afc Bendtner - I can make a valuable contribution

[TF S4DK]

Nicklas Bendtner is intent on making a valuable contribution in Arsenal’s final surge towards silverware this season.The Dane, in his debut season in the first team, has made great strides in what is still a relatively nascent career. Vital goals against Tottenham, Burnley and, most recently, Aston Villa, have certainly proved his worth.The majority of the striker’s appearances this term have been as a substitute. It’s a stat Bendtner is keen on changing, but for now the 20-year-old is just happy to be of assistance.“I think it’s good for me to be able to help the team in whatever way I can,” Bendtner told the matchday programme. “You want to be able to make an impact when you come on, but it can be hard to affect the game sometimes. If you play on a regular basis you are more used to the team, you know everything.“So obviously that is better, and that’s my target as well, to be a more regular starter.”Robin van Persie’s emergence from the treatment room has added further competition to the forward department. Bendtner though is as pleased as anyone with the Dutchman’s return.“I’m really pleased that he is back. He is obviously desperate to return and just before he got injured he was playing really well so if he can return to that level it would be great.”With the business end of the season now on the horizon, Bendtner insists he remains wholeheartedly committed to the cause however he is deployed, and indeed whoever he plays with. The Dane feels he can do an effective job alongside Van Persie or Emmanuel Adebayor. “I think it [playing alongside Adebayor] went quite well at Wigan,” said Bendtner. “We found each other a few times, but it wasn’t easy on that surface, especially for two strikers to link up. Also their defence was quite tight in the middle.“But I thought it worked OK. People keep saying we are too similar in style and things like that, but I think it can work just fine. If you remember, we combined for the goal against Aston Villa.”

I personally wish he had played more games going into this business end of the season...

[darkman]

Maybe if he didnt cause other players to play badly he would have