Gunners wave goodbye to Henry
…But is this adios Wenger and does it spell another trophyless Arsenal season?
At the end of the 2003/4 season, exactly three years ago, the Arsenal invincibles led by the imperious Frenchman Thierry Henry conquered all as they became the first team to go through a top flight English season unbeaten.
Despite capturing the FA Cup the following season after a penalty shoot out victory over their closest rivals Manchester United, silverware has been thin on the ground in recent years for the North Londoners and having to settle for a fourth position in the last two campaigns has got tongues wagging about Arsene Wenger’s side.
Just twelve months ago, Arsenal came off the back of another dramatic history making Premiership season. Reaching their first Champions League Final as well as grabbing a qualification spot for the 2006 UEFA competition, the reds pushed London rivals Tottenham firmly in their place with a historic 4-2 victory over Wigan on the final day of the season. An afternoon on which Henry himself scored a hat trick as Arsenal said goodbye to their ninety three year home Highbury for the final time.
The clubs first season at the Emirates failed to capture the imagination of many, including the talismanic Frenchman who spent most of the season sidelined by injury but as club captain made several comments that more strength was needed in the Londoners ranks to become a force in the English game once more.
For most other clubs, fourth place, qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League, a Carling Cup final and only one defeat at home all season, would be greeted by the sound of resounding cheers. Like their new 60,000 Emirates Stadium however Arsenal supporters are short on noise as three months before the end of the season, the man responsible for bringing Arsene Wenger to the club and long time Chief Executive David Dein was forced to resign after being outvoted in a move to bring extra financial muscle to the club in the form of Stanley Kronke.
Dein’s departure did not affect results on the pitch as Arsenal breezed to another top four finish but it did bring into question the ambition of several of the clubs board members who refused to compromise their position on foreign backers coming into Arsenal. Despite the seemingly daily increases of buyouts and takeovers taking place all over the country, including three of the clubs closest rivals benefiting from increased finance, Peter Hill-Wood the Chairman instantly rejected an offer by the American businessman to invest in Arsenal.
With the sight of their closest rivals splashing the cash on new players, Arsenal fans begin to wonder the motivation of the clubs almost instant rejection of a takeover bid and whether or not they are actually in their position to make money or to benefit Arsenal Football Club. Seemingly disillusioned by events at Highbury, exit stage left the club captain in a shock move to Barcelona.
Just twelve months ago Thierry Henry turned down a move to Catalunia wishing to lead Arsenal into their new stadium and capture the illusive Champions League medal he chases. Despite saying he was happy at the club, Barcelona’s interest seemed too much to turn down and after discussions with the main man himself, Arsene Wenger allowed the clubs record goal scorer to leave for just 16 million pounds and with his personal future in doubt due to the departure of his greatest ally David Dein, Arsenal fans now question where his and their future lie in 2007/8.
Potentially there are two scenarios:
Scenario One: Arsenal struggle in the shadow of the Henry departure
Starting 2007/8 with the addition of just three players Arsenal start slowly with a returning Robin Van Persie stepping up to the plate as a replacement for the Frenchman Henry.
With too much overall class for most of their opponents at home Arsenal post an almost perfect season at the Emirates only defeated by Manchester United and Liverpool. However it is away from home where their struggles lie. Arsenal win only six away games all season, losing nine and drawing three. The Gunners simply have no direct replacement in the goal scoring department for Henry as Walcott, Bentendar and Adebayor struggle to find the net as Wenger tries to convince Jose Antonio Reyes to return to England.
Without Henry Arsenal rely heavily on Cesc Fabregas to carry the team through the campaign and the twenty year old simply cannot manage the burdon of playing in every single competitive game for the club. The Spanish player demands a rest (or a wage increase) before suffering an injury which causes him to miss three months of the season.
As Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool pull away at the top of the League, Arsenal find themselves battling Bolton, Aston Villa and Everton for a UEFA Cup spot. North London rivals Tottenham break their Premiership duck against Arsenal and leave the Gunners behind to finish in fourth place whilst Arsenal settles for 5th.
Dissillusioned with life at Arsenal and having to put up with UEFA Cup football next season Arsene Wenger becomes the new England manager replacing a hounded out Steve Maclaren. The Arsenal squad begins to collapse. Having seen the likes of Vieira, Pires, Henry and Campbell depart since their 49 games of invincibility Fabregas leaves for Real Madrid, Walcott goes on loan to Portsmouth, Gallas, annoyed at the fact that everyone around him is leaving leaves to join Henry in Barcelona and Toure is courted by Chelsea to bolster their struggling central defensive area.
However….
Scenario Two: Gunners are Galvanised by Henry departure
Despite the departure of Thierry Henry the Gunners start the season on fire with goals coming from all over the pitch.
Rosicky, Hleb, Fabregas and Van Persie all chip in with their fair share of goals whilst helping Arsenal to continue playing fantasic football. The combination of the Dutchman Van Persie, Adebayor, Da Silva and Bentendar present Wenger with options whilst Theo Walcott revitalised after a four month break scores his first Premiership hat trick at the Reebok Stadium.
Experienced Freddie Ljungberg refinds his form and as the captain of the Carling Cup squad he leads them to another final where despite their best efforts they are beaten by Chelsea.
In the Champions League, Arsenal set up with a 4-5-1 adding Brazilian Denilson into the midfield mix and concede only one goal in the group stages. Finishing top of their group they dispatch Ajax in round two before coming up against Chelsea in the quarter finals. Arsenal go through on penalties and meet Manchester United in the semi finals who they also beat on penalties to set up a showdown with Thierry Henry in the Final.
Henry goes off injured in the first half after giving his side the lead before Van Persie and Da Silva goals see captain Gilberto Silva lift the Champions League trophy.
In the League Arsenal are ten points behind the leaders at Christmas before going unbeaten in the second half of the season taking points off Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool away from home before piping the Merseysiders’ to their first ever Premiership title on the final day of the season.
Winning the Premiership and Champions League may seem way off for Arsenal right now but the departure of Henry does not mean that the world will crumble around the Gunners ears. When on the pitch and as the captain Henry’s reputation itself seemed to have a magnetism as Arsenal constantly looked to the Frenchman to provide them with a spark. Now Arsenal players may realise that without him at the club it is their time to step up and replace the legendary number fourteen just as Henry himself did when Ian Wright departed almost ten seasons ago.
The simple fact is that one player does not make a team. Despite all his heroics as an Arsenal player and the legacy he leaves behind, Arsenal will find a natural replacement for Thierry Henry to learn to play a different way. Presuming he signs a new deal and continues as Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger admitted that the 16.1 million sale of Henry ‘takes into account his age and level of fitness’. Meaning that having weighed up the options in his mind Wenger considers Henry only to have a couple of seasons in the game and also feels that his young side performed well enough last season without Henry to cope this season without him.
In 2004 Liverpool sold Michael Owen to Real Madrid, the following season the club won Champions League final, in 2006 Manchester United sold Ruud Van Nistelrooy, in 2006/7 Manchester United regained their Premiership title.
At the beginning of the 2007/8 season, Arsenal allow Thierry Henry to depart to Spain…thirty eight matches dictate whether or not the North Londoners can do well in the absence of their key front man.
Despite capturing the FA Cup the following season after a penalty shoot out victory over their closest rivals Manchester United, silverware has been thin on the ground in recent years for the North Londoners and having to settle for a fourth position in the last two campaigns has got tongues wagging about Arsene Wenger’s side.
Just twelve months ago, Arsenal came off the back of another dramatic history making Premiership season. Reaching their first Champions League Final as well as grabbing a qualification spot for the 2006 UEFA competition, the reds pushed London rivals Tottenham firmly in their place with a historic 4-2 victory over Wigan on the final day of the season. An afternoon on which Henry himself scored a hat trick as Arsenal said goodbye to their ninety three year home Highbury for the final time.
The clubs first season at the Emirates failed to capture the imagination of many, including the talismanic Frenchman who spent most of the season sidelined by injury but as club captain made several comments that more strength was needed in the Londoners ranks to become a force in the English game once more.
For most other clubs, fourth place, qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League, a Carling Cup final and only one defeat at home all season, would be greeted by the sound of resounding cheers. Like their new 60,000 Emirates Stadium however Arsenal supporters are short on noise as three months before the end of the season, the man responsible for bringing Arsene Wenger to the club and long time Chief Executive David Dein was forced to resign after being outvoted in a move to bring extra financial muscle to the club in the form of Stanley Kronke.
Dein’s departure did not affect results on the pitch as Arsenal breezed to another top four finish but it did bring into question the ambition of several of the clubs board members who refused to compromise their position on foreign backers coming into Arsenal. Despite the seemingly daily increases of buyouts and takeovers taking place all over the country, including three of the clubs closest rivals benefiting from increased finance, Peter Hill-Wood the Chairman instantly rejected an offer by the American businessman to invest in Arsenal.
With the sight of their closest rivals splashing the cash on new players, Arsenal fans begin to wonder the motivation of the clubs almost instant rejection of a takeover bid and whether or not they are actually in their position to make money or to benefit Arsenal Football Club. Seemingly disillusioned by events at Highbury, exit stage left the club captain in a shock move to Barcelona.
Just twelve months ago Thierry Henry turned down a move to Catalunia wishing to lead Arsenal into their new stadium and capture the illusive Champions League medal he chases. Despite saying he was happy at the club, Barcelona’s interest seemed too much to turn down and after discussions with the main man himself, Arsene Wenger allowed the clubs record goal scorer to leave for just 16 million pounds and with his personal future in doubt due to the departure of his greatest ally David Dein, Arsenal fans now question where his and their future lie in 2007/8.
Potentially there are two scenarios:
Scenario One: Arsenal struggle in the shadow of the Henry departure
Starting 2007/8 with the addition of just three players Arsenal start slowly with a returning Robin Van Persie stepping up to the plate as a replacement for the Frenchman Henry.
With too much overall class for most of their opponents at home Arsenal post an almost perfect season at the Emirates only defeated by Manchester United and Liverpool. However it is away from home where their struggles lie. Arsenal win only six away games all season, losing nine and drawing three. The Gunners simply have no direct replacement in the goal scoring department for Henry as Walcott, Bentendar and Adebayor struggle to find the net as Wenger tries to convince Jose Antonio Reyes to return to England.
Without Henry Arsenal rely heavily on Cesc Fabregas to carry the team through the campaign and the twenty year old simply cannot manage the burdon of playing in every single competitive game for the club. The Spanish player demands a rest (or a wage increase) before suffering an injury which causes him to miss three months of the season.
As Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool pull away at the top of the League, Arsenal find themselves battling Bolton, Aston Villa and Everton for a UEFA Cup spot. North London rivals Tottenham break their Premiership duck against Arsenal and leave the Gunners behind to finish in fourth place whilst Arsenal settles for 5th.
Dissillusioned with life at Arsenal and having to put up with UEFA Cup football next season Arsene Wenger becomes the new England manager replacing a hounded out Steve Maclaren. The Arsenal squad begins to collapse. Having seen the likes of Vieira, Pires, Henry and Campbell depart since their 49 games of invincibility Fabregas leaves for Real Madrid, Walcott goes on loan to Portsmouth, Gallas, annoyed at the fact that everyone around him is leaving leaves to join Henry in Barcelona and Toure is courted by Chelsea to bolster their struggling central defensive area.
However….
Scenario Two: Gunners are Galvanised by Henry departure
Despite the departure of Thierry Henry the Gunners start the season on fire with goals coming from all over the pitch.
Rosicky, Hleb, Fabregas and Van Persie all chip in with their fair share of goals whilst helping Arsenal to continue playing fantasic football. The combination of the Dutchman Van Persie, Adebayor, Da Silva and Bentendar present Wenger with options whilst Theo Walcott revitalised after a four month break scores his first Premiership hat trick at the Reebok Stadium.
Experienced Freddie Ljungberg refinds his form and as the captain of the Carling Cup squad he leads them to another final where despite their best efforts they are beaten by Chelsea.
In the Champions League, Arsenal set up with a 4-5-1 adding Brazilian Denilson into the midfield mix and concede only one goal in the group stages. Finishing top of their group they dispatch Ajax in round two before coming up against Chelsea in the quarter finals. Arsenal go through on penalties and meet Manchester United in the semi finals who they also beat on penalties to set up a showdown with Thierry Henry in the Final.
Henry goes off injured in the first half after giving his side the lead before Van Persie and Da Silva goals see captain Gilberto Silva lift the Champions League trophy.
In the League Arsenal are ten points behind the leaders at Christmas before going unbeaten in the second half of the season taking points off Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool away from home before piping the Merseysiders’ to their first ever Premiership title on the final day of the season.
Winning the Premiership and Champions League may seem way off for Arsenal right now but the departure of Henry does not mean that the world will crumble around the Gunners ears. When on the pitch and as the captain Henry’s reputation itself seemed to have a magnetism as Arsenal constantly looked to the Frenchman to provide them with a spark. Now Arsenal players may realise that without him at the club it is their time to step up and replace the legendary number fourteen just as Henry himself did when Ian Wright departed almost ten seasons ago.
The simple fact is that one player does not make a team. Despite all his heroics as an Arsenal player and the legacy he leaves behind, Arsenal will find a natural replacement for Thierry Henry to learn to play a different way. Presuming he signs a new deal and continues as Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger admitted that the 16.1 million sale of Henry ‘takes into account his age and level of fitness’. Meaning that having weighed up the options in his mind Wenger considers Henry only to have a couple of seasons in the game and also feels that his young side performed well enough last season without Henry to cope this season without him.
In 2004 Liverpool sold Michael Owen to Real Madrid, the following season the club won Champions League final, in 2006 Manchester United sold Ruud Van Nistelrooy, in 2006/7 Manchester United regained their Premiership title.
At the beginning of the 2007/8 season, Arsenal allow Thierry Henry to depart to Spain…thirty eight matches dictate whether or not the North Londoners can do well in the absence of their key front man.