Gooner Talk

Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner has won Gooner Talk’s Player of the Month award for September after his fantastic contribution in the Arsenal side.

Bendtner – who struck up a magnificent strike partnership with Mexican Carlos Vela – joined Arsenal from FC Copenhagen during the summer of 2005.

In August 2006, he moved to Birmingham City on a season-long loan, but returned to the Gunners in time for the 2007/08 campaign after impressing at St Andrews.

He scored his first league goal against arch-rivals Tottenham in December 07, and continued his impressive development for the rest of the season.

How Nicklas won the award

Nicklas started the month rested after sustaining a knock whilst on International duty for Denmark. He quickly bounced back from that and made an impact after coming on for Robin van Persie against Dynamo Kiev.

Little did he know, Bendtner’s biggest impact was to happen in the next two games. Against Bolton Wanderers, the 21-year-old capitalised on some slack defending to tap home past Jussi Jaaskelainen. Earlier on in that game, he set up Emmanuel Adebayor who subsequently smashed his shot straight onto the post.

Next up, was Sheffield United at home in the Carling Cup. Out came the young Guns and Bendtner was welcome back into the side along with strike partner Carlos Vela. The latter grabbed a hatrick while Bendtner scored a brace, the first with a placed finish outside the box, while the second was scored after a neat backheel from Aaron Ramsey.

Arsenal’s defeat to Hull City was the worst result of the season so far, and Nicklas managed to catch the eye with some decent passing and play, unfortunately the score didn’t change and the players went in disappointed after a poor days work.

Against Porto, Nicklas came on and immediately made an impact by winning a penalty. Freddy Guarin hacked down the Dane and up stepped Emmanuel Adebayor who finished with aplomb.

A fantastic month for Bendtner, and there’s surely more to come from the young Danish starlet.

Arsenal’s Carling Cup tie with Wigan Athletic has been pencilled in to be broadcast live on Sky Sports next month.

Arsene Wenger’s young Guns were rewarded for the mauling efforts against Sheffield United with a game which could see the likes of Egyptian frontman Amir Zaki come up versus Gavin Hoyte.

The last time both teams met in the competition was in 2005 when a memorable injury time goal by Jason Roberts secured their place in the Carling Cup final.

Last season, Arsenal fought a scrappy contest to beat the Latics 2-0 at the Emirates thanks late goals from William Gallas and Tomas Rosicky. At the JJB, Arsene Wenger’s side forged a 0-0 draw mainly due to Wigan’s stern defensive display.

Emirates Stadium will play host to the game on Tuesday 11th November.

Jack Wilshere has a pre-contract agreement with Arsenal when he signs on pro forms in January which will see him make an enormous £15,000 a week.

The 16-year-old was promoted to the first team after impressing boss Arsene Wenger during pre-season and was subsequently rewarded with the number 19 shirt.

He continued to impress in the Emirates Cup and his 15-minute cameo role against La Liga winners Real Madrid confirmed the fact that Wilshere looks the part in the Arsenal first team squad; he is now set to earn 200 times his current wage packet.

Then, the England Under-17 star scored in the Carling Cup thrashing of Sheffield United. Premier League money-bags Chelsea were immediately linked with the Stevenage-born starlet.

Wilshere will sign his first professional deal when he turns 17 on New Year’s Day. Keep up to date with all the latest news and views on Arsenal’s reserve & youth set-up over at our good friends Young Guns.

Arsenal’s reward for thrashing Sheffield United at the Emirates Stadium in the Carling Cup is a fourth round trip to Premier League tough-nuts Wigan Athletic.

The last time both teams met in the competition was in 2005 when a memorable injury time goal by Jason Roberts secured their place in the Carling Cup final.

Last season, Arsenal fought a scrappy contest to beat the Latics 2-0 at the Emirates thanks late goals from William Gallas and Tomas Rosicky. At the JJB, Arsene Wenger’s side forged a 0-0 draw mainly due to Wigan’s stern defensive display.

The ties will be played on either the Tuesday or Wednesday the 11th or 12th November

The full draw is as follows:

Arsenal v Wigan Athletic
Brighton & Hove Albion or Derby v Leeds United
Chelsea v Burnley
Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers
Stoke City v Rotherham United
Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers
Swansea City v Watford
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool

Arsenal midfield maestro and Euro2008 Champ Cesc Fabregas believes he will have to raise his game after the performances of Arsenal’s young guns on Tuesday night.

Arsene Wenger used a squad with an average age of just 19 for the Carling Cup clash with Sheffield United at the Emirates, but still saw his talented men put in a masterclass display as they dismantled the Blades 6-0.

Fabregas – himself the yougest-ever player to appear in the Gunners’ first team – admits the performance left him on the edge of his seat, and believes it won’t be long before the pretenders to his crown will be knocking on the door.

“I was really excited on Tuesday – it was sensational. You can see all the players have ambition, they want to show how good they are,” the 21-year-old told The Sun.

“I cannot go to sleep as one day or other they will want to play more and more and the manager will want them to play more.

“I will have to be better and better. Wilshere, Ramsey, Merida — they all play in my position. This is great for me. I love competition.”

And Fabregas, who joined the north Londoners as a 16-year-old from Barcelona in September 2003, believes nobody is better for giving youngsters a chance than Gunners boss Wenger.

“He doesn’t care how old they are and it’s amazing. It’s why we have so many good young players. It’s the club’s policy,” said the Spaniard, who is expected to return for the club’s Premier League clash with Hull City tomorrow.

“Even if you’re 14 or 15 he always looks relaxed to you and instils confidence in you. For what he does with young players, no one compares with Wenger.”

Gooner Talk will provide all the build-up towards Saturday’s 4pm kick-off against Hull City and a match report will be posted up immediately after the full time whistle – stay locked, on the #1 site for all of Arsenal’s first team news and views.

Arsene Wenger says he would not be afraid to play any of his young Gunners in the Premier League after Arsenal demolished Sheffield United 6-0 in the Carling Cup.

Wenger had named a side with an average age of only 19 – and was not disappointed as the youngsters stepped up to the challenge to leave the Championship side in tatters.

Mexican striker Carlos Vela grabbed a hat-trick, while Nicklas Bendtner hit a first-half double and 16-year-old Jack Wilshere weighed in with his first senior goal.

There were also impressive displays from Wales Under-21 midfielder Aaron Ramsey and aspiring full-back Kieran Gibbs, which all left the Arsenal manager confident the club’s future is in safe hands.

He said:

“The team showed a good mixture of talent and a mature collective spirit to play football the way we want to play.

“The way the team remained focused and they looked a complete team. I am very proud of that.

“We looked strong in every individual position, and that takes a lot of hard work.”

Wenger added:

“We knew about Bendtner, but we discovered more about Vela. He is a clinical finisher.

“I integrated Wilshere into the first team sometimes last season when he was 15 and he did not look out of place and it is natural for him.

“I was not surprised because I see them every day, but you never know on a big stage how they play.

“They did that with the belief we want them to have and the spirit we want then to have.

“Now for us the biggest challenge is to keep them together and slowly integrate them into the first team. Some have done that already.

“These players do not play like kids. They play with intelligence, talent and with spirit.

“They can beat many teams and I would not be scared to play any individual in the Premier League.”

Arsenal head coach Arsene Wenger named his youngest ever team for the third round clash with Championship side Kevin Blackwell’s side and it certainly paid off. There will be more to come from Wenger’s young Gunners and I personally, can’t wait.