11Invincibles: Dennis Bergkamp(Forward)

Posted by Tazz | Posted in 11Invincibles | Posted on 15-10-2009

Tags: 11Invincibles, Dennis Bergkamp

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Another 'Won' In The Bag!

One doesn’t have to be a football expert to say that Bergkamp was a genius. Anyone who has watched him play will vouch for that. The legendary player arrived at Highbury in 1995 and the credit for the shift in Arsenal style of football from defensively robust play to sharp attacking football can be majorly attributed to him.

An 11Gunners appreciation of the greatest ‘Non-Flying Dutchman‘ of our times..

Having already retired from International football, Bergkamp’s career was meandering towards a close at the start of the ‘Unbeaten Season‘ but not his technique, precision or fluency. His feet possessed some magnetic attraction towards the ball; his first touch was always dead on target; his ability to pass the ball around bamboozling the defenders was simply unbelievable. He was like an orchestrator of a musical band. He might lay low during the entire game but fashion one moment of beauty to capture all the post match laurels. Not suggesting he was selfish in any way. He created way more goals for Henry and Co than he scored. His measured through ball to Patrick Vieira against Chelsea which pierced through a helpless defence was both critical and beautiful. Though throughout the season, he played a primarily supporting role to Henry; his skilful play reduced the pressure a great deal on Henry.

One runs out of superlatives in describing Bergkamp as a player: his perfect touch, passing of incredible vision, sublime finishing, out of this world skills, not to mention selflessness; Dennis always thought what was the best for the team, not for himself.

Bergkamp bid adieu to football in the year 2006 and aptly received a momentous farewell when the first game at Arsenal’s new home was played as the Bergkamp testimonial match and his club and country mates joined to grace the occasion. Arsenal have been blessed with many great players in the past and present but it will be really difficult to find another ‘Dennis Bergkamp‘, another ‘Iceman‘, another ‘Legend‘.

Arsenal won the League that year. Winning the league is one thing, doing so without tasting defeat is something else. History was made and he became a part of it. Arsenal were the ‘Unstoppables’, the ‘Unbeatables’ and Dennis Bergkamp thus became an:

INVINCIBLE