Dennis Bergkamp - The Greatest
This is the 500th post on It's MY Arsenal Opinion. I can think of no better way to celebrate than with the news of Dennis Bergkamp's much deserved statue. It seems that DB10 will be joining Tony Adams, Thierry Henry and Herbert Chapman by overlooking the stadium, cast forever in bronze. It's not the image I would have chosen of Dennis, but the fact that our greatest ever player is being recognised by Arsenal in this way is worthy of credit. Thierry Henry may be The King, but Dennis Bergkamp is without any doubt The Greatest.
When Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 1995 everything changed. Suddenly we were big-time again. We had signed a genuine World star. When David Platt quickly followed Arsenal fans had just cause to believe that we were moving out of the mid-90s malaise. Arsene Wenger would arrive a year later to bring it all together, but without Dennis we simply wouldn't have been the Club we are. There would be no Double's. There would be no Champions League involvement. There would be no new stadium (but I'll forgive him for his part in having to leave Highbury by being so damn good!) Dennis Bergkamp's presence, and his peerless ability as a footballer, revolutionised Arsenal Football Club. He also was the first World Class footballer to come to the Premier League before reaching his peak (the likes of Gullit were way beyond their best when they came to England). All fans of football in this country should rejoice in the greatness of Dennis Bergkamp.
Dennis is quite simply my favourite player of all time. I feel incredibly fortunate to have watched him play for Arsenal throughout the best of his career. I would urge all Gooners to watch this youtube video of Bergkamp's Arsenal career - it's just about the best thing I've seen in a long time.
A few years ago Darren Anderton became a bit of a standing joke for Arsenal fans. We all knew that, however long he'd been out injured for, he would rise like Lazarus for the North London Derby. It became a symbol of Spurs' desperation to beat Arsenal in a futile attempt to give their supporters something to cheer. The games against Arsenal became Tottenham's out and out biggest days of the season. If they could beat Arsenal then all would be well, pretty much regardless of what happened through the rest of the campaign. Gerry Francis clearly used to feel that he needed Anderton if it was ever going to happen. Like Francis' 70's hairstyle, it was rarely a success.
This season things look a bit different. Spurs are ahead of Arsenal going in to the game this weekend. They have the greatest player the World has ever known in their side. If Gareth Bale (one more goal, ten less assists than Theo Walcott) doesn't win Footballer Of The Year (for the whole Universe) then there really is no justice. There can be no doubt that this is their year. They are going to finish above Arsenal for the first time in eighteen years. EIGHTEEN YEARS! I can honestly say that I am so jealous of the quality Spurs possess right now. I mean, who wouldn't want to be third in the league with no prospect of winning it for the first time since 1961? Who wouldn't want Emmanuel Adebayor up front? Who wouldn't want the child of Pele and Tom Daley playing in midfield while dressed as the main simian attraction at London Zoo?
With all that being the case it should be a surprise that Jermaine Defoe is set to come off the treatment table to be in the Tottenham squad to play Arsenal this Sunday. I actually called this the other day as leopards don't change their spots. Tottenham's main ambition is still to beat Arsenal. If that happens then the knuckle-draggers will be delighted and it almost won't matter if they lose the next five games. It definitely won't matter if Defoe misses the rest of the season, just so long as he plays and scores against Arsenal. All the time that remains Spurs' ambition we can rest easily in the knowledge that they are forever in our shadow, regardless of what might happen on Sunday, or for the rest of this season.
More tomorrow when I expect to have been bombarded with abuse from some of the fools down the road.
Yep, Walcott is definitely better than Bale and Arsenal are on an upward trajectory.
ReplyDeleteTypical arse-anal cheap shots; most spurs fans reckoned rvp was a great player last season, but you morons haven't got the decency to give Bale the credit he so richly deserves. Your in a pretty small minority guys and you're sounding pretty dumb.
ReplyDeleteYou actually believe Whinger when he says he made the right choice in picking mr inconsistency Walcott over Bale?
When did Walcott last make you gasp in wonder by doing something that should not have been possible, and doing it again and again ? Exactly.
Let's wait and see how many votes Walcott gets for player of the year and perhaps then you'll understand how silly you look with your heads stuck firmly in the sand.
Firstly I would like to say I cannot find much fault in your love of the brilliance of Berkamp. Cant say I enjoyed seeing him play in the gooner rags but as a player you just cant knock him, only a fool down any road would try. But as for Bale he is a world class player in the making and is in fantastic form at the moment. In my opinion you seeem like a bitter little man who cant accept that your team is no longer one of the best in the EPL. You can correctly pick holes in the Spurs team just like any team. Maybe it helps take your mind of the problems in your own team. Carry on little man with your partially biased blogs.
ReplyDeleteNever seen so many nitpicking scared sounding articles from Arsenal fans you all seem to be writing yourselves off already for Sundays game claiming the result doesn't matter. Times are changing my arrogant sounding friend, no longer are you lot the favourites and the fact all these little cheap dig articles are appearing on Spurs Media Watch (which is why Tottenham fans will comment on this by the way) shows you know it aswell! Have fun with your little statues reminding you of times when you actually won things! We'll see who is in who's shadow come Sunday evening.
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