Image: WonkerWhile idly surfing for a way of extending velkommen to the Danish equivalent of “welcome to the madhouse”, I came across a comment that “Swedish is a language, Danish a throat infection”. it didn’t help much, but at least it made me chuckle.
Nicklas Bendtner, brought in on loan from Arsenal for a year, is a confident young man and if he has, in the eyes of some, an excess of that confidence, we have no need to worry about his mental state (or, so far as can be told, his throat).
He is, of course, mightily welcome to the Stadium of Light as far as Salut! Sunderland is concerned.
And it is not remotely his fault that some SAFC supporters who had been encouraged to view the closing days and hours of the summer transfer window with excitement are now bitterly disappointed at the thin pickings: one loan deal.
I have no doubt that efforts were made to attract others. Bruce knew he needed strike power and presumably tried to sign at least one attacker outright.
I poked fun yesterday at the stream of different names with which we were associated in newspaper, TV, radio and internet coverage of the transfer frenzy and would love, this morning, to be abe to read an absolutely full and accurate account of who we attempted to sign – and who we did not.
We will see no such account, of course, a fact for which many editors, sports reporters and – at a guess – manipulative agents ought to be grateful.
It no longer matters whether Peter Crouch really was, as so routinely predicted, a Sunderland target to the extent of being the subject of a formal bid. It was always assumed, in any case, that his wife Abbey Clancy’s well-documented distaste for the prospect of life in the North East would rule out the move now as it had before.
Her prejudice should be seen as our gain. I still believe signing Crouch would have been about as successful as signing Tore André Flo.
And how fitting it would be if Mr C now informed Mrs C they had to uproot and buy a place in Stoke, which may not be the ugliest, dullest town in England but runs all others close. Egg on M Salut’s face if he scores a hatful and she takes heartily to the WaterWorld aqua park and the display of Staffordshire ceramics at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.
Let us concentrate on our own modest bit of business.
Here is what Steve Bruce said of his new, temporary acquisition:
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Nicklas previously. I had him as an 18-year-old and he helped clinch promotion for Birmingham. He’s an outstanding talent and is a big, physical presence who will lead the line magnificently for us.”
No left-sided creativity came our way in the event. No so-called “marquee signing”.
On the other hand, given all the rumours about Asamaoh Gyan’s own wishes, speculation to which Gary Bennett alluded in his punditry from Swansea, it can be seen as encouraging that he remains, for now, a Sunderland player; the onus on Bruce is now to get him fitter and sharper so that he can show a little more of the promise of last season and less of the lacklustre wastefulness of the Liberty Stadium.
Image: Addick-tedKevinThe departure of Anton Ferdinand had been expected and we wish him well at QPR, save that we also hope he plays his best football against others and keeps costly blunders for the two games against Sunderland.
Bruce has already attracted flak. Not everyone sees Bendtner as the answer to our glaring problems in front of goal. I am prepared, as before, to judge both on results.
One loan signing would not have been the extent of my shopping list. But I recognise that Messrs Bruce and Quinn know rather more about football and, while respecting those whose criticisms of their choice have already begun, conclude on an upbeat note with two positive assessments of Nicklas Bendtner:
Ian Lynch (responding to a doubter at the Blackcats list)
I’m flabbergasted that you think Bendtner on the cheap is a bad short-term move. It makes the most sense to me of any of the players we’ve been linked with as a stopgap to give Wickham more time to develop. Bendtner is proven Prem class, albeit not as good as he thinks he is or we might like him to be, and if Wickham isn’t ready next year then we can go again this time next year. He’s good in the air and also scored plenty of
goals last time he lined up in the same team as Larsson.
Mike Alcock (same list)
I think he’s fine. Good, even … lot better than N’Gog, for instance. And yes he’s less than half as good as he thinks he is, but as the old adage goes, tell him he’s Messi and get him out there. That way he might play about as well as Heskey. Whatever we think of him, he’ll be marked. Which will free up Gyan and Sess. Which is really the point. I think he’ll get 6 or so, maybe 10 if he has a good season.
And while I am sure the Danes have their own way of saying “welcome to madhouse”, the translations I found seemed disrespectful of mental ill-health.
“I think he’s fine. Good, even … lot better than N’Gog, for instance.”
Better than N’Gog? My goodness Nicklas you must be world beater.
Look at the ( like or dislike ) I think we have had a black and white MONG on here.
If Terry Mc Laughlin’s stats are correct I reckon that 1734 minutes works out at just less than 20 full games. So our new signing’s goals to games ratio is pretty damn good.
Bendtner stats?
Minutes on the field – 1734
Appearances – 141
Starts – 33
Goals – 33
Lots of subbing on and off though to ‘cloud’ the stats.
He’ll do for me.
On Tuesday I said to my workmate (a Gooner) that I thought Pavlyuchenko may be a target, but Crouch was not – But, that I thought Nicklas Bendtner would add most to the Sunderland squad.
My reasoning was his hard work and physical strength. A different kind of forward to those we are playing, and if we look at his scoring per match it is hard to judge as most often he was used as a substitute. Minutes on the pitch vs goals would be a nice stat to see.
I am sure we will see plenty of effort from him at least. PHEW – I was a tad worried Peter Crouch would end up with us. Thankfully NOT.
Just because Helmer played 500 league games, had 68 international caps, played in two World Cups, won the Champion’s and the UEFA Leagues, three German League titles and four German cups didn’t give him the right to cross swords with Bobby Sacko on tactics. (Not much it didn’t)
Whilst not being ‘over the moon’ with Bendtner’s signing I think its decent enough. Good experience, knows his position, confident. End of the season, back to Arsenal and everyone’s happy. Hopefully.
The more I see of Marouane Chamakh though, the more I’m glad we were too small a club for him.
My old brain has just, really, woken up.
Didn’t the Legion Of Light use the following, on the front cover?
“Willkommen Herr Helmer”.
I hope SB gives Bendtner more chances to show his worth than PR gave TH.
Bendtner is also still very young and will feel he has something to prove. Good signing IMO
You’ve signed on hell of a player.
He’s a bit rusty and will need some games to get back on track. But he’s a striker with no shortage of confidence. Annoying attribute when you read post match interviews – yes. Perfect attribute for a striker – yes.
Will he miss sitters – ofcourse he will – but not as many as some might think.
Så velkommen til Nicklas – det bliver en fornøjelse at se dig for fuld udblæsning :o)
Awesome Signing woudl rather have him in my side than a man who dancing is better than his football…… Hopefully he score a few but not to many and we get him on perminant deal
An excellent signing? Imagine if we’d signed someone who could score goals!
Excellent signing in Bendtner, and thank goodness we failed to get Crouchy at £10million!!
Well done Steve Bruce.
Saw your blog on our newsnow feed; as an arsenal fan/season ticket holder i can assure you hes a decent player and knows how to score. He spent most of his time out of position on the wing when used and has never really had a propoer run up front, but is a proven goalscorer and a lot better than that idiot chamakh we’ve still got.
i wish him luck and reckon he’ll do well.
“Nicklas Bendtner, brought in on loan from Arsenal for a year, is a confident young man and if he has, in the eyes of some, an excess of that confidence, we have no need to worry about his mental state (or, so far as can be told, his throat).”
This was the way the news was greeted on the Daily Telegraph “Transfer Deadline Day: live” page.
Which of the three journalists wrote it I don’t know – Thom Gibbs, Steve Wilson and Jonathan Liew were all contributing.
“Well done, Sunderland. You’ve signed the biggest nutjob to come out of Denmark since Hamlet. You just watch, Sunderland fans. You just watch Bendtner’s face the first time Elmohamady swings in a cross that’s over his head. He’ll soon be plotting his escape”.
My own view is that if he ever becomes only half as good as he believes himself to be then we will have signed one hell of a player.
To do that, though, he will have to, considerably, raise his game!
Velkommen til galehuset
doesn’t seem that disrespectful, Colin!
I’d rather have someone who isn’t quite as good as he thinks he is as someone who isn’t quite as bad as he thinks he is. Confidence is a great thing for a footballer, especially a forward, and now he’s at a club that isn’t desperate to score the perfect goal, he could well thrive. Arsenal’s loss, as he will no doubt be replaced by some namby-pamby, tappy-lappy Frenchman