Camden New Journal - by TOM FOOT Published: 25 September 2008
Arsene Wenger
‘We don’t need any new faces’
Bendtner tips Gunners’ youth for glory
NICKLAS Bendtner has warned manager Arsene Wenger he faces a selection headache after his superb double in the Carling Cup. The Danish striker put in a man-of-the-match performance against Bolton on Saturday and underlined his credentials for a regular first-team spot against Sheffield United on Tuesday at the Emirates.
Bendtner said: “We have good strikers here, but I want to make it hard for the boss to pick the team. I want him to consider every week who to play. I am trying to push on as much as possible and get a regular place in the first team.”
Bendtner has been kept out of the starting line-up by established strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie.
Bendtner praised his Carling Cup strike partner, Carlos Vela, after the 19-year-old Mexican struck an impressive hat-trick in the 6-0 rout.
He said: “Carlos came here when he was 16 and he showed good things. He has come on since the start of the season and has worked really hard. He is a really good finisher and we combined really well – we played together throughout pre-season.”
And Bendtner insisted there is no need for Wenger to buy anyone in the winter transfer window. “Every year there is talk about this, and every year the boss says we have the players right here,” he added. “Against Sheffield United the players showed they have the quality and that they can do what is required of them. There was never any doubt. “We are top of the Premier League and we have the players that are good enough to stay there. “There is a maturity even in the 16-year-olds, the confidence in the team goes right down to them. “That is what Arsenal is all about.”