David Bentley

Kimbo wrote:Well i'm convinced, the Arsenal fan thinks the Arsenal player has elite talent because he watches full Arsenal games.

  

Well what's so elite about Wilshere? You can't blame me for thinking this is about club bias, we all get blinded by our colours sometimes, especially with a player that has come through the academy.

Kimbo wrote:Well what's so elite about Wilshere? You can't blame me for thinking this is about club bias, we all get blinded by our colours sometimes, especially with a player that has come through the academy.

He's got elite technique (touch, close control, weight of his passing etc) and remarkable intelligence and awareness.

He's not a typical English midfielder, probably why some of you think he isn't all that. England would benefit greatly from having a midfielder like him who can keep the ball under pressure (which is an elite quality and probably the most important for a midfielder to have in the modern game).

Does this incredible talent have any weaknesses?

He is a poor finisher, weak in the air and I don't think his vision in the final 3rd is anything special (particularly for a player of his talents).

He's also deteriorated defensively/tactically since his return from injury; goes on a walk about sometimes trying to force things (ends up dribbling into dead ends) and is too eager to score goals. I think being out for so long and spending time listening to those idiots in the press has fucked up his mindset. He frequently heard whilst he was out how he's this great hope of English football ('the English Xavi' - he's actually similar to iniesta IMO) and he feels he has to justify that hype especially with him being the main man in our team before the arrival of Ozil and Ramsey's emergence. They've somehow brainwashed him to think he has to score goals to be seen as a top footballer, similar to how Gerrard and Lampard are seen as goalscoring 'midfielders'  (he's frequently said he wants to emulate those 2 since his come back from injury). You even heard his response to Scholes' criticism, he pointed out to his goals and assists to show that he's improving   

I really hope Wenger has a word and makes it clear to him the role of a CM is not to score goals, they are a bonus, and both Gerrard and Lampard scored majority of their goals playing as forwards.

He had the perfect balance between defence and attack before his injury, Song was seen as this defensive monster in-front of our defence, but Wilshere spent a lot of time covering for him. He was much more smarter in his positioning and tactically in general. This idea that he should become another goalscoring 'midfielder' like Gerrard and Lampard for him to be seen a s top player has fucked up that balance. He's lucky he's in good hands though, for all my gripe with him, Wenger is very good at developing top talents (especially midfielders).

And what do you think about him being a smoker?

A lot of (top) footballers smoke, so it's no big deal

He shouldn't be doing it openly

The Pröfessör wrote:
A lot of (top) footballers smoke, so it's no big deal

He shouldn't be doing it openly

Like who? I know players used to smoke and drink alot when the game was played at a slower pace, but doing it now will take it's toll eventually.

Kimbo wrote:

The Pröfessör wrote:
A lot of (top) footballers smoke, so it's no big deal

He shouldn't be doing it openly

Like who? I know players used to smoke and drink alot when the game was played at a slower pace, but doing it now will take it's toll eventually.

Gallas, Ashley Cole, Rooney etc

Even some other Arsenal players like Koscienly, Ozil, Giroud etc are rumoured to be smokers

Rooney, the guy that moves like he is 38?   

In boxing you can always tell the guys that don't look after their body, their primes are far shorter.

Well Zidane, Ashley cole, Gallas played top level football well into their 30s

I think a lot of top class footballers smoke that we don't even know of

Are you sure all these are regular smokers like Wilshere, rather than people that treated themselves every now and then?

find it hard to believe any top level footballer smokes regularly

Same. Sounds like bollocks

    You guys are really naive. Footballers are just normal human beings like you and I, therefore they are very likely to do things they are not supposed to do. Do you really believe every single footballer at the top level leads a perfect life?

Cheryl Cole pretty much confirmed Ashley Cole smokes. One of the girls Cole cheated with mentioned him smoking and that was the reason Cheryl believed the girl was not making things up to get attention because Cole's smoking habit was a well kept secret according to her.

It is well known to everyone that Cruyff smokes (used to smoke). He has confirmed it himself that he smoked during his pro career. He reportedly smoked 18-20 cigarettes a day. Frank Rijkaard smokes too, mind u, he used to play for one of the fittest teams in Europe at the time. Other Dutch footballers like Sneijder, Cocu, Van Basten, Stekelenburg (know someone that have seen him smoke like a mothafucker), Van Persie etc have all been seen smoking.

David James is another footballer that has confirmed he used to smoke during his career.

Rooney's smoking habit has been widely reported in the British press over the years.

We've all seen images of Ancelotti smoking on the bench, do you really think he suddenly picked up that habit in his 40s?

Pretty much sure I read somewhere Slaven Bilic used to smoke before matches.

There are dozens of pics on the internet of Balotelli smoking

The list is too long





















It's all bollocks though  

There's a mix of examples there, and we don't know how many of them are regular smokers. The fact remains though that Wilshere hasn't delivered yet, don't expect people to rate him until he does.

Kimbo wrote:There's a mix of examples there, and we don't know how many of them are regular smokers. The fact remains though that Wilshere hasn't delivered yet, don't expect people to rate him until he does.

And how do you know Wilshere is a regular smoker?

Some of them (Cruyff, James etc) have confirmed they used to smoke during their career, and Cheryl Cole has confirmed Ashley Cole is a regular smoker.

Your last sentence is a desperate attempt to make a point given the fact that that isn't even what we are discussing.

It's what was being discussed before we got sidetracked by who smokes. Smoking doesn't do an athlete any favours, I don't care what you say.

Smoking is awful and totally unprofessional, no matter who did it and does it.

This said, "ability" is about physical ability as well, not to mention the mental aspect. What use is technical ability, skill and talent when you're injured more often than not, as your body can't seem to cope with the high physical demands of professional football? When you believe to be a great player already despite not having really achieved anything yet?

Wilshere has been hyped for years and it hasn't done him any good. First and foremost, he should aim to regain fitness and stay fit, try to fully establish himself in his team, play regularly. Only then he can develop and realise his potential. If all that doesn't happen, and it should happen rather sooner than later as he isn't that young anymore, his career will not be successful.

Kimbo wrote:It's what was being discussed before we got sidetracked by who smokes. Smoking doesn't do an athlete any favours, I don't care what you say.

Nah, we were discussing Wilshere's talents (relative to Bentley's). That discussion was done. You brought up another topic (about him smoking) in a separate post and asked my views, and out of nowhere remarked I shouldn't be expecting people to rate him as he hasn't delivered yet as if I said anything to the contrary.

The Pröfessör wrote:

Kimbo wrote:It's what was being discussed before we got sidetracked by who smokes. Smoking doesn't do an athlete any favours, I don't care what you say.

Nah, we were discussing Wilshere's talents (relative to Bentley's). That discussion was done. You brought up another topic (about him smoking) in a separate post and asked my views, and out of nowhere remarked I shouldn't be expecting people to rate him as he hasn't delivered yet as if I said anything to the contrary.

Him smoking is reflective of his attitude and professionalism, which is one of his main criticisms. If you think he hasn't delivered yet aswell then it sounds like we're all agreed, I just refrain from calling people elite talents when they haven't delivered yet.

I don't know what kind of person shows photos of single incidents to prove regularity. Not a person who has thought before doing it.

Smoking is delicious! And I dont get why there should be problem with it, granted, perhaps for EPL players its not so smart, considering all the running. But in the 70s everyone was smoking like a chimney. Cruyff smoked two packages a day. Most of them still do, but the trick is not to get caught with it.

Even though it's turning into a fucking runner game these days, still, footballers dont walk THAT much. And they do fuck all on training, hence so many of them are still a bit fat.

Stunts your growth.