space up top for one pretender. Not to mention Walcott’s own contract wrangles adding more subtext to a thickening plot.
Olivier Giroud has been brought in from French Champions Montpellier and after a seriously impressive season last year where he finished as top goalscorer in Ligue 1 hope is high he can live up to his billing. However as we have seen with Chamakh the difference between the two leagues is vast and it may take Giroud a while to adapt to the Premier League.
While Giroud wasn’t given a chance to make an impact at Euro 2012 one man who did was Nicklas Bendtner. The mercurial frontman divides opinion with some people believing he is short of use and others believing there lies underneath a top striker; dying to break out.
The lad isn’t short of confidence, that’s the worst kept secret in football; maybe if he can tone that attitude back slightly he could provide a serious job role at the Emirates next season. Towards the end of last season on loan at Sunderland the Dane seemed to come into his own, and worked harder for the team then ever seen at Arsenal.
This work ethic and teamwork continued into the Euro’s and I would be the first to admit I was pleasantly surprised by his displays for The Red and Whites. Not only that but he added goals to his game with an impressive brace against Portugal.
Despite a lot of competition Bendtner seems intent on being his own worst enemy. The boxer short debacle at Euro 2012 and spoiling his loan spell on Wearside by missing the team bus for the final day of the season. Indeed you tend to see Nicklas further toward the front of the newspapers then the back.
It appears increasingly certain the Dane is off with his suitcase packed and waiting by his front door, but if the links with Galatasary or AC Milan don’t work out, Nicklas and Arsenal may give each other one more try.
Is Bendtner worth another go? Or is his time finally up?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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