At the start of this month, Arsenal fans were delighted that the club erected a statue of legendary striker Thierry Henry outside the Emirates Stadium.
The statue of Henry was unveiled as part the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations, and now Gunners fans could be ready for an even better gift just after Christmas, the return to Arsenal of the man himself.
Arsene Wenger signed Henry for Arsenal in 1999, and the enigmatic striker spent eight successful years in England’s capital, winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. The graceful French striker scored 226 goals during his time with the Gunners, before leaving to join FC Barcelona in the summer of 2007.
Henry is currently employed by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, but has been training with Arsenal since the end of the American season.
This shows the favorable relationship Henry still enjoys with Wenger and his former club, and reports have been surfacing about the Frenchman performing very well during these sessions. In fact, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown told The Telegraph newspaper that Arsenal’s current players “can’t get the ball off him,” when defending against Henry.
While it is unlikely Henry would scale the heights of his first spell with the club, when he was twice awarded the PFA Player of the Year award, and four times finished as the Premier League’s leading goal scorer, Henry would give a boost to the Arsenal squad.
Some fans like to believe that the MLS is a lower level of competition, and after playing there Henry will be unable to contribute at the Premier League level. If that is true, then how did Landon Donovan make such a spectacular impact during his first loan spell with Everton from the Los Angeles Galaxy?
It is also arguable that it will be easier for Henry to chalk up goals and assists than it was during his first spell at Arsenal. Whereas the first time round Henry was constantly double teamed and made the focus of opposition defensive schemes, this time round he will be allowed to find space while the other team concentrates on stopping red hot goal machine Robin van Persie.
The charisma and leadership skills possessed by the legendary Frenchman will also be a nice addition to the Arsenal dressing room. There are a lot of young players in the current Gunners setup, and the wisdom of Henry could help them blossom. While he did not play a major role on the field, another Frenchman Patrick Vieira was credited with playing a similar role at Manchester City.
While Wenger initially poured cold water on the idea of Arsenal re-signing Henry, now the Gunners boss has acknowledged it as a possibility, even if only on a short-term basis.
“Short term is ideal,” Wenger told BBC Sport when he cautiously addressed the subject of making an offer for Henry. “I have to think about it.”
While Wenger did not commit to the idea, Arsenal fans will not have to wait long to find out if this will become a reality.
“1 January is the vital date for us,” Wenger told BBC Sport. “We have seven days to make decisions and I will make a decision in the next seven days on players.”
Henry could be ideal in January as Arsenal will be without striker Gervinho, who will be away at the African Nations Cup.
The signing of Henry would bring a real feel-good factor to the Emirates Stadium, and how the fans would celebrate if Henry was to score, and bring the statue outside the stadium to life with his famous celebratory pose.
Arsene Wenger signed Henry for Arsenal in 1999, and the enigmatic striker spent eight successful years in England’s capital, winning two Premier League titles and three FA Cups. The graceful French striker scored 226 goals during his time with the Gunners, before leaving to join FC Barcelona in the summer of 2007.
Henry is currently employed by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, but has been training with Arsenal since the end of the American season.
This shows the favorable relationship Henry still enjoys with Wenger and his former club, and reports have been surfacing about the Frenchman performing very well during these sessions. In fact, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown told The Telegraph newspaper that Arsenal’s current players “can’t get the ball off him,” when defending against Henry.
While it is unlikely Henry would scale the heights of his first spell with the club, when he was twice awarded the PFA Player of the Year award, and four times finished as the Premier League’s leading goal scorer, Henry would give a boost to the Arsenal squad.
Some fans like to believe that the MLS is a lower level of competition, and after playing there Henry will be unable to contribute at the Premier League level. If that is true, then how did Landon Donovan make such a spectacular impact during his first loan spell with Everton from the Los Angeles Galaxy?
It is also arguable that it will be easier for Henry to chalk up goals and assists than it was during his first spell at Arsenal. Whereas the first time round Henry was constantly double teamed and made the focus of opposition defensive schemes, this time round he will be allowed to find space while the other team concentrates on stopping red hot goal machine Robin van Persie.
The charisma and leadership skills possessed by the legendary Frenchman will also be a nice addition to the Arsenal dressing room. There are a lot of young players in the current Gunners setup, and the wisdom of Henry could help them blossom. While he did not play a major role on the field, another Frenchman Patrick Vieira was credited with playing a similar role at Manchester City.
While Wenger initially poured cold water on the idea of Arsenal re-signing Henry, now the Gunners boss has acknowledged it as a possibility, even if only on a short-term basis.
“Short term is ideal,” Wenger told BBC Sport when he cautiously addressed the subject of making an offer for Henry. “I have to think about it.”
While Wenger did not commit to the idea, Arsenal fans will not have to wait long to find out if this will become a reality.
“1 January is the vital date for us,” Wenger told BBC Sport. “We have seven days to make decisions and I will make a decision in the next seven days on players.”
Henry could be ideal in January as Arsenal will be without striker Gervinho, who will be away at the African Nations Cup.
The signing of Henry would bring a real feel-good factor to the Emirates Stadium, and how the fans would celebrate if Henry was to score, and bring the statue outside the stadium to life with his famous celebratory pose.
