Tag Archives: Arsenal FC

The Myth of Dennis Bergkamp

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After the signing of Mesut Ozil, the talk in blogs and podcasts throughout the Arsenal world is about how the signing is ‘Arsene Wenger’s Dennis Bergkamp moment.’ The theory being that we have not signed a truly world class player since Dennis Bergkamp, and that as with the signing of Bergkamp, it will see more top signings follow.

This is frankly not true.

Firstly, when we signed Dennis Bergkamp, he was no longer a world class performer. After finishing 2nd and 3rd in the 1992 & 1993 Ballon d’Ors respectively, he had gone backwards. His star had fallen.

A disastrous two year spell at Inter Milan led him to leave them for just £400,000 more than what they signed him for. Whilst he went on to become one of Arsenal’s greatest ever players, when we signed him, he was certainly an underperformer. He was not the world class signing that many make out.

Whilst Mesut Ozil has not had the easiest of times over the last 12 months at Real Madrid, his star as not fallen anywhere near as much as Dennis Bergkamp. Whereas many were begining to doubt Dennis Bergkamp’s talent when we signed him, Ozil’s talent is in not doubt. with even Jose Mourinho labelling him as the best number 10 in world football.

The 2nd Dennis Bergkamp myth is his signing lead to the floodgates opening and many more world class players following him through the door. This was just not true.

Dennis Bergkamp signed nearly a month after David Platt had joined the club. No more transfers were made that year, in times before transfer windows. The next season, Arsene Wenger’s 1st, the transfers were as follows:

Valur Gíslason
John Lukic
Remi Garde
Patrick Vieira
Nicolas Anelka

Not a single world class player amongst them. And in 1997, the year of the double, things were no better:

Matthew Upson
Gilles Grimandi
Luis Boa Morte
Alberto Mendez
Marc Overmars
Emmanuel Petit
Alex Manninger
Christopher Wreh

These types of transfers would be the stock of Wenger’s transfer’s. A mixture of talented youngster, and senior players who had become out of favour / injured / unknowns. What is certainly true is that the signing of Dennis Bergkamp did not attract any world class talent to the club.

Whilst there are many comparisons between the signing of Bergkamp and Ozil. I do think we look back at Bergkamp’s through rose tinted, hindsight glasses. Were we really that excited? Or were we moaning we had signed a washed-up home sick Dutchman who can not fly?

For me, the signing of Mesut Ozil is bigger then that of Bergkamp. He is a truly world class player. And with the finances we now have, his signing should open up the floodgates of further world class players wanting to join Arsenal.

The signing of Mesut Ozil is not Wenger’s Dennis Bergkamp moment. It is bigger then that.

Keenos

Could Arsenal still be in for Luis Suarez?

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Despite the transfer window shutting less than a week ago, there is already speculation as to who we will buy in January. With us still having over £40 million sitting in the ‘available monies for transfers’ piggy bank, a key signing or two in January could be a deal breaker if we are in the title race, or still in with a chance of a cup.

Where we are clearly most short at the minute is upfront. Whilst Lukas Podolski, Theo Walcott and Yaya Sanogo can provide cover, they are not sufficient to cover Olivier Giroud on a long term basis, if the big Frenchman picks up an injury. Also if we are starting with Walcott, it leaves Podolski as the only real game changing striker on the bench.

As for Giroud, he is good enough, but he is not star quality. He has shown this season already that he is a very clinical finisher. The fox in the box we were crying out for in the early 2000’s. And his size and work rate causes a problem. However there is always a feeling watching him that he is the man who should be as cover for the star man. He rarely creates out of nothing. And his attributes would be much better put to the last 30 minutes of a game:

1) If we are winning, he would be a good substitute to bring on to become more defensive. He can hold up the ball and chase down centrebacks. His height also gives us extra safety at corners.

2) If we are losing, he would be ideal to come on enabling us to play longer, sending high balls into the box, with others then getting around him. He would cause havoc.

In summary, we are still a star striker short. And in my opinion, that man could be Luis Suarez.

Earlier in the summer, June in fact, I predicted Arsenal would sign Mesut Ozil. This was not being me in the know, it was me using logic. Real Madrid had already signed Isco and with Bale on the way, it was clear that Ozil would be available. Around Europe, not many of the other top teams required (Manchester City, Chelsea, PSG) needed an attacking midfielder, and others (ie Seria A clubs) could afford it. It was logically that he was coming to Arsenal.

Using the same logic, it would not surprise me if we ended up signing Luis Suarez in either January or next summer. Here is my reasoning.

It was clear that a striker was top of our list this summer, and that Luis Suarez was one of the main targets. He had the well documented clause that lead us to bid £40,000,001 for him. The understanding was that Liverpool would let him leave a bid of anything over £40m. Hence the £1. Why bid £45m, when a bid of £40m + £1 triggers the same clause.

However Liverpool challenged the legitimacy of this clause, claiming it was not a release clause, but merely meant they had to inform Luis Suarez of the bid. With all parties disagreeing over what the clause meant, the result would mean that Luis Suarez or Arsenal would have to take Liverpool to Court of Arbitration for Sport. Now this would have been time consuming, with appeals and long drawn out legal proceedings. It is unlikely it would of been completed by the end of the transfer window. This lead Arsenal to drop their interest fairly quickly once Liverpool established their stance and made it clear they would defend their opinion in a court of law.

Our actions after this show, to me, that we are still interested in Luis Suarez. A lack of a bid for any other top striker (bar the rumoured interest in Benzema) showed that perhaps Luis Suarez was still on our radar. Our only interest was in a short term option of a year long loan for Demba Ba. This perhaps shows that there were irons in the fire for longer term options. After all, why go and spend £20-30 million on someone you are not quite sure about, when your main target is still in your sights?

And for me, that target is Luis Suarez.

I would not be surprised if, in the next couple of weeks, it is announced that Luis Suarez is taking Liverpool to court for clarification of the release clause. This action is likely to be supported by Arsenal. Now if he wins, it would mean they would have to sell him for a bid over £40m. Worse case scenario, they might enter mediation and agree a new, higher legitimate clause. Or Liverpool attempt to avoid the embarasment of there star striker taking them to court byt offering Suarez a new deal on more money, with a legally tight release clause in it. Again, this could still lead to him joining Arsenal.

There would still be plenty of ‘what ifs’ over the deal:

  • What if after the court case, another side puts in a bid?
  • What if Liverpool are still top of the league come January?
  • What if Liverpool win the case?

For me, it is logical to say that via our actions after the Suarez deal went dead, and on the last day of the transfer window, we are certainly still in the market for a long term star striker. For me that man will be Luis Suarez.

Keenos (not ITK)

The Arsenal and Me – John’s Story

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I just wanted to share the experience of my first trip to The Home of Football. I was 12-years-old when the family decided to take a holiday in London in August 1980. I had been an Arsenal fan since my uncle bought me a t-shirt aged 5 so Dad took me to visit Highbury with a view to getting tickets for a midweek match against Southampton.

When we arrived at the box office, we saw the gate that led to the pitch was open. We decided to go for a stroll and there in front of us was the first team training on the hallowed turf. It was a real shock and then a voice started shouting at us telling us to leave. When the guy got closer we heard his Irish accent.

Dad had a word with him, lied a bit about it being our last day in England and the gentleman groundsman, who was Paddy, let us sit in the dugout and watch the players going through their paces. When they had finished training I was able to meet all of my heroes including David O’Leary, Pat Jennings, Willie Young and Frank Stapleton.

We thanked Paddy and went on our way. I could not sleep all night, I just kept staring at all the names in my autograph book. The following night I sat in the West Stand for my first ever game, but all I could do was stare at the North Bank and take in the noise. Charlie George played against the arsenal that night and he got a great ovation from the North Bank, I remember asking my dad who he was and he replied , a legend son a legend,

It took me another six years before I was able to travel from Ireland to watch another game. That Southampton game, which finished 1-1, cemented my love for all things Arsenal and now thirty years later I still enjoy my trips to London as much as ever. well maybe not as much since we moved as I miss the old lady Highbury and the emirates just doesn’t compare, but as the saying goes, I’m Arsenal till I  die, proud to be a Gooner.

The Arsenal family is one I am proud to be a part of.

John