Henry Stay Dependant On Development, Not Big Names
Thierry Henry has a tough choice to make. I doubt he has made a decision yet. He will wait and see how the team progress and who we are planning to sign. If he thinks we can compete at the top level he will stay. The thing about Henry is that, even though he deserves it, I don't think it's about more money.If Henry thinks he needs a new challenge and that Arsenal have peaked in this cycle of success under Wenger then he will leave.
If he thinks that Wenger will not sign a new contract I suspect he will leave. He trusts him, if Wenger leaves Henry will feel unstable. Similar story with Pires and Bergkamp.
The key thing for Henry is confidence in his team mates. If Henry has a good relationship with people off the field and trusts their ability then it brings the best out in him. He runs for them, and creates space for other people more than any other player and gets everyone involved.
Look at the season we went unbeaten. He had Bergkamp, who he runs for whenever Bergkamp gets the ball, because he truly feels the ball will reach him and that Bergkamp will see his run. Same for Pires, Ljungberg, Lauren, Cole and Vieira. In that season one of those players was always playing. Confidence was high.
Bergkamp will probably retire at the end of this season. Pires could leave. Cole will leave.
Henry doesn't want to have to carry the team, he wants other players to stand up and win big games. Not to overly rely on him, or always look to him.
Henry is waiting to see who he can rely on. He doesn't run for Reyes. He doesn't think the ball will get to him or that Reyes will try and score himself, as he badly needs a goal. Henry believes the younger players have to prove themselves, like he did.
He is starting to trust Van Persie. He could be a key player in many ways for Arsenal. If he keeps improving and creates a dangerous partnership with Henry, it will help. If Van Persie and Fabregas can stand up and forge a similar relationship with Henry to Vieira and Bergkamp, 2 very special players, then he might stay.
If the younger players, Hleb, Van Persie and Fabregas in particular, can prove themselves and win some big games, possibly a trophy. Then Henry will start to trust them.
It's about developing the core of the club, not doing a Man Utd and papering over the cracks with a few 'sensational' big name signings. This generation of players coming through will be the new Arsenal breed, Henry has to know they are good enough.
Henry is a massive player for us. The best in our history, perhaps. No doubts about that, and we should do all we can, that is reasonable, to keep him. However, if Thierry feels it is right to leave, then thanks, and good luck to him.
Beacuse Arsenal will always be Arsenal.
posted by JoeBoni @ 1:23 PM
26 comments
26 Comments:
Doesn't trust Reyes to run for him ? In that case maybe he should look at the stats Reyes has assisted him 10 times the only players to have more assists to Henry more are Pires and Bergkamp.In fact Reyes has more assists than anyone this season.
Reyes indeed has a lot of assists this season but I think you will find the majority of them were when Henry was out of the team. Reyes may have 10 assists to Henry in his Arsenal career, but I struggle to recall many through balls, most of the assists have been when we are pushed right up the pitch and not aa a direct result of Henry either running in behind the opposition or creating the space with a run.
Nobody can question TH14's loyalty and commitment to Arsenal. He's underpaid in comparison to other players of a similar calibre in Europe. If Henry was a money chaser he would have left Arsenal for £120k-a-week contract elsewhere a long time ago. Henry knows that Arsenal gave him the opportunity to flourish when he was merely an outcast teenager in Turin. The reason he has not left is because he wants to win the Champions League with Arsenal in order to repay the faith that we have shown in him from day one (He has already repaid us by becoming the all time top scorer). I can still remember his first goal in our colours. He turned and hit a curling shot from the edge of the box down in Southampton. Henry will only leave Arsenal if Arsenal fail to compete for major trophies. With the new stadium, rock solid finances and possibly the most exciting bunch of youngsters in a while, I can't see him leaving. However, if Joan Laporta manages to tempt him to move over to Barca, I wouldn't blame him as he has gone above and beyond the call of duty for Arsenal. He has achieved many things with us. It's just the Champions League that appears to elude. At Barca, he would be in good company and would relish the chance of playing in front of 100,000 attendances. TH14 - the most effective showman in world football. Cheers, Richard Godden
I was refering to his Arsenal Career , Bergkamp and Pires are ahead of him by only 4 or 5 and they have and extra 3 0r 4 years more than Reyes . You can't think of one what about the diagona chip to henry in the fulham game for Thierry first goal in that match.
I wholeheartedly agree Rich, the guy is a legend. I am not questioning his loyalty. I am saying that to bring the best out of him he needs people he can trust and rely on around him. Therefore if he can build this type of relationship with the current crop of youngsters he is more likely to stay. It's not all about big name signings. It's like you say, he needs to feel we can compete at the highest level.
I would be tempted to say Bergkamp has more than 15 assists to Henry in his Arsenal career but hey.. Anon, I am just saying that sometimes Henry doesn't feel he can completely trust Reyes, he makes more runs for other players, like Bergkamp or Pires. All I am saying is that if he can forge that kind of trust with the youngers players this season he is more likely to stay.
I can't see Henry going at the end of the season. He said he will talk at the end of the season and not before...
The guy is arsenal through and through. He, of all people, will want to lead the team out (as captain) in the new 60,000 seater stadium. I dont think he has any intention of leaving.
I think AW will make quite a big name signing in the transfer window, and will make another big-name signing in the summer to show the clubs ambition.
Yes - its not all about big-name signings, but if we think theres any chance of TH14 leaving, then we will have to show him that we mean business.
Hackney Gooner
Boni I was not having a go at you , just trying to illustrate the fact things are not dire . lol! I was surprised myself when I read the stats!(about bergkamp)
Haha, indeed, I understand.. Reyes is not all bad and I like him because he has heart and although he's not having the best run he's working hard. I just get the feeling that because Henry has played with Pires and Bergkamp in their peak, 2 special players, that maybe he expects too much from the younger guys.. He seems to get frustrated easily..
Anon, Hackney Gooner, Rich, and anyone else! Who would you like to see come in during the transfer window, if anyone?
Personally I would like to see Torres and we need a defensive mid maybe the dude with the dreds that plays for Lille.
Kuyt apparently is not that skilled but has an eye for goal .I think 27 to 28 goals last year and in the 20's year before plays for holland so you guys will be able to see him (holland vs Italy ) especially since van horse face is injured.
Andrade of Deportivo would be terrific at CB, pace, strength and a great reading of the game and only 28/29. Think CM is the priority though. We desperately need some physical presence in the side and someon who can be a threat from 30 yards out. Not in danger of dislocating a knee like Gilberto the only Brazilian in the world who can't shoot!
Hopefully we will get to RVP and Kuyt together..
I would like to see us add some steel to the midfield, like Hackney said Ballack would be awesome, I'd like to see Diarra of Lyon, he is a very good player and still young. I agree that Cygan has to go, the runours are that Helguera might be available, he'd be a good addition.
The other one is Solomon Kalou who plays for Feyenoord.
Reading through your comments:
About who we should buy for me, we already have a natural successor to Bergkamp, I'm sure AW has thought about it but we need to sort out the midfield for this to happen my choice would be for Fabregas to play further up the field.
I’m not convinced Falmini can accommodate this role in midfield.
So this for me is we need a ready made player to come in. but we already let him go in the summer, all be it for the right reasons.
Andrade is a good call, but wouldn't come cheap. I think central midfield is the key area. You can see why Arsene went for Baptista, we do lack a bit physically in the middle. Kaka would be perfect but AW enquired a couple of seasons ago and Milan wouldn't be robbed twice. I really would like to see Diarra, he is the lynchpin of the Lyon side at the moment. The only trouble is that they are a big club in their own right.
Arsenal don't make big name signings - we make signings then turn them into big names. I don't think we are going to buy any big names as big names cost too much money. Gattuso of Milan would be awesome but we could get a younger talent for a much cheaper price and turn him into the next Vieira. Excuse my language but maybe we should pinch Ledley from T*tt*nh*m (Spit). I didn't hear anyone saying "lets buy that Terry Henry" back in the 90's? Now look what he has done. It's all about youth and talent. Buying ready made 'big name players' is a recipe for disaster. Big names = big egos. Arsene Wenger has it spot on at the moment. Cheers, Richard Godden
Yep Richard I agree with what you are saying I have seen them offload trouble year-in year-out for too many years.
But in this instance I don't see he (AW) has a choice due to the now age of our midfield.
We have one established player in Gilberto with lot of talented young players around him; just have a look in the reserves some time.
I don't think he has a choice because he will do all he has to keep TH @ the club.
Lee.
You could see on Saturday against Sunderland when Reyes went off, and Pires switched to the left wing how much happier TH was... Pires didn't run around anywhere near as much as Reyes, but let his brain dictate with almost telepathic passing between himself and TH (usually also in combined harmony with Ashley Cole)... long gone seem the days now when the combination from back to front of Cole, Vieira, Pires, and Henry would terrorise teams across the country...
To get us back to those high standards we need to reward and keep Ashley Cole (it's hugely underestimated how important his experience and ability is to the team), sign an established quality striker and central midfielder to replace the soon to be departed Bergkamp and at least one of the already departed Vieira or Edu.
Hleb and Ljungberg need to become our first choice wide players, and either Gilberto or Fabregas played alongside the above mentioned new midfield signing, as neither currently dictates any authority in the middle of the park where we are now at our MOST vulnerable... Reyes must be a weapon only employed off the bench to run at defenders whenever needed in the second half of stale games.
Only then is their a good solid chance that TH leads the team out at Ashburton Grove next season.
We need another CD and a CM. not another striker! At least not now when TH is here!! IF AW were to buy Torres in January, then we know we can kiss TH goodbye!!
For the CM position, Ballack is the man! He can gives the team a new attacking dimension and also marshall the mid-field. If Ballack and another strong CM comes in then I am sure TH will stay!!
Poor Cygan.
If VP and CF are pivotal players in convincing Henry that he will get the service he wants, what about Hleb as well. His predicted progress after this injury might be pivotal as well. BOth DB and Pires' assists need replacing.
It says Hleb as well mate, but you are spot on, I think Hleb is as big a potential star as either VP or CF. The guy looks class and an Arsenal player, time will tell I guess. Like you said, both DB and RP assists' need replacing.
We DO need another striker... if Torres joins, I do not believe it signals the end of TH... dismissing the soon to depart Bergkamp we currently only have TWO strikers capable of scoring goals, TH14 and RVP... what happens when either is injured? we reluctantly have to push Reyes up front or use Ljungberg as a makeshift striker?... Ballack would also be a great signing agreed...
Regarding Hleb, agreed, a fast becoming star for us, and an ideal player to replace the fast fading Pires...
Possible Viera replacements in the french league: Diarra is one, less obvious ones like Zokora from St etienne and Mvuba from Bordeaux, are the type of players wenger will probably sign. Forget Ballack and Diarra expect one of these unknown Diamonds to come in January
where ya gone joe?!?!?
Post a Comment
<< Home