Nicklas Bendtner

Nicklas Bendtner netted his second goal in as many games on Saturday with a sumptuous header to spur Arsenal’s big comeback at Stoke City.

An affair overshadowed by a horrific injury to Aaron Ramsey saw Arsenal overcome Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium for once.

Rory Delap went by the expected script to set up Pugh for the opening goal but Bentner leveled matters before half-time and very well against the script, Ramsey suffered a terrible leg break at the hands of Shawcross.

The Gunners were left traumatized like they were exactly two years ago at Birmingham but unlike that day, Wenger’s men had a happy ending as a Fabregas spot kick put them in front late on before Vermaelen clinched a 3-1 victory in injury time.

Following the final whistle, Arsenal’s squad gathered together in the center circle for a group huddle, knowing the immense character they showed today had hurled them back into the title race – now just three points behind Chelsea.

Before kick-off against Sunderland, Arsenal needed a win and Nicklas Bendtner needed a goal.
Both got what they wanted this afternoon.

The Dane slotted home the all-important opener in the 27th minute following fine work from Emmanuel Eboue. It was only his second Premier League goal of an injury-hit campaign and provided the platform for his team to get over that midweek disappointment in Portugal.
This was a simple, straightforward victory. Sunderland had a couple of clear-cut chances but they should have been buried by an Arsenal side in full flow. However the tension remained until Cesc Fabregas scored a penalty in injury time.

Still no matter. With Manchester United losing at Everton, Wenger’s team are now two points adrift of the second-placed side. They are still six shy of leaders Chelsea, who won comfortably at Wolves.
But Arsenal will not be shaken off in the title race just yet.

The one-way traffic began in the fourth minute when Fabregas carved a pass into the path of Walcott. He was in a foot race with George McCartney. No contest. The Arsenal winger sprinted himself a yard clear and fired inches past the far post.
Shortly afterwards Samir Nasri raced down the left and his cross so nearly found the climbing Bendtner. Then, from a short corner, the Frenchman’s angled drive hit McCartney and bounced narrowly wide.

Arsenal’s pace, both individually and collectively, was troubling Sunderland. In the 15th minute Walcott chased down and then muscled off McCartney but with little help available could only fire straight at Craig Gordon. Bendtner flashed the rebound inches wide of the far post.

The Dane was now fully recovered from his groin injury and starting to provide the muscular presence the team required. However, on a personal front, Bendtner needed the confidence of a goal.

That should have come in the 17th minute when a flowing move down the right ended with Fabregas tapping a simple pass to the unmarked striker. He took a touch and let fly. However McCartney slid in to deflect the ball high on the bar.

In the 27th minute, Eboue, who had enjoyed a sparkling start at right back, darted between McCartney and Darren Bent then divided the same pair with a low cross to the far post. The unmarked Bendtner tapped home with simplicity and then, quite rightly, he ran straight to Eboue to celebrate.

Just before the whistle, Walcott, who was enjoying a fine first half, nearly found Bendtner but the sprawling Gordon intervened.
At last, Arsenal could breathe easily.

Arsenal went down 2-1 at Porto in controversial fashion on Wednesday night.

They trailed after just 11 minutes of this Champions League Knockout Round first leg when keeper Lucasz Fabianski fumbled Silvestre Valera’s cross over his own line.

However they got back on level terms almost immediately when Sol Cambell, playing his first Champions League game since the 2006 Final, nodded in from close range.

It seemed that Arsenal had come through unscathed after an early assault.

However they then conceded a self-inflicted goal.

Once again Valera attacked down the Porto right. The 23-year-old skipped past his marker and, once again, had time to pick out his target.

Fabianski moved out to anticipate a ball into the heart of the area. But, intended or not, Valera’s cross was fired directly across the goal just two yards out. It meant Fabianski had to dive back from where he had just come and attempt to shovel the ball away. Unfortunately the Polish international could only fumble the ball over the line. A horrible-looking goal to concede.

In fairness, Arsenal’s recovered almost immediately.

Bendtner whistled a deflected shot inches wide of the angle in the 16th minute. Fabregas raced over to take the corner. The captain was clearly in an urgent mood this evening.

His kick was flicked on by Vermaelen to Rosicky at the far post. The Czech midfielder nodded the ball back into the danger area and Campbell headed home from three yards out.

It was an enormous goal. Away goals in Europe always are but this one settled Arsenal after the shakiest of starts.

Rosicky’s rasping cross-shot forced Helton into a full-length save a couple of minutes later. Clearly the visitors now fancied the job.

Fabianski redeemed himself somewhat by pawing away a shot from Micael and then clutching a high, hanging free-kick in the midst of a crowded area.

The liberty of opening half-hour had now been shackled. It was still a decent, attacking game but the opening stages had been reminiscent of the last 10 minutes of an FA Cup replay not the start of a crucial two-legged Champions League tie.

In the 35th minute, Fabregas floated over a free-kick and Bendtner’s back header forced the backtracking Helton to tip the ball over the bar. It had been a hell of a half but Arsenal finished it in the ascendancy.

The second period started the same way, Bendtner hacked over the bar and then Rosicky had strong claims for a penalty after Varela chopped him down on the right of the area.

Rosicky went clear on the left for an instant but his touch was too heavy and, just before the hour, the galloping Bendtner tried to steer home a shot only for Reina to block with his legs.

All of a sudden it seemed a game of football seemed to have broken out.

Bendtner went down under Daniel Agger’s challenge but referee Howard Webb booked the Dane for simulation. A couple of minutes later the striker laid the ball back for Rosicky to crack a drive inches over the bar.

This game was now an entirely different animal. The tension of the first half remained but invention had been added. Neither side were functioning at their best but Arsenal had the edge.

Walcott substituted Arshavin with 23 minutes left. Wenger had now replaced two of his front men and the only one remaining who was struggling for fitness.

It seemed that Bendtner would have to soldier on this evening.

And he did.

In the 72nd minute, the 22-year-old found himself surrounded and under pressure in the area but retained the presence of mind to feed a clever ball to Rosicky on the right. The Czech midfielder had time to pick his target. His chose Diaby at the far post. The Frenchman eluded his marker to power home a header. It was his seventh goal of the season and undoubtedly the most important.

In the wake of the goal, Liverpool finally threw off their shackles. They piled forward but there were only two heart-in-mouth moments before injury time – when Gerrard went down in the box and when substitute Ryan Babel slipped his marker before firing goalwards from 25 yards.

It was a dipping, swerving, curling effort but Almunia touched it on to the bar. A pivotal save.

The second half had been dramatic enough but there was one more twist.

In the dying embers of injury time Gerrard somehow won at free-kick five yards outside the area. Fabregas was booked for protesting the decision and then the Englishman’s effort hit the Spaniard’s outstretched hand as he jumped in the wall.

In the 64 minutes, substitute at Arsenal: Nicklas for Theo Walcott.

Wenger’s men had been losing at the interval in this fixture last season but came back to win. They attempted a repeat job straight away when Diaby cracked an effort wide and just before the hour Nasri burst through only to be denied by Ashley Cole on the edge of the area. However, in between, those efforts Drogba set up Malouda to drive narrowly wide.

Once again, Arsenal were cranking up the pressure and penning back Chelsea. Wenger added to that anxiety by withdrawing Walcott and bringing on Nicklas Bendtner. As a result, Arshavin dropped to the left and Nasri went right.

Almost immediately after coming on, the Dane was clipped by Ricardo Carvalho just outside the area. Fabregas fired in a low free-kick that went through the wall but was beaten away by Cech. An excellent save given the keeper would have seen the ball only after it had emerged through a thicket of legs in a crowded area.

Final, Chelsea – Arsenal 2-0.

Arsenal did what they could to respond. Fabregas fired inches over and Song stretched Edwin van der Sar. The Cameroon international also cracked an effort just wide.

They were all worthy efforts but were all from distance. You sensed that, with a 3-0 goal advantage, Manchester United were happy to let Arsenal try their luck from that range.

On the hour, Wenger made an attacking substitution – Theo Walcott for Denilson. Ten minutes later, he threw on Bendtner and Eboue for Rosicky and Nasri.

The pattern was now set for the remainder of the game. Arsenal would have ample possession and press forward, Manchester United would soak up everything and take what they could on the break.

Sixteen minutes from they time, that tactic nearly saw them grab a fourth. Rooney went marauding across the halfway line and then sprinted clear as Eboue stumbled. Fortunately for Arsenal he dragged his shot wide.

Emirates Stadium was understandably muted a full time, except for a pocket of travelling fans in the away end.

They had much to celebrate. Meanwhile Arsenal must simply steel themselves for next Sunday.

After a first half with no goals, Bendtner played from 62 minute.

In the second half the Arsenal team is the most lively, especially on the left with Clichy but his cross was deflected by Freidel and Collins can sweep away. On the other hand we also see the Aston Villa with an excellent Ashley Young, but his cross to the far post is not collected by Downing. Begins to push the Aston Villa that makes collection of corners, due largely to the offensive sorties by Ashley Young. From set pieces but the home team fails to be decisive, despite the hesitation of the goalkeeper. To break the break the Villans Arshavin tries with his classic action pass from midfield and kick the man on goal. Everything seems perfect, but his conclusion, after having passed Cuellar, is only diverted from Freidel, Rosicky tries to tap-in winner but the ball splinter the crossbar.
In 63 minutes Nicklas Bendtner meet again in the field, back after groin hernia suffered during the derby against Tottenham Hotspur last October. In 10 of the first term replacement for O’Neill in the field that launches Delphi for Heskey, while Wenger would reintroduce Nasri for Rosicky.

Final, Aston Villa – Arsenal 0-0.

Nicklas Bendtner should be available for the Villa game on January 27 too. He should be back from next week onwards – Monday or Tuesday. Maybe he will not be completely ready for Stoke but, after that, he should be able to be in the squad.

This is great news for all fans of Nicklas Bendtner and Arsenal finally to see him playing again after a lengthy 3 month spell on the sidelines. Ahead of Denmark’s historic trip to South Africa this summer for the World Cup 2010 Former international Ebbe Sand has handed out praise for the 22 year old hitman, he says Nicklas will be a big player in this tournament and is on the right track.

Nicklas Bendtner will end his long nightmare Wednesday 27 January evening, when Arsene Wenger’s troops travel to Villa Park, Birmingham to face Aston Villa. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has gone on record after the 0-2 win at Bolton and said Nicklas should be back fully for the trip to Champions League pretenders Aston Villa.

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, injured his back and hamstring 2 months, will be unavailable for another 3 weeks.

To tell the coach Arsene Wenger on the club’s website. Bendtner, Danish, is injured on 13 October during the derby against Tottenham (3-0), and was made in a slipped disc, now absorbed, but is still suffering from adductor problems. His return was originally planned for late December.