Style of Play
"He needs fewer touches to score. Sometimes just one, when others need two or three." Wenger on BergkampBergkamp was schooled in Total Football, a playing style and philosophy which relied on versatility. This was primarily to maximise the footballer's potential; players tried out every outfield position before finding one that suit them best. Every age group at Ajax played in the same style and formation on the first team – 3–4–3 – to allow individuals to slot in without effort when moving up the pyramid. Bergkamp "played in every position apart from goalie" and believed he benefited from the experience of playing as a defender, as it helped him "know how they think and how to beat them". When he made his debut as a substitute against Roda JC, Bergkamp was positioned on the right wing, where he remained for three years. During his time at Internazionale, he was switched to a main striker, but failed to cooperate with partner Ruben Sosa, whom he later called "selfish". When Bergkamp joined Arsenal in 1995, he enjoyed a successful strike partnership with Wright, and in later seasons Anelka and Henry, playing in his preferred position as a second striker. The arrival of Overmars in the 1997–98 season enhanced Bergkamp's play, as he was getting more of the ball. Between August and October 1997, he scored seven goals in seven league matches. A similar rapport developed between him and Ljungberg during the 2001–02 season.
Throughout his playing career Bergkamp was referred to as a "cheat" and "dirty player", something his former manager Wenger refuted. In an interview with The Times in 2004, he said that while he was at Internazionale, he realized the importance of being mentally tough in order to survive: "A lot of people there try to hurt you, not just physically but mentally as well, and coming from the easygoing culture in Holland, I had to adopt a tougher approach. There, it was a case of two strikers up against four or five hard defenders who would stop at nothing." Bergkamp says his aggression often stems from frustration.
Read more about this topic: Dennis Bergkamp
Famous quotes containing the words style of, style and/or play:
“Each child has his own individual expressions to offer to the world. That expression can take many forms, from artistic interests, a way of thinking, athletic activities, a particular style of dressing, musical talents, different hobbies, etc. Our job is to join our children in discovering who they are.”
—Stephanie Martson (20th century)
“As the style of Faulkner grew out of his rage—out of the impotence of his rage—the style of Hemingway grew out of the depth and nuance of his disenchantment.”
—Wright Morris (b. 1910)
“When I began to have a fire at evening, before I plastered my house, the chimney carried smoke particularly well, because of the numerous chinks between the boards.... Should not every apartment in which man dwells be lofty enough to create some obscurity overhead, where flickering shadows may play at evening about the rafters? These forms are more agreeable to the fancy and imagination than fresco paintings or other the most expensive furniture.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)