No one would be more heartened by the appearance of Dennis Bergkamp
in the Arsenal Dream Team than the other members of our all-time XI.
That's because the Dutch master was the ultimate players' player, a
man whose touch, awareness and vision made life a whole lot easier for
those around him. Ask pretty much all his peers for their No 1 team-mate
and they would name Dennis without hesitation. He really was that good.
If our Dream Team ever became reality, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn
could look up and know that Dennis would be finding space to receive a
pass to feet.
Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires could time their runs
into the box, knowing that Dennis would hold the ball up and release it
at the opportune moment. And his strike partner - whoever that might be -
could spin off the shoulder of the last defender knowing that a
through-ball would be heading his way.
Dennis' team play was imperious and if he wasn't picking passes or
laying chances on a plate for others he would be converting them
himself, usually with a measure of style.
So many of the 120 goals he scored in an Arsenal shirt were special:
the outrageous spin at Newcastle, the balletic poise at Leicester, the
belter against Bolton, the lob against Leverkusen… the list goes on and
on.
According to the fans who voted in our Gunners' Greatest Goals poll
in 2009, Dennis can lay claim to two of the best four strikes in the
Club's history. So it's no surprise to see him feature so strongly in
this summer's vote - he was named in 82 per cent of the teams submitted.
Dennis' arrival at Highbury in 1995 signalled a shift from 'Boring
Boring Arsenal' to 'Scoring Scoring Arsenal', his signing a statement of
intent and the catalyst for a new era of success. Arsène Wenger later
claimed that the Dutchman's presence was "a blessing, a gift when I
arrived".
How the Frenchman would love to manage this Bergkamp-inspired Dream Team.
NO 10 DENNIS BERGKAMP
Striker
Appearances: 423
Goals: 120
Selected in 82 per cent of teams
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