Arsenal recently unveiled a statue of one of their favourite sons, Holland striker Dennis Bergkamp.
There’s no doubt that Bergkamp was a gifted technician who produced many memorable moments during his club & international career. But Arsenal fans, as well as Holland supporters, have allowed nostalgia to cloud their judgement. The reality of the situation is that Dennis Bergkamp was overrated.
When you break down the numbers, the Dutch magician never really lived up to the hype. While he was prolific in the Dutch league, he never scored more than 16 goals in a PL season. To put it into context, Emmanuel Adebayor has found the net more times in the PL. He was never really the #1 guy in his own team for any prolonged period of time either, whether it was Wright, Anelka or Henry, it seems that Dennis was usually the #2 guy - the CM Punk to someone else’s John Cena.
It’s strange that Arsenal fans always gave him a pass on not travelling to European away games. The Non-Flying Dutchman’s refusal to pluck up the courage to sit in a 1st-class cabin for a few hours left Arsenal without his talents on many big occasions. Arsenal probably would have won the 2001 Champions League if Bergkamp had flown to Valencia. His mental frailty cost Arsenal the 1999 FA Cup and if Arsenal had won that game, they probably would have rode the momentum, beaten Leeds & retained the PL title.
No one can deny his sporadic brilliance but Dennis Bergkamp was never the dominant player that he should have been.
#RealityCheck - Dennis Bergkamp
posted on 18/3/14
KPPR, I agree with that.
I know Henry was amazing but I used to always think that Arsenal missed Bergkamp more when he wasn't playing than they did Henry, even though Henry was better.
It's like us and Ronaldo. We actually looked a lot worse without Scholes and Rooney in the side than we did Ronaldo as so much when through them and Ronaldo was the man to put the finishing touches - particularly in 08 and 09 when he became more of a goal scorer than a provider.
posted on 18/3/14
Because that's what number tens did back then; younger fans belong to what I like to call 'the Ronaldinho generation'; they've grown up with this idea that a number ten needs to score spectacular free-kicks and whack them in from distance all the time.
But Bergkamp was the last of his kind; a number ten who was metronomic and selfless.
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posted on 18/3/14
Can't quite beleive I'm taking this wum seriously but hey ho...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCEXkik6Iuk&index=47&list=FLWQf3qEkyJNiqYFZhHwnw6Q
Some of those, esp the hatrick vs Leicester & the one vs Sunderland brings tears to my eyes, the definition of asthetically pleasing...
posted on 18/3/14
Define 'influence' - goals? Assists? Again, you're ignoring my point. It wasn't just about statistics - it was about his influence on the whole team's performance. When he didn't play, we were less fluid and less creative as a side.
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Everything - goals, assists & general influence on the team's performance.
When Arsenal won the double in the 01-02 season, DB10 was already 32 years old, by the time they went undefeated in the 03-04 PL campaign he was 34. He was well past his prime & was largely carried by his teammates during this time.
I often think AFC would have been better off if Wiltord was given more starts in the CF position, with Henry as a LWF of sorts, like Ronaldo & Benzema at Madrid
posted on 18/3/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPmg9jTkyfc
posted on 18/3/14
Wiltord, another player Bergkamp made look better than he was.
posted on 19/3/14
I often think AFC would have been better if Vieira had never been bought and the midfield was built around the 3 Steves
Morrow, Sidwell, Hughes
Triumvirate of Steves
posted on 19/3/14
Never the player arsenal fans thought he was. German
posted on 19/3/14
Worst article since 1942.
posted on 19/3/14
Can't be ársed to read through 75 comments, but I imagine the gist of it is:
"wtf are you on about? You're clearly a fecking idiot judging Bergkamp purely on some stats you've found online. You have no idea what you're talking about, no búgger off and do your homework"