Ed. Note - Got this several days ago, sorry for the late posting…
I actually touched on this in a response to love_gunners piece mooting the idea of Ronaldinho for Arsenal, but I am finding this sudden, I’m not sure what to call it -aggravation, anger- with Thierry Henry for sulking and openly displaying frustration with himself, with referees and with teammates and seeking to see this a sign of some impending disaster at the club, quite annoying.
There are supporters suggesting Henry is too arrogant, too selfish, and too petulant for the team now. They say Henry hates Reyes and vice-versa and seem to suggest that maybe, just maybe, we just might be better off without him, as hard to prove as that is, or that he feels he’d be better off without us, as hard to prove as that is.
But there are those who are worried by this. They point to Henry’s continual and you would think constant sulking when not provided with the service he wants in and around the goal. They seem particularly piqued by his animosity towards Jose Antonio Reyes in these situations and his criticism of him for running where he would normally run with or without the ball. They point to his berating of both Freddie Ljungberg and Lauren in the ManU match at Highbury for shooting rather than passing to him in far better positions to shoot and score, to the point he and Lauren are alleged to have come to or very close to blows. They point to prove all their concerns to Henry complaining to Reyes for getting in the way of his shot that was likely to score at s***e hart lane against s***s.
The thing is, if you pay attention to it and look at it closely, there is nothing at all to suggest any of this is true. Even the incidents that worried supporters refer to when viewed in a larger context cease to be a concern.
I do not know Thierry Henry nor have I had the privalege of playing on a pitch with him, let alone a team, so I can only go by what I have seen of him. And what I have seen of him, the same as most of you would seem to put such concerns to rest easily.
The incident that I most particularly recall about Henry is the final Sunday from the 2002 Double Season as we faced Everton with the Championship sealed and Henry battling for the Golden Boot.
At 3-2 and with former Everton hero Francis Jeffers on, Henry cast aside chances to complete a hat-trick and assure himself the Golden Boot to get Jeffers, who’d struggled all year, a goal against his former side and in front of a Highbury support he’d yet to win over. At one point Jeffers had an awful miss after a brilliant ball from Henry and as much derision as you’d expect on such a day rained down on him. And it was Henry who went over and embraced him according to the Capital Gold commentary. Eventually Jeffers would score from another pass from Henry.
Another incident of a very difficult time ocurred when Markus Babbel returned for Liverpool against Arsenal after a long and life-threatening illness. Thierry Henry made a point of going to Babbel, extending a handshake and welcoming him him back and saying it was good to see him playing football again before any other player, a gesture Babbel appreciated. Then this year at Anfield when Michael Owen went down outside the Arsenal penalty area, Henry came all the way from the Liverpool half to offer the fallen player support-along with Ashley Cole. And of course there was the afternoon at Elland Road when Henry saw a certain goal saved by Ray Parlour’s back-side and even with a hat-trick denied Henry could laugh and smile mischeviously and ruefully.
When you contrast those-and numerous other-incidents with some of Henry’s displays of petulance and frustration, it should come clear that this is really something from less-than-nothing. That becomes obvious looking at the incidents at Elland Road and s***e hart lane, which are not merely similar but really identical. But while some would argue that is proof of Henry’s contempt for Reyes-Consider that Arsenal were leading 4-1 at Elland Road (again) when Parlour got his arse in the way, where the Gunners were only up 2-1 in a match to clinch the Premiership Championship in which that goal would have sealed the result. The point is Henry’s behavior is entirely dictated by the match itself. He is that serious a competitor and his intensity comes through in those situations. He is not only petulant with teammates in those occasions, but opponents too, and referees, most infamously Graham Poll, as well. When the result is in doubt Henry takes it upon himself to assure that result and gets frustrated when he cannot and frustrated with his teammates if they deny him that opportunity at that moment. This would explain opposing players from Southampton praising Henry for not going down when clearly fouled in the box inside the opening minute of last year’s FA CUP Final, and him getting booked for diving in the box late on in the SAME 1-0 match still up in the air. It is important to understand that - And that there is no player from Arsenal or another club with which Henry has had more than one petulant incident with in a match or or incidents on consecutive or even multiple matches. His reaction is immediate and confined to that moment. That is why even as it was reported that Sunday that Henry and Lauren were fighting or had to be separated by teammates after the ManU match that there were NO stories about the incident after the Monday papers. Or after any other incidents like this (save for those involving confronting match referees).
Henry’s behavior is no different than Jens Lehmann barking at his defenders for leaving him exposed, and that is to be expected from him or any top keeper. Why not from Henry? He is our leader up front as surely as Jens is at the back.
This is just very silly. It seems as I said in other posts that a lot of Gooners aren’t happy unless they’re worried…about SOMETHING…about ANYTHING. Worry about this, that Henry and Reyes may never form the partnership up front that Wenger envisions. That at least is a genuine concern…
11 Responses to “Ze French - Zey Are So Rude - ?”
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May 12th, 2004 at 8:48 am
Are you an attorney, USMartin? If not, you may want to consider it.
Its very easy to pick apart every tic of Henry’s facial expressions and reactions when you’re the kind of player he is. All eyes are on him, and the bulk of the offensive responsibility is on him as well. If he has a shot and it goes wide, the crowd is flabbergasted. Henry missed! What’s wrong?
It comes with the territory. When you’re the best, or at least among them, others place too much importance on things outside of your performance. Henry is more than a great player for The Arsenal, he is the standard (some may argue Paddy is as well, but in a different way). And I believe he shoulders that responsibility well. To always draw the spotlight can be distracting, and I would venture to guess that much of his behavior that some find so reprehensible may be his way of dealing with it and getting the result, which we all EXPECT him to do.
He’s only 26 and arguably the best player in the world. His singular and remarkable efforts have contributed hugely to our third Championship in an unbeaten season. He figures prominently on the cover of FIFA 2004, for Pete’s sake! And now he’s already the talk of the Euro’s where he is expected to take France to the final. That’s a lot of pressure for a young man who is handling it with complete class.
Still, selfishly…I want him to get #30!
May 12th, 2004 at 9:39 am
I am sorry for sir you obviously by your post have not much experience in the football world. I have seen manyof the greatest players to ever kick a ball. Stan Matthews who was never cautioned Pele who had 10 players that only protected him & fed him the ball. Today with the speed & intensity of the game & TV cameras looking at every move good or bad, stupid intrepretations are easily made. THE GUNNERS are a team not premadoners.THEY play for each other. AW knows what the TEAM NeedS & how to bring them along.So watch & get an education.Henry, Patrick ,They all had to learn to play together even with critism by more exprienced players. one to go COME ON YOU GUNNERS.
May 12th, 2004 at 10:09 am
I hope the RUDE French players spank the British all over Euro2004…!!
Then we can see a jubilant Henry… and his mates celebrate!!!
Issues with Henry? Utter non-sense. They are very much a together bunch of players at the Arsenal.
May 12th, 2004 at 11:42 am
Alan Shearer always gives us an impression as a model professional who takes his job seriously, a demanding captain towards his teammates, at least on the pitch. But from what I read from his teammates, Alan is actually quite funny a lad, and does not look as serious as he is when he’s out on the field when he’s back in the dressing room.
The true is the majority of us can only see one side of the players, that’s when they are on the pitch. What kind of a person he really is, and how he gets along with his teammates, we would never know. But so far, I haven’t heard a single bad word directing to Henry’s direction from either his teammates, or the fellow professionals. I guess that speaks it all.
May 12th, 2004 at 11:44 am
btw, when Reyes scored against Fulham, wasn’t Henry the first one rushing to embrace him?!
May 12th, 2004 at 1:02 pm
I don’t want be presumptuous or rude here, but I think most if not all of you completely misunderstood the nature of this post-which was that there are Gooners and a fair number of them OVER-REACTING and by a wide margin to how they perceive Henry’s performance and attitude of late and overall. People want to see his moodiness as a sign of something-that he wants to leave, perhaps, though why they would want see that is absolutely beyond my own understanding. Henry is moody he gets frustrated he gets upset-BFD! I think you can figure out what that stands for. The incidents that cause so much concern and consternation for some of these can’t-be-happy-unless-I’m-on-the-edge-of-devastation Gooners are utterly meaningless. Complaints that he sulks, that he gets on his teammates during matches occasionally-get real. Henry is a fantastic teammate, who like the guy down at the gym glares at you every time you take a shot instead of passing to him can be a tough judge on the pitch. But unlike 99.97% of those guys at the gym, he has EARNED the right to(OK, about 28.6% in my case to be honest). He is a class act-end of. This piece was never meant to convey otherwise and I don’t think it did. Thierry Henry IS Arsenal to the world and represents us to it admirably. To those who would portray him otherwise maybe you should make Roy Keane your hero…
May 12th, 2004 at 1:21 pm
My post was intended to share your opinion. Hope it conveyed that. Though I see what you’re saying. One in particular seemed to miss your point entirely.
Incidentally, Dennis just signed on for another year! DB “10″ indeed.
May 12th, 2004 at 1:39 pm
Well-said US Martin,
Henry is not God and part for a team and without him Arsenal will be Arsenal. He is a very good lad but sometimes as all good players he can be a pain in the B. As Tony Adams once said nobody is bigger than the club period. That is not Arsenal or part of the club?s rich and great tradition. Yes there are more TV cameras at games today but some of his antics are very stupid.
And for anyone to say because he is Henry you can?t say anything wrong about him is beyond a joke. Like most fans I have always support Arsenal and not an individual. I loved Ian Wright, met him like other players but will be the first to tell Ian stop messing around whiles he was a gunner.
May 12th, 2004 at 2:29 pm
Nobody would say you can’t anything critical about any player. The question is is the criticism that important or the point someone chooses to offer criticism over legitimate, which goes back to your first point. Truth be told I sense Henry is a terrific teammate until things are not going well. That is that in the heat of competition he will not spare anyone their blushes for a mistake he perceives they’ve made. I have heard to be fair he is just as hard on himself and given to post-match moodiness when he has failed to perform or deliver. But my point is such as the ManU League match at Highbury when it was all at stake Henry made no friends in the team excoriating several players particularly Freddie at 1-0 for missing chances or not finding him in space, and we all vividly recall he shocking outburst at Lauren at 1-1. Would either incident had occured if we were 3-0 up at the time? I really doubt it. I think that also explains Henry’s lack of passion of late with the League safely won. There is nothing at stake now. With each succeeding match since s***e hart lane his attitude has grown more blase. My guess is because it will be something of a celebration Saturday that the Henry we all prefer will be back and presenting party pieces all around-he responds to days like this.
But I agree I find the lax attitude a bit disappointing really-especially compared to Vieira’s and annoying too. But at this point in the season I just see no point in worrying about it. When we need Thierry he will be there-no doubt. He is a new player in a new day, and not always what we are used to or want to him to be. But I wouldn’t exchange him for any other player on Earth right now. Guess I’m saying more perspective is needed to judge any player positively or negatively. I’ll take a few matches like these when the Championship is safe to get what Thierry Henry or ANY of our top players offers while the Title is still up for grabs…
May 12th, 2004 at 2:33 pm
Spotted that about Den on Arsenal World! First Testemonial at Ashburton Grove maybe? Actually I meant to note with the exception of your post(And no I’m not an attorney just help run a family business for now…)
May 13th, 2004 at 8:53 am
Remember they said we could never replace the back 4. Not just any back 4 but the best back 4 modern football had ever seen. During the transfer scandals some said we can?t replace GG but Wenger is damn good and same goes for Anelka but Henry is fu*king great and better but by saying that, Henry?s behavior of last is crap simple. If things don?t go your way work it out with your colleagues and stop the whim and whining. I also feel Henry is becoming too arrogant and bit selfish of late.
As Gunners we always remember the great ones like Seaman, Rocastle, Adams, etc as we sing their names on the terrace. We don?t think anyone is bigger than the Arsenal.
A piece of advice to Henry and others as the latest football poll shows kids are even sick of so-called big stars. You are part of a team and not bigger than your mates. Football is a sport and comes with responsibility. A bad season in terms of player?s behavior off and on the field from the England team ?Rio gate? and all the rape cases not to forget the battle of OT