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Camden Sports - by STEVE BARNETT
Published: 15 January 2009

Wenger to stand by his great Dane

Gunners boss defends troubled Bendtner following heckles from the stands

ARSENE Wenger insists he won’t buckle under pressure from moaning Arsenal fans and plans to stand by hit-and-miss striker Nicklas Bendtner.
The Danish hitman was barracked by the home supporters against Bolton on Saturday until enjoying the last laugh by scoring the winning goal which sent them home happy.
Wenger said afterwards: “The fans judge on the day but I have to judge in the long term. Some people have been surprised that I have stuck with him but I believe in him.
“He had an injury problem with his ankle and I thought it affected his game a little bit, especially with his back to goal. He looks in training as if he is sharp again.”
Wenger’s confident words don’t tally with the groans coming from the stands and a sense of the impatience with the precocious forward.
But they suggest Bendtner has survived rumours that he was being used as bait in a transfer swap deal aimed at luring West Ham’s tough-tackling defender Matthew Upson to Arsenal.
His vital goal was later said to have also soothed anger among the management for reports that he had gossiped about team selections to Bolton’s former player Fabrice Muamba in the warm-up.
Bendtner had looked nervy as a second-half substitute, misplacing passing as the Gunners tried to unlock Bolton.
Wenger said: “Bendtner did not pass the ball as well as he can when he came on but he still could have scored two goals. That sums up what a striker is.”
Wenger is famously cautious over spending in the transfer window when prices are notoriously inflated, so fans can count out a move for AC Milan’s Kaka.

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