Arsenal fine without Henry

[Karl]

Arsenal fine without Henry

Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry - reuters


paris (ap)
Thierry Henry's move to Barcelona has paid off. For Arsenal, that is. Sitting two points clear at the top of the English Premier League, the Gunners are doing just fine without their former superstar.

The French striker, who established himself as one of the game's greats in a Gunners shirt, now wears the blue and maroon stripes of Barcelona. While the Spanish club has stuttered to one win in three games and already trails traditional rival Real Madrid by four points, Arsenal looks even stronger without Henry.

"It was important that we started the season well after losing Thierry Henry in the summer and, while a player like that will never be forgotten, we are moving on now," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said after his team's 3-1 victory at North London neighbours Tottenham on Saturday.

"Of course we have not forgotten about Thierry but we have shown that the team is blossoming and growing," Wenger said in a message to the Gunners fans.

"That was planned, of course, but you never know how fast it will happen."

Although Henry set a new goalscoring record for Arsenal (226 goals in 364 matches) and set up countless goals for his teammates, there was a feeling around the club that he left at the right time.

Maybe the Gunners became too reliant on Henry and maybe Henry became too big for Arsenal.

[OJ]

Its the nature of sports. His departure will be filled by others but there is no doubt Arsenal with Henry is expected to win every game. Arsenal without Henry hopefully can win some games.

[Gamma]

arsenal would be henry-less at some point.....and they would just have to move on. true others have to step up and maybe that wasn't happening there before through no fault of henry's.

[Karl]

arsenal would be henry-less at some point.....and they would just have to move on. true others have to step up and maybe that wasn't happening there before through no fault of henry's.

Arsenal is better off without Henry!
Stand by that!

Henry had become selfish!
Stand by that!

Too often he was preening at the detriment of the TEAM! The man had gotten to the stage where he had forgotten "give and you shall receive"! Too often he held on to the ball and lost it! Too often he lazed around and waited petulantly for the youngsters to 'fetch and carry' to him and them he held the ball onto himself and lost it and then went into his waiting mode.

Bye! Bye! Bye TH14! Wish you luck!
Arsenal will...shall make its own luck!
Go GUNNERS!

[Gamma]

au contraire mon frere...the youngsters relied too much on him....they have now been weaned and have to do it themselves....that was where the problem lay. because he had done it before they always wanted him to do it.

henry's contribution up until when he left outstripped that of any other person...except maybe kolo toure.....

[Karl]

henry's contribution up until when he left outstripped that of any other person...

When speaking about Henry's last 2 years...I beg you do not mention the brilliant hardworking ALWAYS TEAM player Kolo Toure in the same sentence!

Sure Henry's too infrequent turning on of his extreme brillaince tends to send us in raptures...but, to mention him with Henry when speaking about those immediate past 2 years is a wiked disservice to Kolo Toure who was miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillllllllllllllllles further along on TEAM in those 2 years than Henry!

[Mexxx]

Can both you and Karl be correct, especially since time

may be the difference in what both of you are saying.
For instance last year Henry was not the player we have come to expect, albeit he suffered through injuries, and he hasnt attained his lofty heights we have seen for 7 years prior to his last two Arsenal years.

When Vieira left (2 years ago) he became captain, which I thought was the wrong choice, and he exhibited behavior that had negative affect on the other players.

He had that scowling look if a pass went awry, or the fanning away with the hands, just not Captains behaviour and to add he was never convincing that he wanted to be an Arsenal player, Dein leaving is a scapegoat and the French magazine interview was spot on regarding the Barcelna proposal and hence they were never sued.

Henry also became much less workmanlike but as I stated above that was in the last 2 years, but then again wasn't it 2 years ago we reached the Champions league final?

[Mosiah]

Karl would love this, eh gamma? This kind of duplicity is what he lives for!

[Gamma]

that sounds like karl was correct...i will say this though i disagree with karl in principleon this subject but there are more than a few who share his view and it is more widespread than i thought.

i still believe however that the fault does not lie with henry, but rather in the position he was asked to occupy within the team...he was the obvious target....and everyone looked to him to fix it because he had done it some many times in the past. it seems literally punishing the man because of his success!

i will no longer lightly disregard (as i did before) karl's take on this matter.

[Gamma]

yup!!!!!

[Karl]

Henry also became much less workmanlike but as I stated above that was in the last 2 years, but then again wasn't it 2 years ago we reached the Champions league final?

You are right - May 17, 2006 ( Final 2005-2006)
That is how good the GUNNERS babes are! - ...they worked and fetched and Henry at times turned on his superb brilliance.

In the finals he never did reach his brilliant heights...although his workrate was not too bad.

[Karl]

that sounds like karl was correct...i will say this though i disagree with karl in principleon this subject but there are more than a few who share his view and it is more widespread than i thought.

i still believe however that the fault does not lie with henry, but rather in the position he was asked to occupy within the team...he was the obvious target....and everyone looked to him to fix it because he had done it some many times in the past. it seems literally punishing the man because of his success!

i will no longer lightly disregard (as i did before) karl's take on this matter.

...but, even now I am thinking your revised position is taken after looking at TH14's role in the wrong light.

Let us look at your explanation -

...the fault does nto lie with henry, but rather in the position he was asked to occupy within team...he was obvious the target

The first part is at odds with the last unless you really believe that Captain Henry or superstar/super player Henry is notas smart and as good a TEAM manager for us to have expected him to be able to define his role in interest of TEAM?

...but, let us go on...

...and everyone looked to him to fix it because he had done so in the past. it seems literally punishing the man because of his success!

As Captain he was expected to manage any seeking of personal individual glory in such a manner that his actions brought that glory through TEAM successes...i.e. as we have seen him in the past working within TEAM structure and with TEAM concept - e.g. when Robert Pires and Viera were in TEAM - similarly he would now then do.

New players on the field with him...but, same concept and same TEAM work. He did not live up to expectations in that Captain setting the TEAM first ...continuing with concept of the TEAM first and allowing the personal glory come to him! (e.g. let the game/let the occasion for personal glory come to me...rather than forcing it to come to him).

TEAM = Looking out for each one & thus TEAM's best interest & making TEAM the whole! ...(each give) giving and (each shall receive) receiving!

The leader now is Cesc Fabregas - ...and, give...give...give is his mantra...and, receive...receive...receive is the game! Not captain but he certainly acts the part!

[Gamma]

fabregas is a midfield player they are supposed to give... give... give.... henry is a striker...and notwithstanding his assist ratio as a striker was better than any other striker in the BPL!

sorry karl.....i don't see it your way.

[Karl]

fabregas is a midfield player they are supposed to give... give... give.... henry is a striker...and notwithstanding his assist ratio as a striker was better than any other striker in the BPL!

sorry karl.....i don't see it your way.

The way Henry plays - - damn Arsenal plays --- forwards are midfielders and defenders...midfielders are forwards and defenders...our defenders are midfielders and forwards - TOTAL FOOTBALL! ...in a real sense all the players can fit in into any position as the game determines - right side of the field, left side of the field, forward, mid, back...matters not!

[Gamma]

and yet he had the assiststo prove it.....even more remarkable to me...that a man could lead the team in goals AND assists!!!