Friday, June 29, 2007
Brazilians Prove to be Brilliant
Brazilians Prove to be Brilliant in an Important Win for the Gunners
by Joel Martin
We needed a win and we got a win, it was as simple as that.
The first half looked like more of the same. We played extremely well, dominated play and created chances but could not finish. Both Baptista and Fabregas could have scored more than once before the whistle, but we still went in to the break 0-0.
It took a moment of absolute brilliance from Gael Clichy, of all people, to get us our first goal. The left back took off and beat Andre Bikey (who had a mile of a head start on him) to a ball and tore into the box. Bikey fouled and Gilberto converted the penalty. Just after that, we broke out on a counter-attack off a corner. Denilson found his Brazilian compatriot, Julio Baptista, who beat Murty and slotted the ball in Hahneman’s near post. It was a good goal, and I hope Baptista can score more.
That being said, his touch and his tempo needs to improve. He looks like he is not on the same wavelength as the rest of the team, and he slows us down when he plays. I still do not see him staying, even though he scored a goal.
Walcott looked alright up top, it was a very encouraging game for him. Denilson was great, Fabregas could have used that goal for his own confidence’s sake, we need him to add a couple goals for us from the midfield. Hleb was good, and Ljungberg was frustrating. He just can not beat anyone anymore, its almost sad. He’ll have to change his game to have any chance at playing first team football for us in the future. Diaby subbed in and did well, Aliadiere subbed in and proved yet again that although he tries harder than anyone on the team, he’s not quite a player of Arsenal-caliber. He’ll be gone soon.
The back four played well. The Reading goal from the corner kick at the end really only happened because Senderos did not quite reach his marker before the kick was taken. He was only just subbing in and never got a chance to front his man before the corner was taken. And although the ball eventually did deflect of Senderos and then Fabregas into the goal, the only reason it took the deflection was Senderos’ original position in the first place.
Anyway, in the end the game was not the rout I would have liked to see going in to our showdown with PSV Wednesday, but a win is a win. Hopefully Henry can play, but the return of Adebayor, Toure, and Eboue will be very nice. We need all three, especially Adebayor, to create more chances, we’ll need all we can get with Rosicky, Van Persie and possibly Henry gone. Their return will also provide solidity in the back, and could be the key to our survival in the Champions League—if we can pull it off.
Posted by Joel at 06:45 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: Match Reviews
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Why the Gunners are destined for a Fabulous future
Why the Gunners are destined for a Fabulous future
By Adam Clark
It seems fitting that in the week Arsenal have lost their talisman, we are celebrating the merits of the heir apparent.
Thierry Henry’s move from the Gunners to Barcelona may be the most high-profile transfer of the summer so far but it’s the previous piece of business between the two clubs which may prove to be more significant to the future of Arsenal. Namely Cesc Fabregas’s move in the opposite direction.
Arsenal are losing Henry at a time when they have already enjoyed many of the best years of his career. But for 20-year-old Fabregas, who swapped the Catalan club’s youth system for Arsène Wenger’s in July 2003, the path ahead remains long.
Despite his youth Fabregas has become such a vital feature of the Arsenal side that the Spaniard scooped over 60 per cent of the votes cast in our official Player of the Season poll.
Only Jens Lehmann saw more minutes of Premiership action last season as Cesc was left to run the show during the prolonged absences of Henry, Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky.
In that time he attempted a staggering 414 passes, finding his intended target 56 per cent of the time. Brazilian midfielder Gilberto, Arsenal’s second most productive distributor, made 96 passes fewer than the Spaniard.
One area in which Cesc himself has admitted he needs to contribute more is in front of goal. The diminutive midfielder began the season with a brace in a Champions League qualifier against Dynamo Zagreb but added to that tally only twice more. His lack of goals was not for the want of trying however. The youngster racked up 92 attempts on goal in the Premiership and hit the target 49 per cent of the time. In addition he saw 17 goal-bound shots blocked and three strike the woodwork.
While Fabregas may not have been finding the net regularly himself, he was resplendent in midfield - and others reaped the rewards. The Spanish international was comfortably Arsenal’s top assist maker, playing the final pass for 13 of their 63 Premiership goals. To put that contribution in to perspective, his midfield colleagues Alexander Hleb, Freddie Ljungberg, Gilberto and Rosicky made eight assists between them.
And yet the statistics suggest there are many more layers to Fabregas’ game. Defensively he excelled, winning 44 of the 72 challenges he made. A return of 26 clearances, 13 interceptions and three blocks makes for further impressive reading. In terms of dribbling he produced an end product on 26 of the 39 occasions he surged forward. Then there are the 65 crosses he attempted - 42 more than any other midfielder.
The above haul of statistics would be an impressive return for a seasoned international, and yet Cesc has only 153 club appearances and eight Spanish caps to his name. In a side lacking neither prodigious young talent nor experienced stars it was Fabregas who shone brightest.
By Adam Clark
It seems fitting that in the week Arsenal have lost their talisman, we are celebrating the merits of the heir apparent.
Thierry Henry’s move from the Gunners to Barcelona may be the most high-profile transfer of the summer so far but it’s the previous piece of business between the two clubs which may prove to be more significant to the future of Arsenal. Namely Cesc Fabregas’s move in the opposite direction.
Arsenal are losing Henry at a time when they have already enjoyed many of the best years of his career. But for 20-year-old Fabregas, who swapped the Catalan club’s youth system for Arsène Wenger’s in July 2003, the path ahead remains long.
Despite his youth Fabregas has become such a vital feature of the Arsenal side that the Spaniard scooped over 60 per cent of the votes cast in our official Player of the Season poll.
Only Jens Lehmann saw more minutes of Premiership action last season as Cesc was left to run the show during the prolonged absences of Henry, Robin van Persie and Tomas Rosicky.
In that time he attempted a staggering 414 passes, finding his intended target 56 per cent of the time. Brazilian midfielder Gilberto, Arsenal’s second most productive distributor, made 96 passes fewer than the Spaniard.
One area in which Cesc himself has admitted he needs to contribute more is in front of goal. The diminutive midfielder began the season with a brace in a Champions League qualifier against Dynamo Zagreb but added to that tally only twice more. His lack of goals was not for the want of trying however. The youngster racked up 92 attempts on goal in the Premiership and hit the target 49 per cent of the time. In addition he saw 17 goal-bound shots blocked and three strike the woodwork.
While Fabregas may not have been finding the net regularly himself, he was resplendent in midfield - and others reaped the rewards. The Spanish international was comfortably Arsenal’s top assist maker, playing the final pass for 13 of their 63 Premiership goals. To put that contribution in to perspective, his midfield colleagues Alexander Hleb, Freddie Ljungberg, Gilberto and Rosicky made eight assists between them.
And yet the statistics suggest there are many more layers to Fabregas’ game. Defensively he excelled, winning 44 of the 72 challenges he made. A return of 26 clearances, 13 interceptions and three blocks makes for further impressive reading. In terms of dribbling he produced an end product on 26 of the 39 occasions he surged forward. Then there are the 65 crosses he attempted - 42 more than any other midfielder.
The above haul of statistics would be an impressive return for a seasoned international, and yet Cesc has only 153 club appearances and eight Spanish caps to his name. In a side lacking neither prodigious young talent nor experienced stars it was Fabregas who shone brightest.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
henry at barcelona....
henry at barcelona....
Henry says sorry
Henry passes medical at Barcelona
Thierry Henry
Henry moved a step closer to securing his Barca move
Thierry Henry is in Spain to put the finishing touches on his move from Arsenal to Barcelona.
Barcelona team doctor Ricard Pruna said Henry, who is set to be unveiled at 1700 BST, had passed his medical.
Barcelona, who have agreed a four-year deal with the 29-year-old, are thought to be paying about £16m for the player.
"It is incredible. I am looking forward to playing in the Camp Nou and helping the team in every way I can," Henry told the Barcelona website.
"The most important thing that made me come [here] is the way Barca plays, the fans and the support they give. Without good fans it is difficult to have a good team and vice versa."
Henry suffered foot, back, stomach and groin injuries last season and a sciatic nerve proved to be a long-standing problem that forced Arsenal to rule their captain out of the campaign from March.
"We paid particular attention to the groin area because we are aware of the problems he has had there," said Pruna. "We believe it is due to an imbalance in the muscle groups in the area.
"He will undergo a special programme in Paris to redress the imbalance in the area so that he can join up with the rest of the team on 21 July.
"In theory, given what we have seen today, and if he completes the programme properly and continues it when he comes to club, there should be no problems."
Barca vice-president Ferran Soriano insisted the Spanish club waited for the green light from Arsenal before making a move for a player he says had shown an interest in the Spanish club.
"This extraordinary player has expressed that he liked our club for months," Soriano told BBC Five Live.
"The actual deal was discussed on Friday and over the weekend. He landed here on Sunday and we are going to be finishing up everything on Monday."
Henry said his decision to leave Arsenal was due to the shock departure of Gunners vice-chairman David Dein and continuing doubts over the future of manager Arsene Wenger.
"Arsene has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," Henry wrote in the Sun newspaper.
"Unfortunately and understandably, he has said that at this moment he will not commit to the club past the expiration of his current deal, which finishes at the end of the coming season.
"I respect his decision and his honesty but I will be 31 at the end of next season and I cannot take the chance to be there without Arsene Wenger and David Dein."
Henry, who has also been linked with European champions AC Milan, also revealed why he decided to move to the Nou Camp.
"Barcelona are a wonderful club steeped in tradition and play beautiful football. I'm sure I will be very happy there," he continued.
"But I will miss the Arsenal fans dearly, they have supported me through thick and thin.
"They will always be in my heart, as will all the fans who make the game here so special. I will always have a special bond with Arsenal Football Club."
Arsenal's 1971 League and FA Cup winning captain Frank McLintock was surprised Henry cited former vice-chairman Dein as a reason for leaving.
He said: "I can't see the relevance of David Dein's departure. I don't know how a player can get caught up with a director's departure and that making a difference to a player's performance.
"I'm sure he was a great ally to Arsene Wenger but I don't see how a player comes into contact with a director day after day.
"I've never heard such talk in my life before."
The Scot, however, was lavish in his praise of Henry's performances throughout his Arsenal career.
He added: "He's probably been the finest player Arsenal have ever had so you can't dismiss five or six great seasons that he gave us.
"I think the fans should leave with a warm feeling for Thierry Henry. He deserves it - he has been magnificent."
Henry began his career as a winger with Monaco in 1994 - under the supervision of current Arsenal boss Wenger.
He was in France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad and went on to join Juventus the following season.
But his time in Turin was a largely unsuccessful one and the player was soon heading to north London, with Wenger keen to get the best out of the prodigious talent.
The France international has since blossomed into one of the greatest talents in world football.
He helped Arsenal to two league titles and three FA Cups and led the Gunners to the finals of the 2000 Uefa Cup and 2006 Champions League.
In February 2006, he became the first Arsenal player to score over 200 goals for the club, with a strike against Birmingham, and has bagged a club record 226 goals in 364 appearances for the Gunners.
His consistency in front of goal ensured he finished as the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions.
He has won the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year title on two occasions and the football writers' player of the year three times. He has also twice finished runner-up in the Fifa world player of the year.
Henry says sorry
Henry passes medical at Barcelona
Thierry Henry
Henry moved a step closer to securing his Barca move
Thierry Henry is in Spain to put the finishing touches on his move from Arsenal to Barcelona.
Barcelona team doctor Ricard Pruna said Henry, who is set to be unveiled at 1700 BST, had passed his medical.
Barcelona, who have agreed a four-year deal with the 29-year-old, are thought to be paying about £16m for the player.
"It is incredible. I am looking forward to playing in the Camp Nou and helping the team in every way I can," Henry told the Barcelona website.
"The most important thing that made me come [here] is the way Barca plays, the fans and the support they give. Without good fans it is difficult to have a good team and vice versa."
Henry suffered foot, back, stomach and groin injuries last season and a sciatic nerve proved to be a long-standing problem that forced Arsenal to rule their captain out of the campaign from March.
"We paid particular attention to the groin area because we are aware of the problems he has had there," said Pruna. "We believe it is due to an imbalance in the muscle groups in the area.
"He will undergo a special programme in Paris to redress the imbalance in the area so that he can join up with the rest of the team on 21 July.
"In theory, given what we have seen today, and if he completes the programme properly and continues it when he comes to club, there should be no problems."
Barca vice-president Ferran Soriano insisted the Spanish club waited for the green light from Arsenal before making a move for a player he says had shown an interest in the Spanish club.
"This extraordinary player has expressed that he liked our club for months," Soriano told BBC Five Live.
"The actual deal was discussed on Friday and over the weekend. He landed here on Sunday and we are going to be finishing up everything on Monday."
Henry said his decision to leave Arsenal was due to the shock departure of Gunners vice-chairman David Dein and continuing doubts over the future of manager Arsene Wenger.
"Arsene has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," Henry wrote in the Sun newspaper.
"Unfortunately and understandably, he has said that at this moment he will not commit to the club past the expiration of his current deal, which finishes at the end of the coming season.
"I respect his decision and his honesty but I will be 31 at the end of next season and I cannot take the chance to be there without Arsene Wenger and David Dein."
Henry, who has also been linked with European champions AC Milan, also revealed why he decided to move to the Nou Camp.
"Barcelona are a wonderful club steeped in tradition and play beautiful football. I'm sure I will be very happy there," he continued.
"But I will miss the Arsenal fans dearly, they have supported me through thick and thin.
"They will always be in my heart, as will all the fans who make the game here so special. I will always have a special bond with Arsenal Football Club."
Arsenal's 1971 League and FA Cup winning captain Frank McLintock was surprised Henry cited former vice-chairman Dein as a reason for leaving.
He said: "I can't see the relevance of David Dein's departure. I don't know how a player can get caught up with a director's departure and that making a difference to a player's performance.
"I'm sure he was a great ally to Arsene Wenger but I don't see how a player comes into contact with a director day after day.
"I've never heard such talk in my life before."
The Scot, however, was lavish in his praise of Henry's performances throughout his Arsenal career.
He added: "He's probably been the finest player Arsenal have ever had so you can't dismiss five or six great seasons that he gave us.
"I think the fans should leave with a warm feeling for Thierry Henry. He deserves it - he has been magnificent."
Henry began his career as a winger with Monaco in 1994 - under the supervision of current Arsenal boss Wenger.
He was in France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad and went on to join Juventus the following season.
But his time in Turin was a largely unsuccessful one and the player was soon heading to north London, with Wenger keen to get the best out of the prodigious talent.
The France international has since blossomed into one of the greatest talents in world football.
He helped Arsenal to two league titles and three FA Cups and led the Gunners to the finals of the 2000 Uefa Cup and 2006 Champions League.
In February 2006, he became the first Arsenal player to score over 200 goals for the club, with a strike against Birmingham, and has bagged a club record 226 goals in 364 appearances for the Gunners.
His consistency in front of goal ensured he finished as the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions.
He has won the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year title on two occasions and the football writers' player of the year three times. He has also twice finished runner-up in the Fifa world player of the year.
Thierry Daniel Henry
Thierry Daniel Henry (IPA: [tjɛ'ʀi ɑ̃'ʀi]) (born 17 August 1977 in Paris, France) is a French football player. Renowned for his pace,[1][2] he plays as a striker for the France national team and FC Barcelona.
Henry grew up in the tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis, Essonne, where as a youngster he played for an array of local sides and showed great promise as a goal scorer. AS Monaco spotted him in 1990, and signed him up instantly.[2] Given his professional club début in 1994, he stayed at Monaco until 1998, where good form earned him an international call up. Henry then moved to Italian giants Juventus, but after a disappointing season playing on the wing,[3] he joined Arsenal for a fee of £10.5 million in 1999.[2]
After a slow start in the Premiership, Henry has since emerged as Arsenal's top goalscorer in almost every season since he joined the club. Long-time mentor and coach Arsene Wenger's conversion of him into a prolific striker has made Henry Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with over 200 goals; with Arsenal Henry has won two league titles and three FA Cups. With France, he has won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. In recognition of his abilities, Henry has been twice nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year,[4] and has twice received the Barclays Premiership player of the season award.[5][6] He is today regarded by many as one of the best footballers in the world.[3][7][8][9]
On 25 June 2007, it was confirmed that Henry had been transferred to FC Barcelona for a fee of £16.1 million.
Biography
Early career
Henry is of Antillean heritage; his father, Antoine, is from Guadeloupe, and his mother Maryse is from Martinique. He grew up in the heavily urbanised Les Ulis, a tough environment for the youngster.[2] Despite this, the town provided good facilities for footballers. In 1983, the six-year-old Henry showed great potential, something which prompted Claude Chezelle to recruit the youngster at the local club CO Les Ulis. Five years later, Henry played his first game for the club. Henry's father put a lot of pressure on him to attend training, although the youngster was not particularly drawn to football. Henry went on to join US Palaiseau in 1989, but after a year, his father fell out with the club. He then moved to Viry-Châtillon for two years. US Palaiseau coach Jean-Marie Panza followed Henry to Viry-Châtillon, something which would lead to Henry naming Panza as his mentor in the future.
In 1990, AS Monaco sent scout Arnold Catalano to watch the 13-year-old play. Henry scored all six goals as his side won 6-0. Catalano asked Henry to join Monaco, without even attending a trial first. Catalano requested that Henry complete a course at the elite academy Clairefontaine, but the director there was reluctant to accept Henry due to his poor school results. Despite this, Henry was allowed to complete the course, leading to him joining Arséne Wenger's AS Monaco as a youth player. Subsequently, Henry signed professional forms with AS Monaco, and was given his professional début in 1995. Wenger put Henry on the left wing because he believed that Henry's pace, natural ball control and skill would be more effective against full-backs than centre-backs. In his four seasons with Monaco, Henry scored 21 goals in 125 appearances, and helped the club win the Ligue 1 title in 1996-97.[11]
In June 1997, Henry's good form was rewarded with a call-up to the U-20 French national team, where he played in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside future team-mates William Gallas and David Trézéguet.[12] Within four months, France head coach Aimé Jacquet called Henry up to the senior team. The 20-year-old made his senior international début on October 11, 1997 in a 2-1 win against South Africa.[13] Jacquet was so impressed with Henry that he took him to the 1998 World Cup. Although Henry was a largely unknown quantity at international level, he ended the tournament as France's top scorer with three goals.[14] He was scheduled to appear in the final — where France beat Brazil 3-0 — as a substitute, but the sending off of Marcel Desailly forced a defensive change instead. On Bastille Day 1998, he was awarded France's highest decoration, the Légion d'Honneur.
Henry's good form for Monaco continued during the 1998-99 season, as he helped the club reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final.[15] Henry then left Monaco and moved to Italian Serie A club Juventus one year before his friend and team-mate David Trézéguet in January 1999 for £10.5 million. He played on the wing,[16] but was unable to cope with the Italian defensive discipline of the Serie A. Henry scored just three goals in 16 appearances.
Senior career
Unsettled in Italy, Henry transferred from Juventus in August 1999 to Arsenal for £10.5 million, reuniting with his former manager Arsène Wenger.[3] Brought in as a replacement for Nicolas Anelka, he was immediately moulded into a striker by Wenger, a move which would pay rich dividends in years to come. Initially, doubts were raised concerning Henry's adapting to the English game when he failed to score in his first ten games,[2] but he quickly discovered his scoring ability, and ended his first season at Arsenal with a goal tally of 26.
The following summer, Henry was a member of France's Euro 2000 championship squad, again scoring three goals and finishing as the country's top scorer, including the equalizer against Portugal in the semi-final.[19] France later won the game in extra time following a converted penalty kick by Zinedine Zidane. France went on to defeat Italy in extra-time in the final, and Henry earned his second major international medal.
Henry's second season with Arsenal proved to be a breakthrough as he became the club's top goalscorer. In the 2001-02 season, Henry netted 32 goals in all competitions as he led Arsenal to a double and his first silverware with the club.[3] However, the 2002 FIFA World Cup featured a stunning early exit for both Henry and France as the reigning champions were eliminated in the group stage after failing to score a goal in any contest.[21] After France lost their first match in group play, Henry was red carded for a sliding, studs-up challenge in their next match against Uruguay. France played to a 0-0 draw, but Henry was forced to miss the final match due to suspension; France lost 2-0 to Denmark.
Despite international disappointment, the 2002-03 proved to be another productive season for Henry, as he scored 42 goals in all competitions while contributing 23 assists, remarkable returns for a striker.[3] In so doing, he led Arsenal to another FA Cup triumph.[22] During the summer that followed, Henry returned to form for his country at the 2003 Confederations Cup. France, playing without team stalwarts Zidane and Patrick Vieira, won in large part to Henry's outstanding play for which he was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group in three of France's five matches.[23] In the final, he scored the golden goal in extra time to lift the host country over Cameroon 1-0.[23] Henry was awarded both the adidas Golden Ball as the outstanding player of the competition and the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top goalscorer with four goals.[23]
Henry was made club skipper following the departure of fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira to Juventus in 2005.
Henry was made club skipper following the departure of fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira to Juventus in 2005.
Henry was again instrumental in Arsenal's successful 2003-04 season. Together with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pirès, Henry ensured that the Gunners became the first team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league campaign unbeaten as Henry collected his second Premiership medal. Yet, Arsenal again failed to secure back-to-back league titles when they lost out to Chelsea F.C. in the 2004-05 season. However, the club did win the FA Cup, and Henry managed 31 goals in 42 appearances. That summer, Henry also played in all of France's Euro 2004 matches. France beat England in the group stages but lost to the eventual winners Greece 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
The departure of compatriot Vieira in the summer of 2005 meant that Henry assumed club captaincy. Along with being chief goal scorer, he was responsible for leading a very young team. The 2005-06 season proved to be one of remarkable personal achievements for Henry but disappointment in the team silverware department. On 17 October 2005, Henry became the club's top goalscorer of all time;[28] two goals against Sparta Prague meant he broke Ian Wright's record of 185 goals.[29] On February 1, 2006, he scored a goal against West Ham, bringing his league goal tally up to 151 and thus breaking Arsenal legend Cliff Bastin's league goals record.[30] Henry also scored his 100th league goal at Highbury, a feat unparalleled in the history of the club, and a unique achievement in the Premier League.[31]
Nevertheless, Arsenal failed to win the league title again but some hope was preserved when Arsenal, who hitherto never enjoyed much success in Europe, reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. The Gunners eventually lost 1-2 to FC Barcelona, and combined with Arsenal's inability to win the Premiership for two consecutive seasons and the relative inexperience of the Arsenal squad, there was much speculation that Henry would leave for another club. However, he declared his loyalty and love for the club and subsequently accepted a four-year contract. He reaffirmed this months later by saying "If an opportunity like Barcelona comes again, with all my respect for such a club, I will refuse" and that he will stay at Arsenal for life. Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein later claimed the club had turned down two bids of £50 million from Spanish clubs for Henry before the signing of the new contract. Had the transfer materialised, it would have surpassed the world record ₤47 million paid for Zinedine Zidane.
Amidst the summer speculation, Henry was one of the automatic starters in the France squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was played in the unfavoured lone striker role, but despite an indifferent start to the tournament, Henry became one of the top players of the World Cup. He scored three goals, including France's goal against returning champion and tournament favourite Brazil.[35] However, France subsequently lost to Italy on penalties (5-3) in the final.[36] Henry was one of 10 nominees for the Golden Ball award for Player of the Tournament,[37] an award which was ultimately presented to his teammate, Zidane. Henry was also named a starting striker on the 2006 FIFPro World XI team.[38]
With the retirement of Dennis Bergkamp, Henry regularly partnered Robin van Persie up front in the Arsenal attack during the 2006-07 season.
With the retirement of Dennis Bergkamp, Henry regularly partnered Robin van Persie up front in the Arsenal attack during the 2006-07 season.
Henry's 2006-07 season was largely marred by injury, something which was unprecedented in his entire tenure with the Gunners.[39] Although he managed 10 goals in 17 domestic appearances for Arsenal, including the winner against Manchester United on 21 January, Henry's domestic and international season was cut short on 7 March 2007. Having missed games due to hamstring, foot, and back problems, he was deemed fit enough to come on as a late substitute against PSV Eindhoven in a Champions League match,[40] but began limping shortly after coming on. After the match Wenger announced that Henry had suffered new injuries to his groin and stomach muscles. At first it was expected that Henry would miss "a few weeks," but scans the next day revealed that he would need at least three months to heal, thus missing the rest of the 2006-07 season.[41] Wenger attributed Henry's injuries to a protracted 2005-06 campaign, and also reiterated that Henry was keen on staying with the Gunners to rebuild for the 2007-08 season.[39]
Henry being presented to the Barcelona fans for the first time as a Barca player
Henry being presented to the Barcelona fans for the first time as a Barca player
.
It was reported in the Spanish media on June 22, 2007 that Henry was set to make a move to FC Barcelona, for a fee believed to be in the region of £16.5 million on a four-year deal. Henry later confirmed that he would take a medical on Monday 25 June 2007, telling the French sports daily L'Equipe that he had chosen Barcelona. [42] This was later confirmed by Henry himself who cited the inability of Arsene Wenger to commit to Arsenal past the expiration of his contract and the departure of David Dein as reasons.[43]
On June 23, 2007 Henry, in an open letter to The Sun declared that he had chosen to join Barça citing the departure of David Dein and continued uncertainty over Arsene Wenger's future as reasons for leaving.[44] [45] On 25 June 2007, Henry completed his medical with Barcelona, which was followed by a press conference confirming Henry as a Barcelona player. The club revealed that the contract includes a release clause of €125million.[46][47] He was given the squad number 14 which was formerly worn at the club by Johann Cruyff and which Henry also wore at Arsenal. Following the press conference, Henry will go back to Paris for treatment of his ongoing groin injury, believed to have been caused by an imbalance of muscle groups in the area, but he will return to Barcelona for pre-season training on 21 July.
Awards
Henry has received many plaudits and awards. He was runner-up for the 2003 and 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award;[48] in those two seasons, he also won back-to-back PFA Players' Player of the Year titles.[49] Furthermore, Henry is the only player ever to have won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, 2006),[32] and has emerged as the French Player of the Year on four occasions, which is an all-time record. Henry was voted into the Premier League Overseas Team of the Decade in the 10 Seasons Awards poll in 2003.[50] Additionally, in 2004, Henry was named by football legend Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers.[51]
In terms of goalscoring awards, Henry was the European Golden Boot winner in 2004 and 2005 (albeit sharing it with Villarreal's Diego Forlan in 2005), and is the first ever player to retain the award.[52] Henry has also been the top goalscorer in the Premiership for four seasons (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006).[11] In 2006, he became the first player to score more than 20 goals in the league for five consecutive seasons (2002–2006).[53] Henry is currently third in the list of all-time English Premiership goal scorers, behind Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. He is also France's second highest goalscorer of all time behind Michel Platini, with only one goal separating the two.
Style of play
Alhough Henry played up front during his youth,[2] he spent his time at Juventus playing on the wing. Upon joining Arsenal in 1999, Wenger immediately changed this, switching Henry to his childhood position.[16]
One of the reasons cited for Henry's impressive play up front is his ability to calmly score from one-on-ones.[54] This combined with his pace[1][2] means that he can get in behind defenders regularly enough to score. When up front, Henry is occasionally known to move out wide to the left wing position,[55][56] something which enables him to contribute heavily in assists: between 2002-03 and 2004-05, Henry managed almost 50 assists in total; his unselfish play and creativity helped in contributing the large amount of assists. [28] Henry is also the first-choice penalty and free kick taker for Arsenal, having scored many goals from those positions. Lastly, he is noted for his willingness to defend deep.
During the 2004-05 season, Wenger switched Arsenal's formation to 4-5-1 formation.[57] This change forced Henry to adapt again to fit in to the Arsenal team, as he played many games as a lone striker.
Off the pitch
Henry is married to English model Nicole Merry. The couple wed in July 2003.[2] On May 27, 2005, he celebrated the birth of his first child, a daughter named Tea Henry. He dedicated his first goal since Tea's birth to her by holding his fingers in a 'T' shape and kissing them after scoring against Newcastle United.[58] He lives with his family in Hampstead, North London.[2]
Henry is also a member of the UNICEF-FIFA squad, where together with other professional footballers, appeared in a series of TV spots seen by hundreds of millions of fans around the world during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups; in these spots, the players promote football as a game that must be played on behalf of children.[14]
In 2006, Henry was valued as the ninth most commercially marketable footballer in the world,[59] as well as being the eighth richest Premiership player, with £21 million.[60] In terms of past endorsements, Henry featured in the Renault Clio adverts during where he made popular the word va-va-voom meaning life or passion. The word was subsequently added to the Oxford Concise English Dictionary.[61] He was also a part of Nike's Joga Bonito campaign, Portuguese for "Play beautifully".[62] His deal with Nike ended after the 2006 World Cup, when he signed a deal with Reebok to appear in their "I Am What I Am" campaign.[63]
As an avid National Basketball Association fan, Henry is also often seen with his good friend Tony Parker at games when not playing football. Henry admires basketball as it is similar to football in pace and excitement.[64] Henry makes regular trips to the NBA Finals as they occur in the offseason of the Premiership. In 2007, he went to watch Parker and the Spurs;[65] in 2001, he went to Philadelphia to help with French television coverage of the Finals as well as to watch Allen Iverson whom he named as one of his favourite players.
Racism
Henry has been subject to several incidences of racism in the past. Most notably, during a training session with the Spanish national team in 2004,[67][68] a Spanish TV crew caught Aragonés motivating Henry's then Arsenal teammate José Antonio Reyes and referring to Henry as "black shit".[58] The incident caused an uproar in the British media with calls for Aragonés to be sacked.
Henry and Nike started the Stand Up Speak Up campaign against football racism as a result of the incident.
Henry grew up in the tough neighbourhood of Les Ulis, Essonne, where as a youngster he played for an array of local sides and showed great promise as a goal scorer. AS Monaco spotted him in 1990, and signed him up instantly.[2] Given his professional club début in 1994, he stayed at Monaco until 1998, where good form earned him an international call up. Henry then moved to Italian giants Juventus, but after a disappointing season playing on the wing,[3] he joined Arsenal for a fee of £10.5 million in 1999.[2]
After a slow start in the Premiership, Henry has since emerged as Arsenal's top goalscorer in almost every season since he joined the club. Long-time mentor and coach Arsene Wenger's conversion of him into a prolific striker has made Henry Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with over 200 goals; with Arsenal Henry has won two league titles and three FA Cups. With France, he has won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. In recognition of his abilities, Henry has been twice nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year,[4] and has twice received the Barclays Premiership player of the season award.[5][6] He is today regarded by many as one of the best footballers in the world.[3][7][8][9]
On 25 June 2007, it was confirmed that Henry had been transferred to FC Barcelona for a fee of £16.1 million.
Biography
Early career
Henry is of Antillean heritage; his father, Antoine, is from Guadeloupe, and his mother Maryse is from Martinique. He grew up in the heavily urbanised Les Ulis, a tough environment for the youngster.[2] Despite this, the town provided good facilities for footballers. In 1983, the six-year-old Henry showed great potential, something which prompted Claude Chezelle to recruit the youngster at the local club CO Les Ulis. Five years later, Henry played his first game for the club. Henry's father put a lot of pressure on him to attend training, although the youngster was not particularly drawn to football. Henry went on to join US Palaiseau in 1989, but after a year, his father fell out with the club. He then moved to Viry-Châtillon for two years. US Palaiseau coach Jean-Marie Panza followed Henry to Viry-Châtillon, something which would lead to Henry naming Panza as his mentor in the future.
In 1990, AS Monaco sent scout Arnold Catalano to watch the 13-year-old play. Henry scored all six goals as his side won 6-0. Catalano asked Henry to join Monaco, without even attending a trial first. Catalano requested that Henry complete a course at the elite academy Clairefontaine, but the director there was reluctant to accept Henry due to his poor school results. Despite this, Henry was allowed to complete the course, leading to him joining Arséne Wenger's AS Monaco as a youth player. Subsequently, Henry signed professional forms with AS Monaco, and was given his professional début in 1995. Wenger put Henry on the left wing because he believed that Henry's pace, natural ball control and skill would be more effective against full-backs than centre-backs. In his four seasons with Monaco, Henry scored 21 goals in 125 appearances, and helped the club win the Ligue 1 title in 1996-97.[11]
In June 1997, Henry's good form was rewarded with a call-up to the U-20 French national team, where he played in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside future team-mates William Gallas and David Trézéguet.[12] Within four months, France head coach Aimé Jacquet called Henry up to the senior team. The 20-year-old made his senior international début on October 11, 1997 in a 2-1 win against South Africa.[13] Jacquet was so impressed with Henry that he took him to the 1998 World Cup. Although Henry was a largely unknown quantity at international level, he ended the tournament as France's top scorer with three goals.[14] He was scheduled to appear in the final — where France beat Brazil 3-0 — as a substitute, but the sending off of Marcel Desailly forced a defensive change instead. On Bastille Day 1998, he was awarded France's highest decoration, the Légion d'Honneur.
Henry's good form for Monaco continued during the 1998-99 season, as he helped the club reach the UEFA Champions League semi-final.[15] Henry then left Monaco and moved to Italian Serie A club Juventus one year before his friend and team-mate David Trézéguet in January 1999 for £10.5 million. He played on the wing,[16] but was unable to cope with the Italian defensive discipline of the Serie A. Henry scored just three goals in 16 appearances.
Senior career
Unsettled in Italy, Henry transferred from Juventus in August 1999 to Arsenal for £10.5 million, reuniting with his former manager Arsène Wenger.[3] Brought in as a replacement for Nicolas Anelka, he was immediately moulded into a striker by Wenger, a move which would pay rich dividends in years to come. Initially, doubts were raised concerning Henry's adapting to the English game when he failed to score in his first ten games,[2] but he quickly discovered his scoring ability, and ended his first season at Arsenal with a goal tally of 26.
The following summer, Henry was a member of France's Euro 2000 championship squad, again scoring three goals and finishing as the country's top scorer, including the equalizer against Portugal in the semi-final.[19] France later won the game in extra time following a converted penalty kick by Zinedine Zidane. France went on to defeat Italy in extra-time in the final, and Henry earned his second major international medal.
Henry's second season with Arsenal proved to be a breakthrough as he became the club's top goalscorer. In the 2001-02 season, Henry netted 32 goals in all competitions as he led Arsenal to a double and his first silverware with the club.[3] However, the 2002 FIFA World Cup featured a stunning early exit for both Henry and France as the reigning champions were eliminated in the group stage after failing to score a goal in any contest.[21] After France lost their first match in group play, Henry was red carded for a sliding, studs-up challenge in their next match against Uruguay. France played to a 0-0 draw, but Henry was forced to miss the final match due to suspension; France lost 2-0 to Denmark.
Despite international disappointment, the 2002-03 proved to be another productive season for Henry, as he scored 42 goals in all competitions while contributing 23 assists, remarkable returns for a striker.[3] In so doing, he led Arsenal to another FA Cup triumph.[22] During the summer that followed, Henry returned to form for his country at the 2003 Confederations Cup. France, playing without team stalwarts Zidane and Patrick Vieira, won in large part to Henry's outstanding play for which he was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group in three of France's five matches.[23] In the final, he scored the golden goal in extra time to lift the host country over Cameroon 1-0.[23] Henry was awarded both the adidas Golden Ball as the outstanding player of the competition and the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top goalscorer with four goals.[23]
Henry was made club skipper following the departure of fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira to Juventus in 2005.
Henry was made club skipper following the departure of fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira to Juventus in 2005.
Henry was again instrumental in Arsenal's successful 2003-04 season. Together with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pirès, Henry ensured that the Gunners became the first team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league campaign unbeaten as Henry collected his second Premiership medal. Yet, Arsenal again failed to secure back-to-back league titles when they lost out to Chelsea F.C. in the 2004-05 season. However, the club did win the FA Cup, and Henry managed 31 goals in 42 appearances. That summer, Henry also played in all of France's Euro 2004 matches. France beat England in the group stages but lost to the eventual winners Greece 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
The departure of compatriot Vieira in the summer of 2005 meant that Henry assumed club captaincy. Along with being chief goal scorer, he was responsible for leading a very young team. The 2005-06 season proved to be one of remarkable personal achievements for Henry but disappointment in the team silverware department. On 17 October 2005, Henry became the club's top goalscorer of all time;[28] two goals against Sparta Prague meant he broke Ian Wright's record of 185 goals.[29] On February 1, 2006, he scored a goal against West Ham, bringing his league goal tally up to 151 and thus breaking Arsenal legend Cliff Bastin's league goals record.[30] Henry also scored his 100th league goal at Highbury, a feat unparalleled in the history of the club, and a unique achievement in the Premier League.[31]
Nevertheless, Arsenal failed to win the league title again but some hope was preserved when Arsenal, who hitherto never enjoyed much success in Europe, reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. The Gunners eventually lost 1-2 to FC Barcelona, and combined with Arsenal's inability to win the Premiership for two consecutive seasons and the relative inexperience of the Arsenal squad, there was much speculation that Henry would leave for another club. However, he declared his loyalty and love for the club and subsequently accepted a four-year contract. He reaffirmed this months later by saying "If an opportunity like Barcelona comes again, with all my respect for such a club, I will refuse" and that he will stay at Arsenal for life. Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein later claimed the club had turned down two bids of £50 million from Spanish clubs for Henry before the signing of the new contract. Had the transfer materialised, it would have surpassed the world record ₤47 million paid for Zinedine Zidane.
Amidst the summer speculation, Henry was one of the automatic starters in the France squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was played in the unfavoured lone striker role, but despite an indifferent start to the tournament, Henry became one of the top players of the World Cup. He scored three goals, including France's goal against returning champion and tournament favourite Brazil.[35] However, France subsequently lost to Italy on penalties (5-3) in the final.[36] Henry was one of 10 nominees for the Golden Ball award for Player of the Tournament,[37] an award which was ultimately presented to his teammate, Zidane. Henry was also named a starting striker on the 2006 FIFPro World XI team.[38]
With the retirement of Dennis Bergkamp, Henry regularly partnered Robin van Persie up front in the Arsenal attack during the 2006-07 season.
With the retirement of Dennis Bergkamp, Henry regularly partnered Robin van Persie up front in the Arsenal attack during the 2006-07 season.
Henry's 2006-07 season was largely marred by injury, something which was unprecedented in his entire tenure with the Gunners.[39] Although he managed 10 goals in 17 domestic appearances for Arsenal, including the winner against Manchester United on 21 January, Henry's domestic and international season was cut short on 7 March 2007. Having missed games due to hamstring, foot, and back problems, he was deemed fit enough to come on as a late substitute against PSV Eindhoven in a Champions League match,[40] but began limping shortly after coming on. After the match Wenger announced that Henry had suffered new injuries to his groin and stomach muscles. At first it was expected that Henry would miss "a few weeks," but scans the next day revealed that he would need at least three months to heal, thus missing the rest of the 2006-07 season.[41] Wenger attributed Henry's injuries to a protracted 2005-06 campaign, and also reiterated that Henry was keen on staying with the Gunners to rebuild for the 2007-08 season.[39]
Henry being presented to the Barcelona fans for the first time as a Barca player
Henry being presented to the Barcelona fans for the first time as a Barca player
.
It was reported in the Spanish media on June 22, 2007 that Henry was set to make a move to FC Barcelona, for a fee believed to be in the region of £16.5 million on a four-year deal. Henry later confirmed that he would take a medical on Monday 25 June 2007, telling the French sports daily L'Equipe that he had chosen Barcelona. [42] This was later confirmed by Henry himself who cited the inability of Arsene Wenger to commit to Arsenal past the expiration of his contract and the departure of David Dein as reasons.[43]
On June 23, 2007 Henry, in an open letter to The Sun declared that he had chosen to join Barça citing the departure of David Dein and continued uncertainty over Arsene Wenger's future as reasons for leaving.[44] [45] On 25 June 2007, Henry completed his medical with Barcelona, which was followed by a press conference confirming Henry as a Barcelona player. The club revealed that the contract includes a release clause of €125million.[46][47] He was given the squad number 14 which was formerly worn at the club by Johann Cruyff and which Henry also wore at Arsenal. Following the press conference, Henry will go back to Paris for treatment of his ongoing groin injury, believed to have been caused by an imbalance of muscle groups in the area, but he will return to Barcelona for pre-season training on 21 July.
Awards
Henry has received many plaudits and awards. He was runner-up for the 2003 and 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award;[48] in those two seasons, he also won back-to-back PFA Players' Player of the Year titles.[49] Furthermore, Henry is the only player ever to have won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, 2006),[32] and has emerged as the French Player of the Year on four occasions, which is an all-time record. Henry was voted into the Premier League Overseas Team of the Decade in the 10 Seasons Awards poll in 2003.[50] Additionally, in 2004, Henry was named by football legend Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers.[51]
In terms of goalscoring awards, Henry was the European Golden Boot winner in 2004 and 2005 (albeit sharing it with Villarreal's Diego Forlan in 2005), and is the first ever player to retain the award.[52] Henry has also been the top goalscorer in the Premiership for four seasons (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006).[11] In 2006, he became the first player to score more than 20 goals in the league for five consecutive seasons (2002–2006).[53] Henry is currently third in the list of all-time English Premiership goal scorers, behind Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. He is also France's second highest goalscorer of all time behind Michel Platini, with only one goal separating the two.
Style of play
Alhough Henry played up front during his youth,[2] he spent his time at Juventus playing on the wing. Upon joining Arsenal in 1999, Wenger immediately changed this, switching Henry to his childhood position.[16]
One of the reasons cited for Henry's impressive play up front is his ability to calmly score from one-on-ones.[54] This combined with his pace[1][2] means that he can get in behind defenders regularly enough to score. When up front, Henry is occasionally known to move out wide to the left wing position,[55][56] something which enables him to contribute heavily in assists: between 2002-03 and 2004-05, Henry managed almost 50 assists in total; his unselfish play and creativity helped in contributing the large amount of assists. [28] Henry is also the first-choice penalty and free kick taker for Arsenal, having scored many goals from those positions. Lastly, he is noted for his willingness to defend deep.
During the 2004-05 season, Wenger switched Arsenal's formation to 4-5-1 formation.[57] This change forced Henry to adapt again to fit in to the Arsenal team, as he played many games as a lone striker.
Off the pitch
Henry is married to English model Nicole Merry. The couple wed in July 2003.[2] On May 27, 2005, he celebrated the birth of his first child, a daughter named Tea Henry. He dedicated his first goal since Tea's birth to her by holding his fingers in a 'T' shape and kissing them after scoring against Newcastle United.[58] He lives with his family in Hampstead, North London.[2]
Henry is also a member of the UNICEF-FIFA squad, where together with other professional footballers, appeared in a series of TV spots seen by hundreds of millions of fans around the world during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups; in these spots, the players promote football as a game that must be played on behalf of children.[14]
In 2006, Henry was valued as the ninth most commercially marketable footballer in the world,[59] as well as being the eighth richest Premiership player, with £21 million.[60] In terms of past endorsements, Henry featured in the Renault Clio adverts during where he made popular the word va-va-voom meaning life or passion. The word was subsequently added to the Oxford Concise English Dictionary.[61] He was also a part of Nike's Joga Bonito campaign, Portuguese for "Play beautifully".[62] His deal with Nike ended after the 2006 World Cup, when he signed a deal with Reebok to appear in their "I Am What I Am" campaign.[63]
As an avid National Basketball Association fan, Henry is also often seen with his good friend Tony Parker at games when not playing football. Henry admires basketball as it is similar to football in pace and excitement.[64] Henry makes regular trips to the NBA Finals as they occur in the offseason of the Premiership. In 2007, he went to watch Parker and the Spurs;[65] in 2001, he went to Philadelphia to help with French television coverage of the Finals as well as to watch Allen Iverson whom he named as one of his favourite players.
Racism
Henry has been subject to several incidences of racism in the past. Most notably, during a training session with the Spanish national team in 2004,[67][68] a Spanish TV crew caught Aragonés motivating Henry's then Arsenal teammate José Antonio Reyes and referring to Henry as "black shit".[58] The incident caused an uproar in the British media with calls for Aragonés to be sacked.
Henry and Nike started the Stand Up Speak Up campaign against football racism as a result of the incident.
henry
By rsydnos at 2007-06-27
It was the news that every Arsenal fan had been dreading for a year, talismanic captain Thierry Henry has agreed to join Barcelona. Yet it should come as little surprise to a club who have failed to match their captain's ambition. Barcelona were simply a more attractive prospect.
By rsydnos at 2007-06-27
GettyImages
Henry's departure could effect Arsenal's young players like Fabregas.
It has been the worst kept secret in football that the Catalan club were interested in the Frenchman, but even they would not have expected to get their man for only £16million.
A year ago, amid tabloid talk and transfer rumours, Henry's price tag was around £30million. For one of the world's best players this was appropriate; yet a season of injury, culminating in only 17 games last season, has seen his stock drop considerably. In comparison, Charlton's Darren Bent is valued at £17.5million by his Championship club.
While those in Spain consider £16million a bit pricey for a player dogged by injury last term, make no mistake, they have got themselves a bargain. The Catalans' only problem is where Henry will fit into the team, and with Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho competing for places, it is a good dilemma for manager Frank Rijkaard to have.
Henry was open about his reasons for leaving and few Arsenal fans can complain about the manner of his departure. As exclusively revealed in an ESPNsoccernet Press Pass interview, Henry claimed that he was unhappy about the departure of 'Mr Arsenal', David Dein, and that the situation had unsettled manager Arsene Wenger, whose contract runs out in summer 2008.
Understandably Henry has a strong connection with the manager who first gave him his chance at Monaco, before rescuing him from relative obscurity at Juventus; but his admiration for former director Dein ran even deeper.
Dein's acrimonious departure in April, regarding 'irreconcilable differences' with the Arsenal board over the takeover by American billionaire Stan Kroenke, laid the foundations for the current situation and led many to claim that Arsenal were in a 'crisis'.
Without the man who brought him to Highbury, Wenger was forced to consider his future; and without these two, who had sat beside Henry as he signed a new four-year contract in summer 2006, the French striker was unable to see a future at the club.
Few can blame Henry for focussing on himself. As a 29-year-old, Henry is approaching the summation of a colourful career and wants to secure his long-term future with the chance of winning the only prize he has not yet won, the UEFA Champions League.
Arsenal's eagerness to add some experienced world-class players to a youthful Gunners squad was a transfer policy that frustrated Henry, especially after his friend and fellow countryman Franck Ribery signed for Bayern Munich for £17.5million.
Spending big bucks is not the Arsenal way though and, while they sorely need some investment in a big name player, Wenger was always going to rely on his youngsters. With a £262million debt hovering over the club after construction of their new Emirates Stadium, it is easy to see why the club are not keen to splash the cash, yet in reality, they are wealthier than ever.
The 50% increase in television revenue that has spread across the Premier League, added to at least £20million more income from the new stadium, has made Arsenal a rich club. They have never been short of money and Wenger has always been promised transfer funds if he wanted them, yet in an effort to break even, his only signing so far has been Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
Letting go of long-term loanee Jeremie Aliadiere, on his way to Middlesbrough for around £2million, was a decision he should have taken a long time ago; yet ironically it comes at a time when Arsenal have only four strikers and two of those, Theo Walcott and young Danish international Nicklas Bendtner, are inexperienced.
A replacement is needed, and with Nicolas Anelka, Obafemi Martins and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar all linked with moves (at over £10million each), it won't come cheap.
While Bendtner may benefit from Henry's absence, in terms of playing time, England's young hope Walcott will feel his departure the hardest. Joining from Southampton, Walcott made it clear that training with Henry was one of the main reasons for choosing the club. Similar in style, the Englishman would have learned a lot from his team-mate and will be devastated that he was only able to spend one injury-hit season with his idol.
Other players, too, will be smarting from the news. Freddie Ljungberg, subject of discussions over his own future, now becomes the team's longest serving player having signed in 1998/99, and may choose to end his association with the club after watching most of his friends leave.
Henry's fellow countryman, William Gallas, will not take the news well either. Having already claimed that Arsenal need to be more competitive, losing a friend and a world-class player will not be the kind of change that he would have wanted. Real Madrid will be watching his situation with great interest.
Empics
The Arsenal manager will be crucial to the future of the club.
Madrid will also be monitoring Cesc Fabregas. His future though, lies in the hands of Arsene Wenger and while the Frenchman remains at the club, Fabregas will stay loyal. Having signed a long-term contract until 2014, he is tied down, yet he has also made it abundantly clear that he will consider his future should Wenger leave.
The problem with Henry's decision is that it sets a precedent. If the side are not ambitious enough for him, why should they be for Fabregas or Walcott, or even Wenger?
The manager's failure to sign a new deal was at the forefront of Henry's mind when he chose Barcelona. Yet you can bet that if Wenger had signed a new deal, bought a few new players and committed himself fully to the Arsenal cause, then Henry would have stayed.
The fact that he hasn't speaks volumes about the state of affairs at the club. A possible takeover that ultimately saw the departure of David Dein started things off, and now Arsenal are embroiled in a state of uncertainty that could see things go either way.
Facing the sale of their best players, the worst-case scenario could see Arsenal become the new Leeds (although they are far too well run to ever let that happen); while conversely, Henry's departure may re-invigorate the squad and give the likes of Walcott and Bendtner a chance to shine.
It is an interesting time for the club and as Henry prepares for life in Spain, all eyes are now on the future of the manager. Without a back-up plan for the departure of Wenger, Arsenal's 'team in transition' could find themselves having to re-build from scratch if the Frenchman decides to follow Henry out of the Emirates' door in the summer. And that really would constitute a crisis.
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